KZEY (AM)

History

1410 KZEY first signed on the air in 1957 as KADO, and was owned by the Caddo Broadcasting Company. 1410 was built at 200 Interstate 20 West, along I-20 and highway 59 south on the feeder road. 1410 was a complete Gates turn-key facility, including a BC500K transmitter and Gates Phasor. 1410 was sold many many times in its early days.

In 1967, 1410 was sold and the call letters were changed to KDOX.

In 1977, 1410 changed formats and its call letters became KKYR "Kicker 1410". KKYR was a country music station, but only lasted six years due to saturation by the FM country stations.

On November 11, 1983, 1410 changed call letters again to KCUL. For 20 years the KCUL stations played oldies (50s and 60s rock and roll).

The KCUL call letters were originally on 1540 (now KZMP) in University Park, Texas from 1949-1967.

In 2005 (with the acquisition of the Waller Media stations by Access.1) the live, local oldies programming ceased. Access.1 created a trimulcast of 104.1 KKUS Tyler and 1370 KFRO Longview, "The Ranch" (Classic Country).

KCUL, for a brief period, switched to Christian Talk from the Moody Bible Institute.

KCUL formerly simulcasted the Fox Sports Radio Network with former sister station KFRO.

1410 KCUL is still at its original transmitter site along I-20 at the Hwy 59 exit. The control point is once again at the transmitter and studio site.

On March 20, 2015, RCA Broadcasting officially closed on KCUL at a purchase price of $25,000, and the FCC consummated the sale from Access.1 to RCA Broadcasting. KCUL is RCA's first radio station.

On April 24, 2015, 1410 KCUL changed its call sign to KZEY. This was to completely distance the AM from the FM that was kept by Access.1 and went into an LMA sales agreement with Alpha Media. It was also done to better position 1410 in Marshall, as the KZEY-FM call sign was in the market for 10+ years.

Former owners

1957-1958 Caddo Broadcasting Company (Virgil E. Stone and J.D. Johnson)

1958-1959 Marshall Broadcasting Corporation (William R. Sinkin)

1959-1964 Lone Star Steel Company (Now part of U.S. Steel)

1964-1966 Gemini Enterprises (Orman L. Kimbrough and Delwin W. Morton)

1966-1968 Gemini Enterprises II (Orman L. Kimbrough and Delwin W. Morton)

1968-1975 KDOX, Incorporated

1975-1975 Singleton & King Broadcasting, Incorporated

1975-1980 Big Country Broadcasting, Incorporated

1980-1983 Citizens Broadcasting, Incorporated

1983-1990 Gordon Media Corporation

1990-2000 East Texas Stereo, Incorporated (A.T. "Tommy" Moore)

2000-2015 Access.1 Texas License Company LLC

March 20, 2015-present RCA Broadcasting LLC.

Former studio locations

1957-1958 R.L. Roden Property Hwy 59 South, Marshall, Texas (today, 200 Interstate 20 West, Marshall, Texas)

1958-1962 213-A East Austin Street, Marshall, Texas

1962-1966 201 East Austin Street, Marshall, Texas

1966-1974 400 Pinecrest Drive East, Marshall, Texas

1974-present 200 Interstate 20 West, Marshall, Texas

Current programming

On August 1, 2016 KZEY went off the air due to a lighting strike, and extensive damage to the main transmitter, and automation equipment. The station will re-launch once the purchase of 1370 KFRO is final.

Former programming

Presently KCUL is simulcasting Fox Sports Radio, but the Fox Sports will end on April 1, 2015. A completely new format to Marshall will be launched on April 1, 2015.

1983-2005 1410 KCUL was an oldies rock and roll station, featuring music of the 1950s-1970s. When 92.3 KEEP became KCUL-FM the oldies format was simulcast on both 1410 and 92.3. In the mornings the KCUL stations featured "Radio Swap and Shop," the on air classifieds.

From 2005-2012, the on-air staff included Gary P. Walker, Don Jones, Mandee Montana, Dave Rousseau, and Tom Perryman. In the late 1940s Perryman started his career at 1400 KEBE, "The KEBE Corral," in Jacksonville, Texas. In the mid 1950s Tom was at KSIJ (now KEES) 1430 in Gladewater, Texas. It was at KSIJ that Perryman brought Elvis to East Texas, and gave Elvis some of his first work. It was also at KSIJ that Tom met Jim Reeves, Floyd Cramer, and Johnny Horton. Then Tom went on to host the Opry Star Spotlight on The Air Castle of the South 650 WSM in Nashville, as well as becoming one of the most famous Opry announcers of all time. Before leaving WSM he hired his replacement, Ralph Emery. Tom and Jim Reeves then bought KGRI AM/FM in Henderson, Texas. Later Tom and Mary Reeves bought WMTS AM/FM in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Perrymans and Mary Reeves sold WMTS AM/FM in the early 80s, and Perryman went into retirement. Perryman was convinced to come back to East Texas by Dudley Waller (former owner of KKUS) and Rick Guest (former GM of Waller and Access.1), to boost the ratings of the fledgling classic country station (The Ranch). Tom agreed to join The Ranch, and has kept it consistently at the top of the ratings.

1410 KCUL, along with 1370 KFRO and 104.1 KKUS, were the radio homes of the Longview Lobos High School football team.

Prior to May 2013, KCUL aired a Christian talk format from the Moody Bible Institute called "The Word".

In May 2013, 1410 KCUL and 1370 KFRO switched formats from "The Word" to Fox Sports.

Engineering

1410 KCUL is licensed for 500 watts day with a two-tower directional pattern, and 90 watts night with a two-tower directional pattern.

1410 KCUL has only had two transmitters: a 1957 Gates BC500K and a 1983 Harris MW-1A.

Former sister stations

1410 KCUL was owned by Access.1 of New York, its East Texas sister stations were: 92.3 KCUL-FM Marshall, 1370 KFRO Longview, 104.1 KKUS Tyler, 105.7 KYKX Longview, 96.7 KOYE Frankston, and 106.5 KOOI Jacksonville.