KLNZ

33°35′33″N 112°34′49″W / 33.59250°N 112.58028°W / 33.59250; -112.58028LinksWebcastListen LiveWebsitewww.radiolatricolor.com/phoenix/

KLNZ (103.5 FM, "La Tricolor 103.5") is a commercial radio station serving the Phoenix metropolitan area. It is owned by Entravision Communications and is licensed to the nearby suburb of Glendale. It broadcasts a Regional Mexican radio format, primarily from Entravision's California-based "Radio Tricolor" network. (Tricolor refers to the three colors on the Flag of Mexico.) The studios are near Sky Harbor Airport.

KLNZ is a Class C station. It has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 48,000 watts. The transmitter is off North Tower Road in Buckeye among the White Tank Mountains.^[1] KLNZ broadcasts using HD Radio technology. Its HD2 digital subchannel rebroadcasts sister station 107.1 KVVA-FM's Spanish Adult Hits format.

History

Oldies and Smooth Jazz

FM 103.5 signed on the air on May 18, 1994; 29 years ago (May 18, 1994). Its original call sign was KTWC ("Twice 103.5"). It had an eclectic oldies format with music ranging from the 1950s through the 1980s.^[2] The station was owned by Newmountain II Broadcasting Co. of Phoenix. Newmountain tapped MAC America Communications, owners of KESZ and KTVK, to build the facility and sell ad time while Newmountain handled programming.^[3][4]

In 1996, KTWC was purchased outright by MAC America Communications (now renamed Media America). On May 17th, the station switched to a Smooth Jazz format as KOAZ ("The Oasis"). It created a rare Smooth Jazz competition with KYOT-FM 95.5, which also played that format.^[5]

Wild Country

In 1997, MAC America decided to sell half its interest in the station to Owens Broadcasting, owners of heritage country station KNIX-FM 102.5. (Owens Broadcasting was headed by country singer and television host Buck Owens.) On September 2, the format on 103.5 was switched to a more-contemporary country sound, targeting a younger audience. It called itself "Wild Country" using the call sign KWCY.^[6] A large marketing campaign coincided with the change. It publicized the return of popular morning hosts Tim & Willy, who were at competing country station 107.9 KMLE for a few years before a brief stint in Chicago.

The owners of KNIX decided Wild Country 103.5 wasn't capturing much of an audience. KWCY was put up for sale in June 1998.^[7] Tim & Willy eventually became morning hosts at KNIX.

Entravision

Z-Spanish Radio Networks bought the station in late 1998. The company placed its Sacramento-based "La Zeta" Regional Mexican format on 103.5 in December. The call letters became KLNZ.

Entravision Communications merged with Z-Spanish a year later. Its Zeta-formatted stations switched their slogan and format to "Radio Tricolor."

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References

External links

• KLNZ in the FCC FM station database
• KLNZ in Nielsen Audio's FM station database