KHHZ

Oroville Radio, Incorporated, filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on June 25, 1976, to build a new FM radio station in Oroville on 97.7 Mhz. The FCC approved the application on March 15, 1977; the station permit bore the call sign KFAM before Vernon Uecker acquired majority control later in the year. The call letters were changed to KEWE before the station began broadcasting on July 6, 1979.{{Cite web|url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/aa4735b1-c84b-8ebe-2488-7e497f0fcb25|title=FCC History Cards for KHHZ|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}}{{cite book|title=Broadcasting Yearbook|date=1984|page=B-31|chapter=KEWE(FM)}} It aired a big band music format;{{r|BC84}} Uecker selected big band because he wanted a more active format than the beautiful music then in vogue, which he termed "background music"; a format he "didn't want to do".{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/paradise-post-saving-their-station/132322000/|date=October 17, 1998|pages=B-1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/paradise-post-kewe/132322034/ B-2]|first=Kathryn|last=Hinesley|title=Saving their station|newspaper=Paradise Post|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 26, 2023|archive-date=September 26, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926065959/https://www.newspapers.com/article/paradise-post-saving-their-station/132322000/|url-status=live}} The class A station was approved to change to a class B1 outlet by the FCC in 1991.{{cite news|page=54|title=For the Record|work=Broadcasting|date=August 26, 1991|id={{ProQuest|1016940502}} }}

In 1996, a 71-year-old Uecker announced he was retiring and sold KORV (1340 AM) and KEWE to Z-Spanish Radio Holdings, the highest bidder for the station. On April 1, Z-Spanish took over operation of KEWE. It changed the call letters to KZCO and began programming Regional Mexican music,{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/paradise-post-station-says-goodbye-big/132321838/|date=April 13, 1996|page=A-4|first=Robert|last=Eckhart|title=Station says goodbye, big band; hola, amigos: Oroville radio station KEWE sold to Z-Spanish network|newspaper=Paradise Post|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 24, 2023|archive-date=September 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928071302/https://www.newspapers.com/article/paradise-post-station-says-goodbye-big/132321838/|url-status=live}} using its satellite-delivered Z Hot Hits programming.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee-spanish-radio-network/132322625/|date=April 6, 1996|page=E9|first=Dan|last=Vierria|title=Spanish radio network broadens audience with more acquisitions|newspaper=The Sacramento Bee|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 24, 2023|archive-date=September 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928071330/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee-spanish-radio-network/132322625/|url-status=live}} Some upset listeners commented that the format flip was a sign of the times; one told the Paradise Post, "We are being invaded" by Hispanics.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/paradise-post-angry-listeners-say-immigr/132321907/|date=April 13, 1996|page=A-4|first=Robert|last=Eckhart|title=Angry listeners say immigrants are taking over|newspaper=Paradise Post|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 24, 2023|archive-date=September 26, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926070920/https://www.newspapers.com/article/paradise-post-angry-listeners-say-immigr/132321907/|url-status=live}} A group later bought back KORV to relaunch it as KEWE with big band music in 1998.{{r|Para981017}} Z-Spanish changed the call sign from KZCO to KHHZ on March 10, 2000.{{cite web |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=50709&Callsign=KHHZ |title=KHHZ Call Sign History |publisher=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division |access-date=2017-05-16 |archive-date=2018-01-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180129143226/http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=50709&Callsign=KHHZ |url-status=live }}

In April 2000, Z-Spanish was purchased by Entravision Communications.{{Cite news |id={{ProQuest|1017350677}} |title=Entravision Buys Z-Spanish, Files For $615 Million IPO |first=Jeffrey |last=Yorke |work=Radio & Records |pages=1, 16 |date=April 28, 2000 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2000/RR-2000-04-28.pdf |access-date=May 21, 2022 |archive-date=October 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001131451/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2000/RR-2000-04-28.pdf |url-status=live}} Entravision then sold the Chico station to Clear Channel Communications, which relaunched it as KHHZ "Radio México, La Gran X" and increased the station's local content.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/enterprise-record-flexing-the-spanish-mu/132322089/|date=July 28, 2001|page=7-B|first=Laura|last=Urseny|title=Flexing the Spanish muscle: Census, new Spanish station attest to growing power of Hispanics|newspaper=Enterprise-Record|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 24, 2023|archive-date=September 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928071307/https://www.newspapers.com/article/enterprise-record-flexing-the-spanish-mu/132322089/|url-status=live}} Clear Channel then sold its entire Chico cluster in 2004 to Deer Creek Broadcasting, controlled by Elliot Evers, for $5.1 million.{{Cite news|work=Broadcasting & Cable|title=Changing Hands|id={{ProQuest|225305079}}|date=June 28, 2004|page=50}} The station's city of license was changed from Oroville to Gridley in 2008 to allow KMJE to change its city of license from Gridley to Woodland.{{Cite web|url=https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-08-1443A1.pdf|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|date=June 20, 2008|first=Peter H.|last=Doyle|title=In re: Minor Change Applications|access-date=September 26, 2023|archive-date=April 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412044004/https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-08-1443A1.pdf|url-status=live}}

In 2019, Bustos acquired three stations in the market and proceeded to trade KFMF 93.9 and KZAP 96.7 to Deer Creek in exchange for KHHZ. It then converted KHHZ to its La Gran D format.{{cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/179341/sale-closing-leads-to-station-swap-five-format-changes-in-chico/|work=RadioInsight|first=Lance|last=Venta|date=August 1, 2019|title=Sale Closing Leads To Station Swap & Five Format Changes In Chico|access-date=September 24, 2023|archive-date=August 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801152910/https://radioinsight.com/headlines/179341/sale-closing-leads-to-station-swap-five-format-changes-in-chico/|url-status=live}}

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{{FM station data|50709|KHHZ}}

{{Chico Radio|state=collapsed}}

{{Bustos Media}}

HHZ

Category:Regional Mexican radio stations in the United States

HHZ

Category:1979 establishments in California

Category:Radio stations established in 1979