No new low-power FM construction permits were issued this past week, which, of course, had a holiday weekend probably slowing down the works. However, the FCC did release its quarterly count of broadcast stations in the US. Not surprisingly–especially if you keep up with LPFM Watch–the radio service with the biggest increase in the second quarter is low-power FM.
There are now 1,149 licensed LPFM stations, which is 120 more than at the end of March–an increase of almost 12%. Keep in mind that these are fully-licensed stations, which means that they not only received construction permits, but have begun broadcasting and should be on the air full-time now.
From Classic Freeform FM to LPFM
KZAP was a beloved FM rock radio station in Sacramento, California. It started out as a true freeform station in 1968, becoming more of a standard album-oriented rock station in the mid–1970s. The station quit playing rock music in January 1992, with the frequency flipping to country music and later changing the call letters to KNCI.
The spirit of KZAP has now returned to the Sacramento airwaves in the form of new LPFM KZHP-LP at 93.3 FM. According to a recent article in the Sacramento Bee the new station is backed by former KZAP DJs and other supporters. Also returning is KZAP’s iconic smiling cat mascot.
The station’s website, at K-ZAP.org, says it “reflects what we believe the original KZAP would have evolved into had it not gone off the air in 1992. We are a station living in the here-and-now, featuring lots of great, new music from artists new and not-so-new, as well as 50 years of rock, blues, and more.”
