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KAZR

Pella, Iowa
Broadcast area	Des Moines metropolitan area
Frequency	103.3 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding	Lazer 103.3
Programming
Format	Mainstream rock
Subchannels	HD2: Pure Oldies 104.5 (Oldies)
Ownership
Owner	Saga Communications (Saga Communications of Iowa, LLC)
Sister stations	KIOA, KOEZ, KPSZ, KRNT, KSTZ
History
First air date	1976 (as KPLL)
Former call signs	KPLL (1976–1980) KXJX (1980–1986) KFMD (1986–1988) KDMG (1988–1992) KFMG (1992–1996)
Call sign meaning	"Lazer"
Technical information
Facility ID	28882
Class	C1
ERP	100,000 watts
HAAT	227 meters (745 ft)
Translator(s)	104.5 K283CC Des Moines (HD2)
Links
Webcast	Listen Live Listen Live (HD2)
Website	lazer1033.com oldies1045.com (HD2)

KAZR (103.3 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Pella, Iowa, and serving the Des Moines metropolitan area. It is owned by Saga Communications, and is operated as part of its Des Moines Radio Group, with studios located on Locust Street in Des Moines. KAZR airs a mainstream rock radio format, known as "Lazer 103.3".

The transmitter is located off Pinion Avenue near Runnells, broadcasting at 100,000 watts. KAZR broadcasts in the HD Radio format.

History

The station signed on as KPLL in 1976, with studios and transmitter located in Otley, near Pella. It was owned by the Meyer family with a varied format of music and religious programming. In 1980, its call letters changed to KXJX, in April 1986 to KFMD, and to KDMG in June 1988. KDMG, owned by Beta Broadcasting, had a gold-based adult contemporary format until September 1988, when it flipped to oldies.

On February 4, 1991, KDMG flipped to an adult album alternative (AAA) format with the slogan "Where The Music Comes First", similar to WXRT in Chicago or KBCO in Denver. It became KFMG in April 1992. During the era of 1990–1996, night times tended to be harder-edged, following an alternative/modern rock/new rock format in the daytime. KFMG's format consisted of modern/alternative rock, blues, and variety shows such as "The Grateful Dead Hour". In the early 1970s, owner and program director Ron Sorenson had operated a station with those call letters on 94.9 FM, now KGGO.

On August 1, 1996, KFMG flipped to active rock as KAZR, "Lazer 103.3", after Sorenson sold the station to Saga Communications.

Lazerfest

In August 2002, KAZR created and organized a music festival known as Lazerfest. The inaugural festival took place in Water Works Park, but subsequently moved to the Indianola Balloon Grounds in Indianola, Iowa, in 2003. In 2012 Lazerfest moved to its new home at the Central Iowa Expo in Boone, Iowa. Lazerfest 2010 was the first Lazerfest to completely sell out, with 25,000 tickets sold.

KAZR-HD2

KAZR's HD2 sub-channel currently airs an oldies format as "Pure Oldies 104.5", which is relayed on a 250-watt translator station 104.5 K283CC in Des Moines.

The translator signed on in August 2014, and initially carried a simulcast of sister KPSZ. In September 2015, after sister KRNT dropped its longtime standards format for sports talk, the format moved to the translator/KAZR-HD2 as "Legends 104.5." In August 2016, K283CC/KAZR-HD2 flipped to a conservative talk format as "Talk 104.5." In March 2017, K283CC/KAZR-HD2 flipped to the current oldies format.

KAZR-HD3

On April 1, 2021, KAZR launched a contemporary Christian format on its HD3 subchannel, branded as "Joy 102.1" (which is simulcast on translator K271CO (102.1 FM)). On September 20, 2021, KAZR-HD3/K271CO dropped the Christian format, with K271CO flipping back to a simulcast of KRNT.

References

1. Radio-Locator.com/KAZR
2. Dave Rhein, "Scribbles and scraps," The Des Moines Register, April 3, 1986.
3. Dave Rhein, "D.M. stations do the radio shuffle," The Des Moines Register, September 4, 1988.
4. Bart Haynes, "On Des Moines radio, you don't pan gold," The Des Moines Register, January 19, 1989.
5. Dave Rhein, "KDMG-FM to switch to 'hip adult' format," The Des Moines Register, February 2, 1991.
6. Todd Endorf, "Summitt reaches for top," The Des Moines Register, March 12, 1991.
7. Dave Rhein, "New radio station owners to bring 'adult rock alternative' to Des Moines," The Des Moines Register, April 12, 1992.
8. DesMoinesBroadcasting.com. "Des Moines Station Timeline". Retrieved 2007-03-28.
9. DesMoinesBroadcasting.com. "KFMG". Retrieved 2007-03-28.
10. Dale Kasler, "Radio station KFMG is sold," The Des Moines Register, August 1, 1996.
11. "KFMG changes format," The Des Moines Register, August 2, 1996.
12. Dale Kasler, "Taking to the air," The Des Moines Register, October 14, 1996.
13. https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1996/R&R-1996-08-09.pdf
14. Radio-Locator.com/K283CC
15. /
16. "Saga Launches Talk 104.5 des Moines". August 2016.
17. "Saga Brings Pure Oldies to des Moines". 14 March 2017.
18. Saga Brings Joy To Des Moines Radioinsight - April 4, 2021

External links

• KAZR Website
• Des Moines Radio Group
• Facility details for Facility ID 28882 (KAZR) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• KAZR in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
• Facility details for Facility ID 140930 (K283CC) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• K283CC at FCCdata.org

41°32′18″N 93°17′59″W / 41.5383°N 93.2996°W / 41.5383; -93.2996

• HD Radio stations
• Active rock radio stations in the United States
• Radio stations in Des Moines, Iowa
• Pella, Iowa
• Radio stations established in 1976
• 1976 establishments in Iowa