Harman Patil (Editor)

KZIO

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City
  
Two Harbors, Minnesota

Branding
  
94X

Frequency
  
104.3 FM (MHz)

Broadcast area
  
Duluth-Superior

Slogan
  
"Pure Rock"

Translator(s)
  
94.1 K231BI (Duluth)

KZIO (104.3 / 94.1 FM, "94X") is a radio station located in Duluth, Minnesota that airs an active rock format.

The station is owned by Red River Broadcasting, which also owns KQDS-TV channel 21, KQDS 1490, KQDS-FM 94.9 and WWAX-FM 92.1. The studios are located at Grandma's Marketplace in Canal Park in Duluth.

History

The main station, KZIO-FM which operates at 104.3 MHz, is based in Two Harbors, Minnesota — its moniker is derived from its Duluth translator (low-power rebroadcaster), K231BI which operates at 94.1 FM. 104.3 FM can be heard in Duluth, though its signal is spotty. The former active rock format signed on as "X106" using 106.3 as the translator until upgrading to 94.1 FM.

The call letters KZIO were originally located at what is now KDKE 102.5 MHz in the same market. 102.5 KZIO aired a Top 40 format in the 1980s and 1990s until switching formats in 1996.

104.3 began as WRSR with a smooth jazz format in the mid 1990s before transitioning to several adult-based radio formats until settling upon the active rock format in March 2003.

Over the years, 94X has aired some mainstream rock and classic rock music that is not typically a part of the active rock format in an effort to fend off rock-based formats at various competing stations.

Past and Present 94X DJ's include Zooch, Hans, The Kid, Ray, Ace Rockolla, The Milkman, Diesel, Smiling Mike, Alli Foxx, Todd Spoons and Skid Mark.

On February 27, 2017, Red Rock announced their intentions to sell KZIO to Minnesota Public Radio, which will convert the station to a non-commercial operation. MPR has no full-power home for their The Current network in the market, a network that airs across several of their stations.

References

KZIO Wikipedia