Radio 104.7 KISS FM (KZZP)

KZZP, 104.7 KISS-FM, is a Top 40 radio outlet serving the Phoenix, Arizona area. The Clear Channel Communications station broadcasts at 104.7 MHz with an Effective radiated power (ERP) of 100 kW and is licensed in Mesa, Arizona. Due to its 100 kW tower located atop South Mountain, the station can be easily picked up in most parts of Tucson. The station plays a large variety of hip-hop, pop and rock tracks, as well as the flagship station of the Johnjay and Rich in the Morning.KZZP was originally KTYL-FM (calls now used by a station in Tyler, Texas), co-owned with 1310 AM in Mesa. Western Cities Broadcasting purchased KZZP in 1980 and flipped it to a Top 40 format, with personalities like Jonathon Brandmeier, Dave Otto, and Steve Goddard.Brandmeier later made a huge name for himself in Chicago at WLUP. His show on KZZP featured prank phone calls, parody songs which Brandmeier himself usually wrote, sang and recorded, and a cast of regular characters. When Brandmeier went to Chicago's WLUP, Western Cities won an injunction to keep him off the air in the Windy City until his contract with KZZP had officially expired.KZZP enjoyed a spectacular run from 1985 until early 1990 as one of America's leading Contemporary Hit Radio stations, led by legendary program director Guy Zapoleon. During Zapoleon's era, the station played mass appeal hits along with some adventurous dance and alternative releases. Zapoleon hired morning man and right hand Bruce Kelly from Boston in July 1985 and teamed him with Maggie Brock, former partner of Chicago radio star Steve Dahl, to form the nucleus of the show that would propel KZZP into unheard of Arbitron double digit ratings for almost five years. Kelly and Company would become a household name and included other talents like Rob Izenberg (The Iceman), who would go onto greater fame at Premiere Comedy Network and Mark Davis, now know as parody lounge artist Richard Cheese."KZZP 104.7 FM The Number One Hit Music Station" also produced a long list of future stars in the radio business including Kevin Weatherly, Gene Baxter, Kevin Ryder (now Kevin and Bean on KROQ/Los Angeles), Todd Fisher (now GM, KSTP Minneapolis), Clarke Ingram, Nick Sommers (Nick Sommers Productions) Michelle Santosuosso, Jimmy Kimmel, Bill Stewart "Stu" (now PD - KGOT, Anchorage, AK), Carey Edwards(Programmed KHPT, Tucson, and more recently MD, APD/PM Drive at KAMX Austin), Kent Voss (now a news sidekick with Brandmeier on WLUP), William "Bud" LaTour (KZZP's Production Director, weekend on-air personality, currently Production Director at CBS Radio Chicago) who launched an electronic music career under the name LaTour, Mike Elliot, John O'Rourke and Susan Karis (who started in sales at the station in 1981 and now oversees it as a Clear Channel executive vice president).In December 1989, a new team of Nationwide managers (Zaploeon had been promoted to National PD) signed Kelly to a five year contract, then fired him weeks later. Kelly sued for wrongful termination and won, allowing him to cross the street to longtime CHR competitor Edens' KOY-FM (Y-95). Within three months, KZZP's rating has plunged from # 1 to # 15, while Y-95 skyrocketed from # 15 to # 2.KZZP dropped the famous call letters in favor of KVRY, but in 1996, returned to KZZP because of strong brand recognition in the Phoenix market. Brandmeier made a brief return, via syndication, in mornings), in 1996, but to no ratings success. Kelly returned in August 1998 for a brief, successful one year run in mornings, then left to become part of the launch team of XM Satellite Radio in Washington, D.C.In April 2007 he returned to terrestrial radio as morning host of WMXJ, MAJIC 102.7 in Miami-Fort Lauderdale.The station is now branded on-air as KISS-FM, the KZZP call letters are only used as hourly station identification as required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).On April 20, 2001, KZZP began playing Prince's song Kiss consecutively for three days straight. This was done to promote the new name of the station, KISS-FM. Now owned by Clear Channel, the station's music moved in a more Rhythmic direction. Although they would broaden up to include mainstream Pop product by 2004, KZZP's playlist still leaned heavily towards Rhythmic, similar to many Top 40 stations in large cities. Through 2007 their playlist is less Rhythmic leaning though they still add more rhythmic tracks than the usual CHR.Competition-wise, KZZP is also one of three Top 40 stations battling for listeners in the Phoenix market, the other two being Rhythmic rivals KKFR and KZON, as well as new top 40 rival KMVA.