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.

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 / 24.5669444°N 81.7483333°W / 24.5669444; -81.7483333

History

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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

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  1. ^ a b 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 strengthens 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.[dead link]
  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. [dead link]
  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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