austin radio history

[fredcantu]

found this on a tribute page to KJAZZ (KAJZ)
http://www.wysiwygs.net/kjazz.htm
It includes the KHHT calls

Short History of 93.3 FM - Killeen
DATE CALL LETTERS
and SLOGAN FORMAT
11/08/90 KBTS B-93 Top 40
10/02/91 KBTS B-93 JAMZ Top 40
06/06/92 KBTS Mix 93.3 Hot AC
09/10/92 KMMX Mix 93.3 Hot AC
05/02/93 KHHT Hot 93 Country
09/06/94 KHHT Hits 93.3 Classic Hits
11/16/95 KAJZ k-jazz NAC-Jazz
09/18/98 KLNC Lonestar 93 Country

 

[fredcantu]

[[/quote]
Hey Fred, If I'm not mistaking, you're the same guy who runs mexicoradiotv.com right?
If so, how do you do it? It's so many updates and you seem to keep up with almost each one of them. Heck, if it wasn't for this website, I would never know that some stations are now gone. Nice webpage! Full of information.
[/quote]

Mexicoradiotv.com is my contribution to the knowledge base of the world wide web. I started it in the early 1990s because the information just wasn't out there. It's developed quite a following in Mexico and it's the stations themselves that let me know about changes. Some even trust me enough to give me advance notice. Technical information is very hard to come by. For example the Mexican FCC publishes station power but not antenna height or whether the station is directional. And CPs are top secret. You won't hear about technical changes until they're on the air.

 

[oldjohnny]

Yup, I've had the same problems when looking at some stations information. I've tried looking for map coverages, but no luck there, so I moved on to antenna height and power to at least estimate the coverage, but no luck there either.

Well nice webpage, keep up the great work on it.

 

[captex]

hello fred cantu, do you do the morning news on tv ( don't want to give away the station name).

 

[fredcantu]

I've been doing morning TV in Austin since 1995.
My last radio gig was ND at pre-CC KVET/KASE.
I also worked KLBJ-AM, KNOW/KCSW, KTXZ and KVET-AM in Austin in the 1980s.
But I started my radio days in the Valley in 1972.
I still consider myself an old radio guy.
My mexicoradiotv.com website helps me keep in touch with the biz.

 

[Horns]

92.5 KKLB/KXXS is also missing, and KOOL 99 was originally on 99.1 in Lampasas, I can't remember the old calls.

KOOL's original call letters as a Lampasas station was KLTD. It started as a rare AC station in Central Texas in the 70s. In the 80s it went Urban (one of the first I ever heard) and targeted the large minority population at Fort Hood. It actually did ok in the Killeen/Temple book for a few years in spite of poor management and a weak signal. Then it was moved to Austin and the KOOL Oldies began.

The pre-Austin move of 93.3 from Killeen is listed correctly. As KLEN-FM it was running less than 1,000 watts and did simulcast with 1050 am. But when it became KIXS and went to 100,000 watts with a tower near Nolanville, the AM became KIIZ and ran a (daytime only) AC format. They called themselves "The Only Station You'll Ever Need" which always seemed strange because it was a daytime only AM...???

 

[Mediafrog+]

Anyone remember KTAP-AM?

I sure do. KTAP 970 was a Top 40 competitor to KNOW from 1969 to 1973. Had a wider playlist than KNOW, and sometimes was quicker to break new music. Also had a 2:1 oldies/currents mix on the weekends. KTAP wasn't afraid to use the album versions of many popular songs, as opposed to the 45 RPM cutdowns on KNOW.

My favorite KTAP jock was Bret Lewis, probably one of the funniest and wittiest personalities to grace the Austin airwaves (he later worked in DFW and LA.)

The last year under the KTAP calls (1973-74) the station ran a sort of light progressive sound, something you might have found on FM in those days. The station flipped to MOR KIXL in the summer of '74, then to oldies a year later, then to religion in 1976.

Prior to KTAP, 970 had been KASE 1959-64 (no relation to the current FM) and KHFI 1964-69. Both ran pretty much the same format, which today would probably be called a mix of standards and MOR.

KTAP was a decent station, but its daytimer status in those days was a big handicap with the Top 40 format.

 

[Mediafrog+]

In the 70's when "the good karma" started broadcasting in quadraphonic stereo.

KRMH 103.7 was the first 100kw station in the Austin market, signing on in June, 1971. I remember listening to the test transmissions before the launch, and their first day on the air. They were pretty much an eclectic progressive rock format, but more structured than the similar format then on KHFI-FM (the original K-98 days.) KRMH also was known for its excellent audio quality--pretty much cutting edge in those days.

