By Steven Mills | President and Publisher, On The Dial
Well, somebody in Phoenix is moving the furniture around, and this time it’s not just another radio station changing its playlist. Zelus Media Group is preparing to say goodbye to the 97.5 frequency as Good News Broadcasting Network moves closer to completing its $1.5 million purchase of KMVA. But rather than letting listeners discover the change when their favorite station suddenly disappears, Zelus is getting ahead of it. Hot 97.5 is becoming Hot 103.9, shifting the brand’s identity toward its existing simulcast partner, KZON Gilbert.
And from a programming standpoint, that’s a pretty sensible move.
The two signals have worked together to deliver Hot’s contemporary music mix across the Phoenix metropolitan area. Now, with 97.5 preparing for new ownership, 103.9 becomes the frequency listeners are being encouraged to remember.
That’s particularly important in a market like Phoenix, where geography can be almost as challenging as the competition.
The Valley stretches from Surprise and Peoria through central Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Chandler, and Gilbert, with mountains, sprawling suburbs, and commuting patterns that make signal coverage a serious consideration.
A listener in the West Valley may not experience the same reception on 103.9 as somebody driving through Chandler or Gilbert.
And that’s where this transition becomes more than a branding exercise.
Moving listeners to another frequency is easy to announce. Convincing them to change their habits is the real challenge.
I’ve always believed broadcasters sometimes underestimate just how personal those habits become. Listeners know where their favorite station lives on the dial. They’ve programmed it into their dashboards, shared it with friends, and made it part of their daily commute.
Now Zelus has to make sure those listeners follow Hot to its remaining FM home.
The ownership transaction itself represents another interesting shift in Arizona broadcasting.
Good News Broadcasting Network, a religious broadcaster with existing operations in the Southwest, is acquiring KMVA for $1.5 million. The buyer’s background suggests a future faith-based programming direction for 97.5, although the station’s eventual format and launch date have not yet been confirmed.
For Zelus, the decision allows the company to continue operating its established Hot music brand on KZON while moving toward the completion of the sale.
For listeners, the message is simple.
The music isn’t necessarily going away.
The address is changing.
And there may be another lesson here for broadcasters watching from other markets.
A radio station can sell a frequency without surrendering the audience relationship it spent years building. But keeping that relationship requires planning, promotion, and a signal listeners can actually receive.
That’s what I’ll be watching as the transition continues.
Congratulations to the teams involved as they prepare for the next chapter.
And to Phoenix listeners wondering what happened to their favorite station, here’s the important part.
Hot is moving from 97.5 to 103.9. Same Valley, familiar music, different spot on the dial.
Now let’s hope everybody remembers to update those car radio presets.
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