WKIZ

WKIZ (1500 AM) was a radio station broadcasting a talk radio format. Licensed to Key West, Florida, United States, the station was last owned by Daniel Caamano, through licensee Almavision of Miami,[2] brokered to KONK Communications.

For the unrelated TV repeater WKIZ-LD, see WSVN.
WKIZ
Broadcast areaLower Florida Keys area
Frequency1500 kHz
BrandingKONK 1500AM, Community Radio for Key West
Programming
FormatDefunct (formerly talk radio)
Ownership
Owner
  • Daniel Caamano
  • (Almavision of Miami)
OperatorKONK Communications
History
First air date
March 27, 1959[1]
Call sign meaning
"Keys"
Technical information
Facility ID11193
ClassB
Power250 watts unlimited
Transmitter coordinates
24°34′1.00″N 81°44′54.00″W

History

WKIZ began broadcasting on March 27, 1959.[1] It was owned by the Florida Keys Broadcasting Corporation.[3]

In the early 1990s, the station aired an oldies format.[4][5] It was taken off the air December 6, 1994, but resumed broadcasting in early 1997, as an affiliate of Bloomberg News.[6][7] It adopted a Spanish language format later in the year.[8] In the 2000s, the station aired a progressive talk format as an affiliate of Air America.[9][10][11]

In 2010, Overseas Radio, LLC began brokering broadcasting time on WKIZ.[12] The station was branded KONK and aired a talk radio format. The radio station was called "The Best Talk Radio Station in Florida" by Florida Monthly magazine (September 2010).[13][14] KONK originally signed on May 26, 2009, as an unlicensed station operating under U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Part 15 low power rules, broadcasting on 1630 kHz at 1 milliwatt, covering only the island of Key West.[15]

The station was taken off the air on September 10, 2017, due to damage to its transmitter, caused by Hurricane Irma.[16] It resumed operations in September 2018, running reduced power of 62.5 watts, but was again taken silent on October 22, 2018.[17][18] Its license expired on February 1, 2020, as its owner failed to file an application to renew the station's license.[19]

References
  1. 1971 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1971. p. B-42. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  2. "DWKIZ Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. History Cards for WKIZ, fcc.gov. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  4. Ross, Sean; Stark, Phyllis; Levy, Rochelle. "Vox Jox", Billboard. January 18, 1992. p. 76. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  5. Unmacht, Robert. "Format Changes", The M Street Journal. Vol. 9, No. 17. April 27, 1992. p. 1. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  6. Unmacht, Robert. "Washington This Week", The M Street Journal. Vol. 14, No. 6. February 12, 1997. p. 10. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  7. "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 14, No. 7. February 12, 1997. p. 1. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  8. "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 14, No. 38. September 24, 1997. p. 2. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  9. Bender, David (2006). Air America: The Playbook. Rodale, Inc. p. 258.
  10. "Find a Station". Air America. Archived from the original on July 11, 2005. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  11. "Programming". WKIZ. Archived from the original on July 28, 2009. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  12. "Keys radio station stregthens signal". Florida Keys Keynoter. Marathon, Florida. February 24, 2010. Station owner Guy de Boer has entered into a lease/management agreement with WKIZ-1500, owned by Washington state-based Seattle Streaming Radio, which has a 250-watt transmitter on 5th Avenue on Stock Island.
  13. "Best of Florida Awards 2010". Altamonte Springs, Florida: Florida Media, Inc. December 16, 2010. Archived from the original on January 1, 2011. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  14. "Best of Florida Awards 2010". Florida Monthly. Altamonte Springs, Florida: Florida Media, Inc. September 2010. Archived from the original on November 15, 2010. Retrieved October 28, 2010.
  15. Menge, Margaret (May 30, 2009). "Old time radio returns to Key West - KONK 1630 AM starts broadcasting: talk all day, music all night". Key West Keynoter. Retrieved June 20, 2009.
  16. "Request for Special Temporary Authority to Remain Silent", fcc.gov. November 1, 2017. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  17. Almavision of Miami, Inc. WKIZ(AM), Key West, Florida Facility Identification Number: 11193 Special Temporary Authority", fcc.gov. September 7, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  18. "Request for Special Temporary Authority to Remain Silent", fcc.gov. November 29, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  19. "Radio License Expirations", fcc.gov. January 17, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
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