The original KQIZ signed on in 1975 and pretty much remained Mainstream Top 40 for its entire tenure. As the summer of 2001 ended, KQIZ was in a format many have dubbed Lillith Fair FM. Over a period of several months, ratings had gone from upwards of a 19 share 12+ to a jaw dropping 3.2. Having paid over $3 million for the property, Cumulus Broadcasting was presumably not going to let the station slip away. On or around Monday, November 3, 2001, the station suddenly stopped with the CHR/Pop format. There was no announcement, no prologue, the station just suddenly switched to stunting. The entire staff, sans one person, were fired. About a week later (4 days before sign on), announcements aired proclaiming that “something brand new is coming to 93-1, details Thursday morning.” People were obviously furiously busy behind-the-scenes to launch a new radio station.
At 9:31 a.m. on November 15, the filler and stunting suddenly stopped. The old “Z93″ was dead forever. After several seconds of silence, KQIZ signed on as Rhythmic CHR “The Beat of Amarillo, 93-1 The Beat” with Party Up by DMX.
