KXAI
Air 1 radio station in Odem–Corpus Christi, Texas
28°02′07″N 97°26′11″W / 28.03528°N 97.43639°W / 28.03528; -97.43639Public license information
- Public file
- LMS
KXAI (103.7 FM) is a non-commercial radio station broadcasting a Christian worship music format from the Air 1 network. Licensed to Odem, Texas, it serves the Corpus Christi metropolitan area. Along with sister station KPLV 88.7 FM, it is owned by the Educational Media Foundation (EMF) based in Tennessee. The station seeks donations from its listeners on the air and on line.
KXAI is a Class C1 station with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 82,000 watts. The transmitter is on County Road 34 in Robstown.[2]
History
KXTO and KKHQ
The station signed on the air on April 2, 1985; 38 years ago (April 2, 1985).[3] The call sign was KXTO and it broadcast at 98.3 MHz. It initially was powered at 3,000 watts, a fraction of its current output. It was owned by Capi Spanish Broadcasting and aired a bilingual format of Spanish-language oldies and Top 40 hits.[3] The KXTO call letters were switched to KKHQ on January 29, 1988.[4]
By the early 1990s, Capi was bankrupt. In 1991, the station was listed as having been silent at least six months.[5] The station remained in bankruptcy until Coastal Digital Broadcasting, owned by Harry Sherwood, Jack Buck and Michael Mintz, acquired it for just $72,000 in 1992.[6] Coastal Digital resurrected KKHQ as an album-oriented rock outlet.[7]
KLHB and KMJR
In 1996, the station changed its call letters to KLHB, branding as "Club 98.3." It carried a Tejano music format. That ended in 2009 when it flipped to Spanish language oldies under the "Recuerdo" (Remember) moniker.[8]
Tejas Broadcasting bought KLHB and other stations in 2004 in a multi-city, multi-station group deal for $20 million.[9] The call letters changed to KMJR in 2010. The station took the name "La Mejor" (The Best). At first, it played a Regional Mexican format but eventually changed monikers to "La Caliente" (The Hot One).[10]
Sale to EMF
In 2018, Tejas Broadcasting began selling its broadcast properties. KMJR was sold in December 2018 to the Educational Media Foundation for $432,000, giving EMF its third signal in the market. That resulted in the station flipping to Radio Nueva Vida, an independently-owned Spanish-language Christian radio network, which aired on some EMF-owned signals.[10]
KMJR, however, would serve to play a larger role in a complex modification plan. With EMF in control of KMJR and KXAI (103.7 FM)—which had previously been KMJR's sister station until it was sold in 2013—the foundation saw an opportunity. In partnership with Emmis Communications, owner of KBPA in the Austin market, a series of applications were filed. KMJR would move to 103.7 MHz and broadcast with 75,000 watts, assuming the antenna of KXAI. It would remain on 103.7 but move into the heart of the San Antonio metropolitan area, placing a city-grade signal over San Antonio.[11][12]
To make the move possible, Emmis's KBPA 103.5 FM would slightly downgrade its signal. In January 2020, the relocation and other facilities changes were approved by the Federal Communications Commission.[13][11] The call letters were changed to KZLR on October 13, 2020.
On May 25, 2021, KZLR changed its call sign to KXAI. The frequency changes took place in June 2021, with KXAI taking on the 103.7 technical facilities and Air 1 programming. The old KXAI became KZAI and moved closer to San Antonio.
References
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KXAI". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/KXAI
- ^ a b "KXTO(FM)" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1986. p. B-282 (366). Retrieved February 24, 2020.
- ^ "KXAI Facility Details". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "Radio's Most Distressed Real Estate" (PDF). Radio & Records. October 11, 1991. p. 14. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
- ^ "Transactions" (PDF). Radio & Records. September 4, 1992. p. 10. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
- ^ "KKHQ(FM)" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1994. p. B-359 (523). Retrieved February 24, 2020.
- ^ "KLHB Gives Thanks For The Memories". All Access. May 18, 2009. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
- ^ "$20,000,000 KLTG-FM, KOUL-FM, KMJR-FM & KLHB-FM Corpus Christi (Corpus Christi, Sinton, Portland, Orem TX); and KTNZ-AM/KBZD-FM, KQFX-FM & KGRW-FM Amarillo (Amarillo, Borger, Friona TX)". RBR Epaper. October 2004. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
- ^ a b Venta, Lance (December 21, 2018). "Station Sales Week Of 12/21: EMF Grows In Corpus Christi & Rome". RadioInsight. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
- ^ a b Jacobson, Adam (January 16, 2020). "EMF Frequency Change Wins Signal Alamo City Gain". RBR. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
- ^ Venta, Lance (February 12, 2019). "Emmis Amends Austin Portion of Three Market Signal Modification Plan". RadioInsight. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
- ^ Venta, Lance (January 26, 2020). "FCC Report 1/26: Three Way Texas Allocation Change Approved". RadioInsight. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
External links
- KXAI in the FCC FM station database
- KXAI in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- v
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| LPFM | |
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frequency
- Radio stations in South Texas
- Bay City-Freeport
- Corpus Christi
- Eagle Pass
- Kingsville-Alice-Falfurrias
- Laredo
- McAllen-Brownsville-Harlingen
- San Antonio
- Victoria
- Other nearby regions
- Austin
- Houston
- See also
- List of radio stations in Texas
