KSBJ is Houston through and through. No way they would expand it to DFW when WAY-FM is essentially a generic version of the same thing.
KSBJ certainly favors Houston, as does The KHCB/Red de Radio Amistad networks, yet much like KCBI is now doing, KSBJ has already shown us they are more than willing to spread their wings. Keep in mind, before the Foundation went on a spending spree and gobbled up an FM in Livingston, El Campo, and Liberty, they ran KSBJ for years in Victoria. This particular group of listeners has never cared from where the programming originates, only that the message is being heard, and hopefully received, by those who they perceive may benefit from hearing it. That's, of course, true with both spoken word and music stations, regardless of the language spoken.
Much like you pondered that WAY would appear on a sub of KSBJ or KHVU, and because of what I just mentioned, I figured KSBJ would end up somewhere on KAWA. Apparently not.
When HMG bought WAY-FM I had wondered if they would at least make it available on an HD subchannel in Houston. I guess putting it on an HD-2 of KSBJ might have created confusion among listeners with HD radios who tuned to the HD-2 instead of the HD-1. Worship 24/7 initially showed up on the HD-2 of KSBJ but was quickly moved to the HD-2 of Vida Unida flagship KHVU. Perhaps there had been similar confusion.
Maybe. Seems like there might be more confusion from KSBJ's listeners tuning into a Spanish-language primary station for a subchannel of English-speaking Worship music. I reckon the thinking there is that if it works on the Univision TV diginets, it'll work for our radio properties, too. I couldn't even imagine ETX's own version of Vida Unida, "Fuzíon", ever featuring the sister "Lift Worship" format on the HD2. That is, if Encouragement Media Group (the former ERFET) ever decided to restore the digital operations at 102.3 in J'Ville. The two simulcast partners, 97.7 in Lufkin and 103.1 in Pittsburg, have never had digital capabilities.
Here we are in 2025, and ETX has exactly two digital operations going. KTYK - Red River Radio (HD2-4), and KYKX (just the 2 here, rebroadcasting "The Ranch" in order to provide a legal primary for K279CI in Longview).
HMG would probably love to get one or both of those subchannels on an analog signal in DFW. Keeping an eye on WBAP-FM as well as the MediaCo stations. You can bet K-Love Inc. also wants a DFW stick for Radio Nueva Vida.
I've kept an eye out for a scenario like this playing out for KDKR in the not-so-distant future. I don't know. The right group, with the right figure, would have to come along and make an offer to Penfold, and give assurance that they were going to keep it as a non-comm, faith-based, Christian station. Hope Media Group would certainly fit that bill. Moreso than K-Love, I suspect.
That thought crossed my mind while typing my earlier post. More likely than one would think, IMHO. The Friends of WRR wouldn’t really have anything to complain about, and the current KKXT format could wind up as a jukebox on an HD-2.
I'm in full agreement with you, 🐸. WRR is a sitting duck, let's just call it what it is. KERA just lost a significant hunk of funding. Are we really ready to fool ourselves into believing that they can continue to own and operate 90.1 and 91.7, all the while providing everything but the kitchen sink on WRR for the COD? Ain't no way. I just can't see anyone of the regular KERA donors footing the bill for this current set-up to continue. WRR will be right back in the City's lap, and they'd better figure out how to budget the operations for it, which they can't afford, or make some type of return on it in a partial trade/cash deal. Or just outright sell it. Dallas, like Houston, could certainly use the influx of cash, and the city surely doesn't need to own an FM radio station in this day and age.
Right after the Telecommunications Act of 1996 passed, Nationwide offered the city $40 million for WRR. I would be surprised if it would even fetch half that today.
My estimate may be a little generous, but I'd imagine the city would get somewhere in the $10-15 million range for it as an outright sale of WRR, without the KKXT trade idea being involved in the equation.
