KTJK
{{for|101.7 MHz in Hawley, Texas (2018–2023)|KABT}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = KTJK
| logo = Logo_of_KKHR,_106.3_The_Raider.png
| city = Abilene, Texas | country = US
| branding = 106.3 The Raider
| frequency = 106.3 MHz {{HD Radio}}
| airdate = {{start date|1989|10|6}}
| format = Variety hits
| subchannels = HD2: Rhythmic top 40 "Infinity FM"
| erp = 50,000 watts
| haat = {{convert|56|m|ft|sp=us}}
| class = C2
| facility_id = 64056
| licensing_authority = FCC
| coordinates = {{coord|32|25|14.00|N|99|43|54.00|W|region:US-TX_source:FCC|name=KTJK}}
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|KHXS (1989–1998)|KFQX-FM (1998–1999)|KKHR (1999–2023)}}
| owner = WesTex Communications
| licensee = WesTex Telco, LLC
| sister_stations = KABT, KWKC, KZQQ
| webcast = {{ubl|1=[https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KTJKHD1 The Raider]|2=[https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KHDD Infinity FM]}}
| website = {{ubl|{{URL|https://www.theraiderabilene.com/}}| {{URL|https://www.infinityfmradio.com/}} }}
}}
KTJK (106.3 FM, "The Raider") is a radio station broadcasting a variety hits format in Abilene, Texas, United States. The station is one of four Abilene-area stations owned by WesTex Communications and operates from its studios on Chestnut Street. In addition to its standard format, it broadcasts a rhythmic contemporary format on its HD Radio subchannel.
The 106.3 frequency was established by SURE Broadcasting and went on the air as KHXS "Kicks 106" with a country music format on October 6, 1989. The station then adopted a Tejano music format in 1991, only for the ownership to change formats to easy listening music the next year in order to make more money. In 1992, SURE Broadcasting declared bankruptcy, and it remained in receivership for nearly four years.
Taylor County Broadcasting began leasing KHXS in 1996, after it was sold by the receiver, and programmed a conservative talk format before switching to classic rock. Cumulus Media acquired the Taylor County Broadcasting stations and KHXS in 1997; it switched the programming of KHXS and KFQX-FM 102.7 in 1998, moving contemporary hit outlet Fox FM and the KFQX-FM call sign to 106.3. Nearly immediately, Cumulus traded KFQX-FM to Powell Meredith Communications Corporation, which moved KKHR and its Spanish-language contemporary hit radio format to the 106.3 frequency. Canfin Enterprises acquired KKHR in 2004, retaining the format.
Canfin Enterprises sold its three Abilene radio stations to WesTex Communications in 2022. The long-running Spanish-language format was relaunched and then dropped on August 1, 2023, allowing WesTex to move its "The Raider" variety hits format from 101.7 MHz.
History
=SURE Broadcasting ownership and receivership=
On February 18, 1988, a construction permit was granted to SURE Broadcasting, owned by Susan Lundborg, for a new 3,000-watt radio station on 106.3 MHz in Abilene. A classic country format under the name "Kicks 106" and the call letters KHXS were selected, and the station rented space on the tower of KACU.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87179980/|title=New country-western radio station opening|first1=Bob|last1=Bruce|first2=Mary Ann|last2=Lemon|work=The Abilene Reporter-News|page=5C|date=August 22, 1989|access-date=October 16, 2021|archive-date=October 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016212155/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87179980/new-country-western-radio-station/|url-status=live}} The station began at 1:06 p.m. on October 6, 1989.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87229485/|title='Kicks-106' goes on air at 1:06 p.m. Oct. 6|first1=Bob|last1=Bruce|first2=Mary Ann|last2=Lemon|work=The Abilene Reporter-News|page=6C|date=October 3, 1989}}
In 1991, KHXS switched to a Spanish-language format of Tejano music.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87229757/|first1=Bob|last1=Bruce|first2=Scott|last2=Kirk|page=8A|title=KHXS switches from country|date=March 20, 1991|access-date=October 17, 2021|archive-date=October 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017024402/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87229757/khxs-switches-from-country/|url-status=live}} The station's management and airstaff came from KKHR (98.1 FM), which simultaneously converted to oldies.{{cite news|title=Local ears get a rest, but more ahead|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87230277/|first=Greg|last=Jaklewicz|work=The Abilene Reporter-News|date=March 22, 1991|page=2D|access-date=October 17, 2021|archive-date=October 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017024401/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87230277/local-ears-get-a-rest-but-more-ahead/|url-status=live}} This new format lasted less than 18 months; the same core group moved on August 1, 1992, to KEYJ (1560 AM) because the station was not making enough money for its owner.{{cite news|title=Garth echo; Tejano travels|page=8D|date=August 7, 1992|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87230553/|first=Greg|last=Jaklewicz|work=The Abilene Reporter-News|access-date=October 17, 2021|archive-date=October 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017024402/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87230553/garth-echo-tejano-travels/|url-status=live}} After nearly two months, businessman Dave Boyll became the new operator, adopting an easy listening format.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87230609/|title=Easy-listening, Top 40 formats debut|page=3C|date=October 2, 1992|work=The Abilene Reporter-News|first=Greg|last=Jaklewicz|access-date=October 17, 2021|archive-date=October 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017024402/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87230609/easy-listening-top-40-formats-debut/|url-status=live}} Most of the songs the station played were from Boyll's own collection.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87231050/|first=Bill|last=Whitaker|work=Abilene Reporter-News|page=1B|date=November 11, 1996|title=Radio station official determined to keep 'taking it easy'|access-date=October 17, 2021|archive-date=October 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017024402/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87231050/radio-station-official-determined-to/|url-status=live}}
In November 1992, just as KHXS's easy listening format got underway, Sure Broadcasting declared bankruptcy, and its stations were transferred to a receiver. After nearly four years, the receiver found a buyer: Larry Hickerson, whose IQ Radio owned WPIQ in Brunswick, Georgia.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1996/BC-1996-09-30.pdf|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=September 30, 1996|page=45|title=Changing Hands|access-date=2021-10-17|archive-date=2021-03-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308034105/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1996/BC-1996-09-30.pdf|url-status=live}} The transaction forced Boyll to move his easy listening programming to daytime hours on KYYD (1340 AM),{{r|taking}} a sports radio station that Boyll had begun leasing in January 1995.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87230778/|work=The Abilene Reporter-News|title=CD 103, SportsRadio 1340 change hands, keep same formats|date=January 20, 1995|first=Doug|last=Williamson|page=5B|access-date=October 17, 2021|archive-date=October 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017024402/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87230778/cd-103-sportsradio-1340-change-hands/|url-status=live}} Hickerson, for his part, already had a contract in hand to sell KHXS to another Abilene radio station owner.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87231554/|title=Radio dialing for $$$|date=November 17, 1996|page=1E, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87231606/ 2E]|work=The Abilene Reporter-News|first=Doug|last=Williamson|access-date=October 17, 2021|archive-date=October 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017024403/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87231554/radio-dialing-for/|url-status=live}}
=Taylor County, Cumulus, and Powell Meredith operation=
After the easy listening programming moved out, Taylor County Broadcasting—a related company to the owners of KBCY and KCDD—began leasing the frequency from Hickerson and operated it with a conservative talk format, "The Talk of the Town at 106.3", with nationally syndicated hosts including Don Imus, Rush Limbaugh, and Laura Schlessinger.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87231678/|title=News-talk radio returns to Abilene airwaves|page=3E|first=Doug|last=Williamson|work=The Abilene Reporter-News|date=January 22, 1997|access-date=October 17, 2021|archive-date=October 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017024403/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87231678/news-talk-radio-returns-to-abilene/|url-status=live}} This lasted just seven months, and in August, it was replaced with classic rock as "The Bear".{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87231829/|title=KHXS: Talk radio gives way to classic rock|page=Weekend 9|date=August 29, 1992|work=The Abilene Reporter-News|first=Greg|last=Jaklewicz|access-date=October 17, 2021|archive-date=October 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017024405/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87231829/khxs-talk-radio-gives-way-to-classic/|url-status=live}} That November, Cumulus Media—which simultaneously purchased KBCY and KCDD—acquired KHXS by exercising a purchase option with Hickerson.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1997/RR-1997-11-21.pdf|work=Radio & Records|date=November 21, 1997|page=8|title=Cumulus Adds Ann Arbor Quartet, Abilene Trio|access-date=2021-10-17|archive-date=2021-09-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928125353/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1997/RR-1997-11-21.pdf|url-status=live}}
