• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

93.3 KGSR Files to Downgrade

R

Ryan Williams

Emmis filed yesterday to downgrade KGSR from a Class C with 100 kW at 1925 feet above average terrain to a Class C2 with 50 kW at 492 feet above average terrain. While the move is a big reduction in total area covered, it will move the transmitter nearly 25 miles closer to Austin and will serve most of the five-county Austin market with similar coverage, while eliminating coverage in non-market areas such as Bell and Burnet counties. The new tower is off of 2222 between 620 and 360 and is the current home of 98.9.

I grew up in Central Texas and 93.3 has always loomed large in my mind, so this application is a little sad. The current tower outside of Bertram which is nearly 2,000 feet tall is simply enormous and is visible from a lot of Williamson County.

93.3 started off as a Killeen station and was then allowed to upgrade and move to the Bertram site and serve the Austin area due to it being owned by the Johnson family, allegedly. (it was short-spaced with 93.7, also owned by the Johnson family at the time). Later the community of license was changed to Cedar Park.

Interestingly, 98.9 (which is currently KUTX) followed a similar path, being first a Class A in Lampasas, then a Class C1 on the Bertram tower (still serving Lampasas). Then a community of license change to Leander followed by a downgrade to a C2 on the 2222 tower. Most recently, KUTX has a construction permit to downgrade once again to a C3 but from much greater height at the Westlake Tower Farm.

Before this application, I've long wondered if Emmis might eventually put the newstalk from 590 on 93.3 and the AAA on 99.7.
 
What A Shame We Need Strong Channels Like This To OverCome The Translator Revolution I Still Wish Mega Would Return To The Frequency Ture Disservice On HD2
 
If you ask me as a non-Spanish speaker the Spanish talk on 95.1 has WAY outlasted what I expected it to last. That one should flip to Mega.

And I don't know what's up with 103.1 FM but it's a lot weaker than other translators like 103.9 and 97.1.. Has 103.1 been on low power?
 
Ryan Williams said:
93.3 started off as a Killeen station and was then allowed to upgrade and move to the Bertram site and serve the Austin area due to it being owned by the Johnson family, allegedly. (it was short-spaced with 93.7, also owned by the Johnson family at the time). Later the community of license was changed to Cedar Park.
Click to expand...

At the time KIXS upgraded and became KBTS, it wasn’t owned by the Johnsons. I'm not sure who owned it when it applied for the upgrade, but Booth/Genesis, which later became Secret, owned B93.3. The Johnsons bought it in '93 or '94 when Booth/Genesis sold out of Texas when it merged with Broadcast Alchemy and became Secret. Not sure if there was another upgrade since, but the first one didn’t have much to do with the Johnsons.

Before this application, I've long wondered if Emmis might eventually put the newstalk from 590 on 93.3 and the AAA on 99.7.
Click to expand...

I suspect Emmis will sell out of Austin altogether within the next few years. Depending on the buyer, KGSR may very well find a new home. I doubt it will go away, but I could see it moving, especially if Emmis divides the cluster like it did in St. Louis.
 
Kent said:
At the time KIXS upgraded and became KBTS, it wasn’t owned by the Johnsons. I'm not sure who owned it when it applied for the upgrade, but Booth/Genesis, which later became Secret, owned B93.3. The Johnsons bought it in '93 or '94 when Booth/Genesis sold out of Texas when it merged with Broadcast Alchemy and became Secret. Not sure if there was another upgrade since, but the first one didn’t have much to do with the Johnsons.
Click to expand...

I stand to corrected. When I have time to go through the old trades, I'll see if I can find the owner during the upgrade. I would love to know how they got the upgrade approved considering how close to KLBJ-FM the Bertram site is.


I suspect Emmis will sell out of Austin altogether within the next few years. Depending on the buyer, KGSR may very well find a new home. I doubt it will go away, but I could see it moving, especially if Emmis divides the cluster like it did in St. Louis.
Click to expand...

They haven't floated the idea publicly, but it seems kind of odd to keep the 50.1% in Austin when they have sold everything else except for NYC and Indianapolis.
 
Ryan Williams said:
I stand to corrected. When I have time to go through the old trades, I'll see if I can find the owner during the upgrade. I would love to know how they got the upgrade approved considering how close to KLBJ-FM the Bertram site is.
Click to expand...

KIIZ/KIXS was owned by Citimedia according to mid-80's Broadcasting Cable Yearbooks I checked out earlier. It looks like that was who owned it when it upgraded in '86. Duffy Broadcasting, which also bought KONO/KITY from the Roths, bought KIIZ/KBTS later that year. Duffy sold to Booth a few years later and was renamed Genesis.

It’s possible the Bertram tower came later. Wikipedia says it happened in '86, but, as Abraham Lincoln said, “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.”

They haven't floated the idea publicly, but it seems kind of odd to keep the 50.1% in Austin when they have sold everything else except for NYC and Indianapolis.
Click to expand...

It’s just a matter of time. Smuylan's in his early-to-mid 70's and has no obvious successor. He got into broadcasting because his family was into it. Those people were older than he was and have died off. The next generation of his family doesn’t seem to share that passion. Unless that changes or he finds a new person to carry the torch, Emmis will have no choice but to sell.
 
Yeah KGSR Should Have Stay On 107.1 103.1 Does Sound Weak Thankfully Because Theres Alot Of Messing Up That Frequency Theres 2 Low Power Channels 1 In San Marcos KZOS Dripping Springs KDRP Fianly K276EL Poor KHHL Kenedy As Well KSSM Killeen I Just Got Home From Lampasas On My Way Back My Parents Drove Me And My Dog Though Bertram And Stare In Aww Of How Tall It Was And Thought Who Would Want To GiveUp A Enormous Signal Like That
 
I really hated to see this. I have relatives who live in the Belton area (Bell Co.), & KGSR is literally all I listen to when I’m out visiting. Currently it’s signal is great over Belton/Temple/Killeen, but sadly, with this move, it’ll be marginal at best (like most of the other ATX signals). The Temple-Killeen area is really a radio wasteland since so many signals have moved out over the years. Heck, there’s not even a listenable NPR station in the area. Anyways, I sure will miss KGSR’s big signal when I’m out that way:(
 
Sounds like KGSR finds too much coverage to be a bad thing, unless the KGSR move is to allow the 93.3 in Dallas to upgrade (or a new station to be dropped in somewhere)
 
ftballfan said:
Sounds like KGSR finds too much coverage to be a bad thing, unless the KGSR move is to allow the 93.3 in Dallas to upgrade (or a new station to be dropped in somewhere)
Click to expand...

Too much coverage of counties not in the MSA. The move puts the transmitter near downtown, while the old site was at the far NW edge of the MSA. The signal in the metro survey area will be greatly improved, even if some rural counties lose coverage.
 
What Does MSA Meen Also 104.3 Was In Temple As Country What Will Happen To That Huge Tower In Bertram 101.5 KROX Sure Is Getting A Better Signal Hopefully Sooner Rather Then Later
 
Has this "downgrade" been completed? 93.3's signal was weak in parts of Williamson County yesterday where it is usually the strongest channel on FM.
 
I read on another thread that KUTX completed their move to the West Austin Antenna Farm. KGSR is moving to the exact same tower that KUTX previously occupied on RR 2222. Could it be that Emmis merely needed to re-tune KUTX's old antenna from 98.9 to 93.3 at 50kw?
 
93.3 Is On 2222 Now 98.9 In On The 360 Towers Real Bummer I Will Mis That Once Huge Signal
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom