KRDY (1160 kHz) is an AM radio station in San Antonio, Texas. It is owned by the non-profit organization Relevant Radio, Inc., based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The station is an affiliate of its catholic–talk radio network.
| Broadcast area | San Antonio metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1160 kHz |
| Branding | Relevant Radio |
| Programming | |
| Format | Catholic–talk radio |
| Network | Relevant Radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Relevant Radio, Inc. |
| History | |
First air date | November 13, 1961 |
Former call signs |
|
Former frequencies | 1150 kHz (1961-1985) |
Call sign meaning | Kids Radio Disney (former affiliation) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 26310 |
| Class | B |
| Power |
|
Transmitter coordinates | 29°32′11″N 98°41′11″W / 29.53639°N 98.68639°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | relevantradio |
By day, KRDY is powered at 10,000 watts. But 1160 AM is a clear channel frequency reserved for Class A station KSL in Salt Lake City. So at night, to avoid interference, KRDY reduces power to 1,000 watts. It uses a directional antenna with a three-tower array. The transmitter is off Braun Road, near Loop 1604, in San Antonio.[2]
History edit
KBER: 1961-1978 edit
On November 13, 1961, the station signed on as KBER. It was a daytime only station on 1150 kHz.[3] KBER was owned by Kepo Broadcasting. It was powered at 1,000 watts using a three-tower directional antenna (DA) system.
The DA was needed to protect co-channel stations KZNE in College Station, and KCCT in Corpus Christi. As KBER was west of KZNE and north of KCCT, the system reduced KBER's signal across an arc toward the KZNE and KCCT service areas.
The towers and studios were on Alma Drive just outside the future Loop 410. The area would later be dubbed "KBER Square." On June 25, 1966, KBER-FM signed on at 100.3 FM.[4] The two stations would simulcast their programming. Because KBER was off the air at night, KBER-FM allowed programming to be heard around the clock. KBER-FM is now KCYY.
KFHM: 1978‒1991 edit
On May 31, 1978, the station became KFHM, which stood for the new owner's name, Felix H. Morales.[5] It was a Tejano music/Latin music radio station that mostly played music in Spanish while featuring bilingual announcing. The frequency changed to 1160 kHz in the mid 1980s, giving it increased coverage and full time authorization. Power was boosted to 10,000 watts by day and 1,000 watts by night from a site west of San Antonio.
KVAR: 1991‒1993 edit
On August 26, 1991, the station changed its call sign from KFHM to KVAR.
KENS: 1993‒2004 edit
On October 15, 1993, the station changed its call sign from KVAR to KENS and adopted a Texas music format that included audio of the live newscasts of sister station KENS-TV 5 before adopting a news/talk radio format roughly a year later.
On March 7, 2003, KENS was sold to ABC Radio for $3.2 million. It flipped to a children's radio format as an affiliate of Radio Disney on April 1, 2003.[6]
KRDY: 2004‒present edit
On February 27, 2004, the station changed its call sign from KENS to KRDY.[7] The call sign represented the name Radio Disney.
On June 4, 2013, Radio Disney announced that it would be selling seven radio stations, including KRDY, in an attempt to increase revenue and focus more on stations serving Top 25 markets.[8]
On September 28, 2013, KRDY dropped the Radio Disney affiliation and went silent.[9]
In October 2013, Radio Disney Group filed to sell KRDY and KDIS-FM in Little Rock to Salem Communications Corporation, owner of several other San Antonio-area radio stations.[10] Salem's purchase, at a price of $2 million, was consummated on February 7, 2014. Salem used the station for its Spanish-language Christian radio format.
In February 2018, KRDY changed from Spanish Christian radio to conservative talk radio, branded as "Freedom 1160".[11] It mostly carried programs from the Salem Radio Network, including Dennis Prager, Hugh Hewitt and Mike Gallagher.
In November 2019, the station was sold to Immaculate Heart Media, Inc. The station started airing Catholic–talk radio programs as an affiliate of the Relevant Radio network.[12][13][14]
References edit
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KRDY". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/KRDY
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1963 page B-184
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1968 page B-165
- ^ https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/morales-felix-hessbrook
- ^ "Radio Disney network acquires a San Antonio affiliate - 2003-03-17 - San Antonio Business Journal". Archived from the original on April 2, 2003.
- ^ "KRDY Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ^ Radio Disney Places Stations On The Market - Radio Insight (released June 4, 2013)
- ^ Notification of Suspension of Operations KRDY - United States Federal Communications Commission
- ^ "APPLICATION FOR CONSENT TO ASSIGNMENT OF BROADCAST STATION CONSTRUCTION PERMIT OR LICENSE". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. October 25, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
- ^ Salem Adds Second Conservative Talker in San Antonio Radioinsight - February 22, 2018
- ^ Jacobson, Adam. "Update: Salem Reveals Stations In Latest Sale As Stock Slides", Radio & Television Business Report. August 16, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
- ^ Venta, Lance. "More On Immaculate Heart Media’s Purchase Of Nine Stations From Salem", Radioinsight. August 16, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
- ^ Application Search Details – BAL-20190814AAU, fcc.gov. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
External links edit
- Official website
- KRDY in the FCC AM station database
- KRDY in Nielsen Audio's AM station database