In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, 103.9 FM — which targeted the Phoenix area from rural/suburban signals – held a number of different formats.
It began in the Spring of 1996 with a six-month Rhythmic Oldies stunt format named “S-T-E-V-E”.
On October 30th of that year, it officially signed on as “The New 103.9, Arizona’s Party Station”, with a hip-hop-oriented Rhythmic CHR format and enjoyed impressive ratings (especially considering the signal limitations). Its target, the more dance/pop/R&B-oriented KKFR “Power 92”, took notice and transformed itself into a pure hip-hop/R&B station within 9 months.
A year later, 103.9 FM (whose calls had become KPTY) went in a completely different direction, offering a mix of alternative/modern rock and hip-hop in a format unofficially known as “Extreme CHR”, under the name “Party Radio @ 103.9”. (It eventually evolved to 100% alternative/modern rock.)
The station’s share of audience fell into the low 1’s. During the final week of 1999, KPTY began stunting with a variety of sound effects (as heard on this aircheck) implying that aliens were disrupting the signal in preparation to take over the station.
By New Years’ Eve, it became a continuous loop of “We Like To Party” by the Vengaboys. At 12 Noon on New Years’ Day, the station relaunched with the same moniker, call letters, and staff, but with the a teen act-intensive Rhythmic CHR format that was the antithesis of the previous Extreme Rock approach.
