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107.7 FM, Grand Island

City of License: Grand Island

First Air Date: November, 1982

Operating Power: 100,000 watts

Original Call Letters: KSYZ

Format: Middle of the Road

Network Affiliation: RKO

General Manager: Douglas R. Clements

News Director: Mark Baumert

Chief Engineer: Tom Russell

Date of FCC Issue: January 17,1984

Issued To: Manchik Broadcasting

Tagged:

Cindy Barron Dallas Nau Dan Zabka Douglas R. Clements Jay Vavricek Lyle A. Manchik Mark Baurmert Tom Russell

Through the Years

  • 1981

    October 21, 1981-  KSYZ call letters are assigned to 107.7 FM

  • 1982

    November, 1982- KSYZ 107.7 FM signs on with 100,000 watts at 899 feet.  Owner:  Manchik Broadcasting, Lyle A. Manchik, President.  Douglas R. Clements, General Manager.   Studios/Offices:  3280 Woodridge Road, Grand Island, NE.  Transmitter:  41.1 Km northwest of Grand Island, approximately 5 miles north of NE058 and east of Yutan Raod and North of 7th Avenue.    Format:  Middle of the Road.  Branded as “FM 108”.  Later the station is re-branded as “Great 108”, and then “Sunny  108” years later.

  • 1984

    Format adjusted from middle of the road to adult contemporary.

  • 1988

    Network change to ABC Contemporary.  Cindy Barron is the General Manager.

    October, 1988-  Manchik sells KYSZ to Mid-Nebraska Broadcasting (Dick Chapin, CEO) for $1 million.
    Network:  Unistar.   Jay Vavricek is General Manager.

  • 1992

    Studios/offices move to 3532 Capitol Avenue in Grand Island.

  • 1999

    August 4, 1999-KSYZ is sold from Mid-Nebraska Broadcasting to Neuhoff Broadcasting, Springfield, IL for $5.9 million.   Buyer also owns WDAN AM, WDNL FM & WRHK FM, Danville, IL.

  • 2004

    Dan Zabka becomes General Manager of KSYZ and sister station KROR.

  • 2005

    September 12, 2005-  NRG Media buys KSYZ from Neuhoff for $5.28 million.

  • 2006

    December 31, 2006- KSYZ tower collapses due to severe icing conditions.  Station restored operations with an emergency antenna located within Grand Island with 150 watts.  Station eventually puts up new tower at original location at 919 feet and 100,000 watts.

  • 2009

    August 31, 2009-  KSYZ is rebranded as 107.7 “The Island”, real music variety and format adjustment to Adult Hits.

  • 2014

    Dallas Nau becomes General Manager.