KZTQ (AM)
| |
Broadcast area | Reno, Nevada |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1270 kHz |
| Branding | 92.5 The Hog |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic rock |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | 1960 |
Last air date | 2026 |
Former call signs |
|
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| 48684 | |
| Class | B |
| Power |
|
Transmitter coordinates | 39°32′1.7″N 119°39′49.7″W / 39.533806°N 119.663806°W |
| Translator | see below |
| Repeater | 106.9 KRNO-HD2 (Incline Village) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | thehogfm |
KZTQ (1270 kHz, "92.5 The Hog") was an AM radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. Licensed to Sparks, Nevada, United States, the station was part of Tom Quinn's Reno Media Group and served the Reno–Sparks metropolitan area. The station was owned by Americom Limited Partnership.[2] The station's studios were located on Matley Lane in East Reno, and its transmitter was located east of Sparks. It operated from 1960 to 2026.
History
[edit]The station was first licensed as KBUB on August 5, 1960. It changed its call sign to KWRL on January 19, 1973; to KROI on November 1, 1979;[3] to KORY on February 11, 1984; and to KPLY on March 1, 1985.
KPLY enjoyed local and regional success while being hosted by long time sports announcer "Bob D." (Robert Dirosario), and his sports sidekick, "Truckee" Mike Leach. Frequent guest Reno sports experts included sportsbook director John Pinto of the Silver Legacy Reno, the late Paul Sonner, who was the owner of Bully's Sports Bars, sportsbook manager Eric Brownlee of the Club Cal Neva, sports handicapping expert and bookmaker Chris Andrews, (who is now the sportsbook director with The South Point in Las Vegas), and Friday night horse racing coverage and analysis with "Pony" Bob Wilkie. The Bob D. KPLY daily sports morning program offered extensive information on sports and sports wagering for the average fan, and also the more knowledgeable fan. The Jim Rome Show was a long running staple on KPLY, as was the Sports Fan Radio Network.
The call sign was changed to KBZZ on March 5, 2001. Prior to that time, the call letters KBZZ were used by a long-standing news and music station in La Junta, Colorado, now KBLJ. Adopting the nickname "The Buzz", the station added Howard Stern in mornings, followed by a local show with Bob Garrison, the syndicated Don and Mike Show and then the syndicated Tom Leykis in late afternoons. Tom Quinn, president of Americom Broadcasting (owner of KBZZ), had selected the "hot talk" format after his success with Stern in Las Vegas. KBZZ immediately became the top-rated AM station in Reno, beating long-time news/talk station KKOH.
However, after a decade of success, a number of factors hurt KBZZ. With Stern's move to satellite radio, Don Geronimo's decision to quit his show and CBS Radio's decision to drop the Tom Leykis syndicated program, those changes severely damaged KBZZ's ratings. Finally on January 14, 2013, the station changed its format to sports, with programming from CBS Sports Radio. Local Reno hosts for sports and chat included Panama and Truckee Mike Leach.[4]
On July 25, 2016, KBZZ changed again from sports to progressive talk, branded as "96.1 & 1270 AM The Buzz".[5]
On March 15, 2018, KBZZ changed calls to KSGG (with the KBZZ calls moving to Quinn's 1230 AM), coinciding with the announcement that 93.7's variety hits format would move to 1270 and 96.1 the following Monday, March 26. On March 23, 2018, KSGG changed call letters to KZTQ and launched the "Bob FM" variety hits format three days later.[6] The adult hits "Bob FM" format was first broadcast in Reno on Quinn's 97.3 FM frequency, which is now home to Reno's top-rated country radio station KOLC, called "Ten Country".
On September 13, 2019, KBZZ and KZTQ exchanged call letters, formats, and associated translators: Bob FM and the KZTQ call letters moved to 1230 AM but kept its 96.1 and 96.9 FM translators, while 92.5 FM (nominally a repeater of KRNO-HD2), which had been airing a classic hip-hop format, flipped to sports talk as 92.5 The Game, as an affiliate of the BetR Network. On September 9, 2020, the station flipped to oldies as Oldies 92.5.[7]
On April 2, 2021, KBZZ flipped to classic rock, branded as "92.5 The Hog".[8] KBZZ and KZTQ again swapped call signs on March 24, 2025.[9]
Americom Limited Partnership requested the cancellation of the KZTQ license on August 7, 2026.[10] It was cancelled on August 10.[11]
FM translators
[edit]| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | HAAT | Class | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K223AL | 92.5 FM | Reno, Nevada | 83337 | 250 | 151 m (495 ft) | D | LMS |
| K245DC | 96.9 FM | Carson City, Nevada | 202050 | 40 | 118 m (387 ft) | D | LMS |
Americom requested the cancellation of the K245DC license on August 7, 2026.[12] It was cancelled on August 10.[13]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Facility Technical Data for KZTQ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ↑ "KZTQ Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ↑ "KROI (KZTQ) history cards" (PDF). Retrieved August 10, 2026.
- ↑ "KBZZ Reno Revamps Towards All Sports".
- ↑ KBZZ Reno Flips to Liberal Talk Radioinsight - July 26, 2016
- ↑ Bob FM On The Move in Reno
- ↑ "KBZZ Drops Sports Gambling For Oldies". RadioInsight. September 9, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- ↑ Classic Rock Hog Rides Into Reno Radioinsight - April 2, 2021
- ↑ Quinn, A Thomas (March 18, 2025). "Form 380 - Exchange Request". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
- ↑ Quinn, A Thomas (August 7, 2026). "Cancellation Application (DKZTQ)". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
- ↑ "License Cancelled". Federal Communications Commission Licensing and Management System. August 10, 2026. Retrieved August 15, 2026.
- ↑ Quinn, A Thomas (August 7, 2026). "Cancellation Application (DK245DC)". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
- ↑ "License Cancelled". Federal Communications Commission Licensing and Management System. August 10, 2026. Retrieved August 15, 2026.
External links
[edit]- FCC History Cards for KZTQ
- Facility details for Facility ID 48684 (KZTQ) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- KZTQ in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- Facility details for Facility ID 83337 (K223AL) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- K223AL at FCCdata.org
- Facility details for Facility ID 202050 (K245DC) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- K245DC at FCCdata.org
