Which Houston radio station had the shortest living format and flipped the fastest?

[RadioFaninTexas]

One station comes to mind:
KKPN-FM 102.9 (The Planet)with a format of Modern AC flipped to KLTN-FM 102.9 (Estereo Latino) with a format of Regional Mexican. Dates: (5/23/1997-6/25/1998)

Anyone else know of any other short-lived stations on the Houston FM dial?

 

[Unregistered]

How about KNRJ's 1 month smokescreen Alternative format?? May '90 before becoming KHMX??

Or, "Houston's Rock Hits' 93Q" before the flip to "Easy Country"?

 

[purpledevil]

KHPT Conroe. Ceased broadcasting as "106-9 The Point" and became classic alternative "106-9 The Zone" on November 8, 2010. After two or three musical adjustments to the playlist, eventually taking on KTBZ head to head, the format was abandoned on June 20, 2011. It then began the simulcast of KGLK Lake Jackson as "The Eagle" as it currently is.

 

[stevensonair]

7:15 AM June 15, 1990 - 7 AM, July 18th. 96.5 as KNRJ "Alternative 96.5."

 

[purpledevil]

Technically not a "format", but it was presented as one on air. Then 103-7 KUST LaPorte used "TV 103" with various opening theme songs from sitcoms past, for 5 days back in the summer of '05, before moving Rock 97-5 over to the signal. Does this meet the credentials you've set for this topic?

How about the other end of the spectum as well? The longest continous, uninterrupted formats in Houston, or Southeast Texas?

102-9 KQUE Houston. "KQ 103" 1960-1998, 38 years, and KLOL Houston, "101 KLOL" 1970-2004, 34 years come front and center.

 

[RadioFaninTexas]

When a format is "abandoned" what exactly does that mean? No listeners?

 

[purpledevil]

In the context I used, I meant it was given up on by the operator, in this case Cox Radio, in lieu of simulcasting sister station KGLK. Why the alternative format was cut short, would be up to a Cox Houston represntative to divulge. I certainly don't know why "The Zone" was not given more of a chance to develop. In The Zone's case, it was certainly catching on and had been gaining some momentum on the streets, but what I've read here is that it rated low.

 

[rhead]

KHPT Conroe. Ceased broadcasting as "106-9 The Point" and became classic alternative "106-9 The Zone" on November 8, 2010. After two or three musical adjustments to the playlist, eventually taking on KTBZ head to head, the format was abandoned on June 20, 2011. It then began the simulcast of KGLK Lake Jackson as "The Eagle" as it currently is.

Long before that, also on the 106.9 frequency, was the short-lived KKHU "You 106.9", which was a talk format, but also played some music (originally oldies, but later shifting to classic rock.) They were quite different from the AM talk stations at the time. They referred to themselves as "the radio station that listens to YOU," hence the "You" part of their name.

You 106.9 only lasted about six months, from March of 1992 until the following September. They dropped the talk programming and ran jockless classic rock for about two weeks, and then they switched to the "Z-Rock" satellite hard rock format (also changed their calls to KKZR.)

 

[stan]

Kevin Dorsey was on You 106.9, if I recall correctly.

 

[rageradio]

In the context I used, I meant it was given up on by the operator, in this case Cox Radio, in lieu of simulcasting sister station KGLK. Why the alternative format was cut short, would be up to a Cox Houston represntative to divulge. I certainly don't know why "The Zone" was not given more of a chance to develop. In The Zone's case, it was certainly catching on and had been gaining some momentum on the streets, but what I've read here is that it rated low.

My understanding was Cox needed to expand the reach of The Eagle, especially with Dean and Rog on board costing them some money, they had to do something to reach their intended audience. It made perfect sense. KGLK's tower is south of Alvin, covering the south end of Houston (IIRC) while KHPT's tower is near Splendora covering the north end into Conroe. That kind of coverage on both sticks gave The Eagle more coverage then what the Senior Rd towers are getting. I remember before the simulcast, D&R mentioned people would call in saying they weren't able to get KGLK inside the buildings downtown. Worked out great for Cox. Nearly 3 years and here we are without The Arrow.

 

[purpledevil]

And when it was Z-Rock 106-9 as well, stan.

 

[ContinuousWave]

You 106.9 only lasted about six months, from March of 1992 until the following September. They dropped the talk programming and ran jockless classic rock for about two weeks, and then they switched to the "Z-Rock" satellite hard rock format (also changed their calls to KKZR.)

Have a cassette of 106.9 during its brief CR run somewhere....had awesome processing and the best air sound of any of the Houston stations at the time...considering it was fed via T1 from the Houston studios to the former I45 studios and then STL to the tower...News man "Alan Justice" who had been on 93Q after the flip to country was the only local voice on the 106.9 during the CR and Z Rock run (He is now out on the west coast..I think up in Oregon)

 

[fadedglory+]

I recall that 92.1 as Z-92 KZRQ was not long lived as well.............

 

[purpledevil]

You're sure right, and since we've had a plethora of topics on the subject lately, guess who owned it??

"93Q" destroyed it back then. It never stood a chance with the severe signal limitations of 92-1, in the 80s. Signed on in September 1983, flipped to beautiful music KYND within a year. Good memory, faded!

 

[rageradio]

KZRQ didn't even last a year. I liked them. I remember they played slightly different versions of the hits. Might have been playing edited down 12 inch versions. I remember having the worst time trying to get a clear signal some days where I was at in SE Houston (Belfort/Mykawa area). Thinking back on them I tend to believe they weren't really trying to be a full fledged CHR, they were just making noise to let everyone know 92.1 was on the air. What better way to get attention by picking on the big boy on the block, KKBQ.