KRMH was a good station, but the flip of 93.7 to AOR KLBJ-FM in 1973 stole much of KRMH's audience. The station became increasingly unfocused, until it was a total mess. It was sold to the owners of KNOW who flipped it to Easy Listening/Lite AC KCSW in 1976. The station of course later became the old KEYI, and is now KBPA.

The original tower for 103.7 still appears to be there, but from I-35 I can't tell if there is still an antenna on top. The station moved to the current tall tower in 1983 as part of a allocation realignment which resulted in the move down to 103.5.

 

[ezlistenin]

Man, this thread brings back memories. I've been away from Central Texas for a while but lived in the area through much of the 70's. Mediafrog and Redeye, I remember those KRMH tests transmission and meeting some of the DJ's, once the station went on the air around '71. The studio was a cramped (temp building?) underneath the stick out in a field near Buda. Wierd format; 50's hits and lots of Byrds, Dylan, Joni Mitchell etc. And lots of Enio Marconi :-\ and other soundtrack music.
Not really what a 17 year old high school kid wanted to hear. I liked the music on KHFI, and KMAC/KISS San Antonio much better. although KRMH was the strongest signal of the 3 in San Marcos at the time. Also Larry Yurdin, the program director for the station at a later time, sat down and talked to me about rock and underground FM radio and helped me get an A on a college paper I wrote. GOOD TIMES for Austin Radio.

 

[radioeye]

Progressive Country

To me, radio in Austin was at its best during the KOKE Progressive Country days. Rusty Bell, Joe Gracy and Sammy Semilla. Alvin Crow, Texas Playboys, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Marcia Ball, the Grateful Dead and David Bowie. A freeform format that won recognition from Billboard Magazine. It came about because FM stations in the mid 70's were still behind AM stations. KOKE AM outbilled KOKE FM. KHFI FM was a Drake-Chanault automated format. KASE was "beautiful music", KNOW was the "Rock of Austin"......

What KOKE had, that the others did not, was a soul. It shaped much of the "Live music capital" imaging. Joe Gracy was one of the first, if not the guy who help produce Austin City Limits.

Everybody has an opinion, this happens to be mine.

 

[fredcantu]

I remember KOKE-FM didn't have a morning show. The morning drive time was given to a Spanish show and then the ''Progressive Country'' kicked in again around 9 or 10am. Back them KLBJ-FM's highest rated time was something like 4pm to midnight. Morning drive was irrelevant to the AOR FMs of the time. They figured their target audience wasn't up early in the morning.

 

[grantchester]

I remember hearing KRMH from northeast San Antonio the year they signed on. They had jingles!
Joe Fiorillo, Bill Dante, Michael and Joel Block and Wayne Bell were some of the original jocks. The offices were just off Lamar, across the street from R. Miller Hick's office. By 1975 the originals were gone, and Miller was behind in his debt payments. The bank appointed someone to run the place. They went top-40. Was told it was an effort to steal some audience from Wendall Mays and KNOW, to 'encourage' him to buy it. He eventually did.
Lou Piper, Bob Joseph (Docupiel) Everett Caldwell, Wayne Bell and Carl Floto kept their jobs.
What a wonderful studio. A ten foot wire from the board to the limiter, another 10 foot wire from the limiter to the transmitter. Bill Curtis had an ear for fidelity. It sounded good, even though the music that last year was for crap!

 

[radioeye]

I remember KOKE-FM didn't have a morning show. The morning drive time was given to a Spanish show and then the ''Progressive Country'' kicked in again around 9 or 10am. Back them KLBJ-FM's highest rated time was something like 4pm to midnight. Morning drive was irrelevant to the AOR FMs of the time. They figured their target audience wasn't up early in the morning.

Your point is my point, revenue sucked on FM's back then, even KASE had a Spanish show during AM drive in the early 70's. Not a single Austin AM station, other than KOKE AM, which simulcasted KOKE FM on Sundays, had Spanish language programming. As I recall, Black oriented programming existed during the 50's with Tony Vaughn on KTXN 1370. I don't recall if it continued beyond the 60's.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Not a single Austin AM station, other than KOKE AM, which simulcasted KOKE FM on Sundays, had Spanish language programming.

During the late 60's and early 70's KOKE-FM had Spanish from 6-10am while KOKE (AM) had Arleigh Duff spinning Country. The two stations then simulcasted the Country format from 10am to sunset, when the AM signed off. The FM continued the format overnight until 6am the next morning. This arrangement kept the stations compliant with the simulcast restrictions in effect at the time.

As I recall, Black oriented programming existed during the 50's with Tony Vaughn on KTXN 1370. I don't recall if it continued beyond the 60's.

Don't recall any African-American programming on KOKE 1370 during the 60's.