Cumulus also took over KFQX-FM 102.7 and switched the formats of the two stations in 1998, with 106.3 inheriting the contemporary hits "Fox FM" that had been revived on the 102.7 frequency the year prior.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87180574/|title=Radio Days: Abilene makes its mark on the airwaves|pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87180604/ 2B]|first=Rob|last=Moore|work=The Abilene Reporter-News|date=July 25, 1999|access-date=October 16, 2021|archive-date=October 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016212159/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87180574/radio-days-abilene-makes-its-mark-on/|url-status=live}} It then traded with Powell Meredith Communications Company, which owned KKHR at 98.1; a format and call sign swap resulted, bringing the Spanish-language music programming of KKHR to the 106.3 frequency. Powell Meredith not only brought over KKHR's music to the frequency, it also brought a running dispute with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Since 1995, the station had not paid for an ASCAP license, and it played ASCAP-registered songs under a de facto license that expired at the end of 2000. From 2001 to 2003, ASCAP contacted Powell Meredith five times and advised them not to play its songs without a license; the owners of the station rebuffed proposals to settle the dispute. In October 2002 and again in July 2003, ASCAP sent an agent to Abilene to record the station's broadcasts. An ASCAP-employed musician confirmed that the station had aired eight compositions represented by the performing rights society without permission, such as Santana's version of "Oye Como Va" and Juan Gabriel's "Se Me Olvidó Otra Vez" (I Forgot Again). In 2005, a court awarded $8,000 in statutory damages to ASCAP and the rightsholders of the compositions.{{cite court |litigants=Metered Music, Inc. v. Powell Meredith Communications Co. |vol= |reporter= |opinion= |pinpoint= 1:04-CV-015-C, 3 |court= N.D. Tex. |date= March 2, 2005 |url= https://casetext.com/case/metered-music |access-date= October 16, 2021 |quote= |postscript= }}
=Canfin and WesTex Telco=
Canfin Enterprises, a company owned by Parker Cannan, purchased KKHR in late 2004 for $684,000.{{cite news|url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/deals-73522|title=Deals|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=December 5, 2004|access-date=October 17, 2021|archive-date=October 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017024402/https://www.nexttv.com/news/deals-73522|url-status=live}} In 2022, Canfin Enterprises reached a deal to sell its Abilene radio cluster to WesTex Telco, LLC, owner of KTJK (101.7 FM).{{Cite news |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=June 28, 2022 |title=WesTex Telco Acquires Abilene Trio |language=en-US |work=RadioInsight |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/230521/westex-telco-acquires-abilene-trio/ |access-date=June 29, 2022}} On November 7, 2022, KKHR began stunting, promising "something new" and a "Great Flip" for a new format to debut on November 10; on that date, KKHR relaunched as "My 106.3", continuing to air Spanish-language hit music in a bilingual presentation.{{cite web|first=Lance|last=Venta|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/244880/kkhr-preparing-great-flip-in-abilene/|title=My 106.3 Debuts in Abilene|work=RadioInsight|date=November 11, 2022}}
On August 1, 2023, WesTex Telco began simulcasting KTJK's "The Raider" variety hits format on KKHR, migrating it to the higher-power 106.3 frequency.{{Cite news |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=2023-08-01 |title=The Raider Moves In Abilene |language=en-US |work=RadioInsight |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/256518/the-raider-moves-in-abilene/ |access-date=2023-09-06}} It then swapped the two stations' call signs; 101.7 changed again to become KABT after switching to a blend of Americana and red dirt known as The Patriot on August 21, 2023.{{Cite news |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=2023-08-21 |title=The Patriot Brings Americana To Abilene |language=en-US |work=RadioInsight |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/257647/the-patriot-brings-americana-to-abilene/ |access-date=2023-09-06}} The Raider was named after the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider, a heavy bomber under development and to be housed at nearby Dyess Air Force Base.{{Cite web|last=Jaklewicz|first=Greg|date=2020-07-01|title=What the Abilene Reporter-News liked and disliked: Those stepping up|url=https://www.reporternews.com/story/news/local/2020/07/10/what-abilene-reporter-news-liked-and-disliked-those-stepping-up/5408810002/|access-date=2021-08-10|website=Abilene Reporter-News|language=en-US}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{FM station data|64056|KTJK}}
{{Abilene Radio}}
{{coord|32.476|N|99.706|W|type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC|display=title}}
Category:1989 establishments in Texas