I realized around February of 85 that I hadn't given them any thought for a while. Tuned to 92.1 and it was classical. I called the old request line and asked the DJ what had happened to Z-92. He told me it had gone away because people stopped listening. As we were ending the call he broke out into this voice saying "Alright man! Take care now"(I didn't catch it until after I hung up, I felt like such a dope afterwards), He was one of the former Z92 jocks.

 

[ContinuousWave]

It was a 3KW 300ft Class A in Seabrook originally....but had one hell of a clean audio processing chain..claimed to be the 1st all digital station....friend of mine who jocked there for a while was amazed at the equipment....IF 92.1 had been given the C1 signal it has now back then, who knows? KTFA had to move from 92.3 to 92.5 to allow 92.1 to move (also iirc, a signal to the west or SW had to move to allow 92.1 to move right into Houston at 59 and 288 intersection and then to its C1 location on 288 toward Freeport...while at the same time, 92.1 north of Lake Charles moved south and upgraded to cover LCH market better...so BPT gets clobbered with two 92.1s and two 92.9s at the same time a lot...
Yeah I know who owned it...and that's all I have to say about that

 

[purpledevil]

Hey CW, I can't remember what the calls were for the co-channel in Sealy that had to go away with the upgrade of then KRTS Seabrook, but it went dark, and I assume the license was turned in. It was flea powered and ran a country format as I recall. Do you remember that 92-1? Speaking of format brevity, this was a whole station that didn't last long.

There's another station, licensed (or was) to Eagle Lake that was airing a country format, I believe with KJJB calls, that lasted under a year and now is dark too (or at least on an extended hiatus).

Z-92 was also the first station in the market that used CDs exclusively. I tend to agree with DJ Rage's assessment. What better way to make a wave or two, than to go after the biggest dog on the block and poke at it with a stick? I remember them having several parodies of 93Q's morning show, including "Zoobusters", to the tune of Ray Parker's megahit, and wasn't one of their characters Don Slanders, or something to that effect?

I was still living in the Heights back in the early 80s (just N of DT Houston) and 92 was impossible back then. Had to drive south of DT just to start picking up a scratchy signal from the original class A.

Edit: I forgot, co channel KTSR-College Station "Star 92" eventually relocated to 95-1 as the current "Candy" KNDE in one of the upgrades to KRTS. That was always a blast to hear the rockin' KTSR start mixing in to K-Arts classical pieces when the tropo kicked in, lol.

 

[rageradio]

..... I remember them having several parodies of 93Q's morning show, including "Zoobusters", to the tune of Ray Parker's megahit, and wasn't one of their characters Don Slanders, or something to that effect?

I remember all of that. Man I wish I still had the tape of songs I recorded from Z92. I can still see that tape in my head. Lost it a few years back. Too bad no one has come forward with an aircheck. I'd love to hear that Zoobusters tune again. I'm sure there's a KZRQ skimmer tape sitting somewhere collecting dust just waiting to be transferred.

 

[ContinuousWave]

Hey CW, I can't remember what the calls were for the co-channel in Sealy that had to go away with the upgrade of then KRTS Seabrook, but it went dark, and I assume the license was turned in. It was flea powered and ran a country format as I recall. Do you remember that 92-1? Speaking of format brevity, this was a whole station that didn't last long.

There's another station, licensed (or was) to Eagle Lake that was airing a country format, I believe with KJJB calls, that lasted under a year and now is dark too (or at least on an extended hiatus).

Z-92 was also the first station in the market that used CDs exclusively. I tend to agree with DJ Rage's assessment. What better way to make a wave or two, than to go after the biggest dog on the block and poke at it with a stick? I remember them having several parodies of 93Q's morning show, including "Zoobusters", to the tune of Ray Parker's megahit, and wasn't one of their characters Don Slanders, or something to that effect?

The only thing I can find for Sealy was a translator that was rebroadcasting KULM in Columbus. The data I find shows it going off the air about the same time KRTS upgraded...(of course all this was originally due to KSBJ being moved from 88.1 to 89.3...and 92.5 KYND moved up to 92.9 which opened up for Seabrook to get licensed on 92.1) 32 signals iirc were moved or changed because of it. KETX in Livingston had to move up to 92.3 so KRTS could upgrade to a C2 (also KTRU and KTFA, now KCOL, had to move and get licensed for new channels) Cannot find anything on the Internet for Zoobusters but one of the original Z-92 DJs is a friend of mine...I'll see if he has anything on it.

KJJB 95.3 still shows licensed....it was renewed in 2012 and filed an application this year for a new directional antenna on a new tower site.

 

[johndavis]

My understanding was Cox needed to expand the reach of The Eagle, especially with Dean and Rog on board costing them some money, they had to do something to reach their intended audience. It made perfect sense. KGLK's tower is south of Alvin, covering the south end of Houston (IIRC) while KHPT's tower is near Splendora covering the north end into Conroe. That kind of coverage on both sticks gave The Eagle more coverage then what the Senior Rd towers are getting. I remember before the simulcast, D&R mentioned people would call in saying they weren't able to get KGLK inside the buildings downtown. Worked out great for Cox. Nearly 3 years and here we are without The Arrow.

Let us not forget the tropo on 107.5 where San Antonio can wipe out KGLK on summer mornings...

But yes, while you can hear both 106.9 and 107.5 in the car pretty much anywhere throughout the metro, you can't get 106.9 very well in a home or business in the south and you can't get 107.5 very well in a home or business in the north. Put the two together and the problem is solved.

The 107.5 tower is in Liverpool, south of Alvin, and roughly 50 miles from Downtown. You can't move it any closer, and it puts a lot of signal out over open water. If there ever was a signal that fills in the gaps of the 107.5 signal in the metro, it's 106.9... and vice versa.