When it was still block-programmed during the 60's KVET had several hours of Spanish during the late afternoon/early evening. I also recall some African-American targeted programming on weekend mornings. There could have been more, but KVET was not a station I paid a lot of attention to then.

 

[fredcantu]

In the 70s KUT had a daily late night show targetting the African American audience. 10pm-2am as I recall.

KLBJ-FM had a Black show late on Sunday nights. It was hosted by Jake Green who was related to the station's public service director.

And on the subject of KRMH's sound quality, a jock from KLBJ-FM told me KRMH had their turntables mounted in granite blocks to minimize rumble.

 

[captex]

i was going to put the austin am station history up, well i don't really know they stations past history or all the call letters: 1300 kvet-country 1530 kqqqa-spanish
590 ktbc 1300 kvet sports 1530 k nx-sports
590 klbj-newstalk 1370 koke-country 1560 ktxz-oldies
970 ktap-aor 1370 kjce-classic soul 1560 ktxz-spanish
970 kixl-christian 1370 kjce-talk 1600 koke-religious
970 kixl-catholic radio 1440 kelg-country 1600 koke-spanish
1060 kfit-religious 1440 kelg-spanish 1600 koke-talk
1260 ktae-country, various 1490 1600 koke-spanish
1260 ktae-spanish 1490 know-rock or contemp
1260 kwnx-talk 1530 kgtn-country hopefully, i didn't miss too much. thanks captex.
1260-espn spanish 1530 kgtn-oldies suggestions and comments always welcome.

 

[dx7]

Another great list, captex -- just a few more notes: KFIT was originally licensed to Lockhart, Texas. My 1988 Broadcast Yearbook lists the calls as KHJK, 250 watts-day, with a 1967 sign-on. Also, I recall that when KTXZ-1560 signed on in 1982, it had an adult standards format.

Ah yes, KOKE-FM - I was lucky enough to be a weekend jock during some of its Progressive Country years (along with Nick Spitzer now of NPR fame.) One Sunday morning while wrapping up my midnight to 6 a.m. shift, Jose Garcia Sr. called to tell me he was running late, so for about an hour or so, I became a Spanish music deejay for the first (and last) time of my life. Great memories.

 

[radioeye]

Austin AM History

This is a great article about WCM, KUT, KNOW, KEYU, KMOW and KFON

http://houstonradiohistory.blogspot.com/2007/06/1929-part-1-k-rice-hotel.html

I subscribe to the WCM, KUT and KNOW school of thought.

WCM Authorization April 1922 Bulletin
http://www.fcc.gov/ftp/Bureaus/Mass...collection/radio_service_bulletins/220401.pdf

KUT to KNOW Call Change Jan 1932 Bulletin
http://www.fcc.gov/ftp/Bureaus/Mass...collection/radio_service_bulletins/320131.pdf

As far as I can tell, in 1922 WCM started on 833kHz, then moved to 1120kHz in 1924, then to 1300kHz in 1926, then to 1290kHz in 1927, then to 1500kHz in 1930 and finally to 1490 in 1934.

 

[Blacknight]

92.5 KKLB/KXXS is also missing, and KOOL 99 was originally on 99.1 in Lampasas, I can't remember the old calls.

KOOL's original call letters as a Lampasas station was KLTD. It started as a rare AC station in Central Texas in the 70s. In the 80s it went Urban (one of the first I ever heard) and targeted the large minority population at Fort Hood. It actually did ok in the Killeen/Temple book for a few years in spite of poor management and a weak signal. Then it was moved to Austin and the KOOL Oldies began.

The pre-Austin move of 93.3 from Killeen is listed correctly. As KLEN-FM it was running less than 1,000 watts and did simulcast with 1050 am. But when it became KIXS and went to 100,000 watts with a tower near Nolanville, the AM became KIIZ and ran a (daytime only) AC format. They called themselves "The Only Station You'll Ever Need" which always seemed strange because it was a daytime only AM...???

Hey, didn't KIIZ started on 1050 back in 1979 as a urban station because I looked up on recnet.com and it said that KIIZ started in '79 on AM 1050 then switched over to 92.3FM in 1991. And wasn't KIIZ urban during that period of time ('79-'91)?

 

[radioeye]

I found the following in the FCC bulletin that indicates that the "Texas Highway Bulletin" was the owner of record for KFQM which was on 1120kHz at 268watts. http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/assemble?docno=2407

The San Antonio station that moved to Austin which according to FCC records was KGDR was at 1249kHz at 240watts. I think that this was the English Brothers who put the station at the Driskill Hotel and the KTRH at the Rice Hotel in Houston. That where everything gets confusing.

I'm just putting up the info as I find it.