KGSR
KGSR (93.3 FM, "Latino 93.3") is a radio station licensed to Cedar Park, Texas, and serving the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area. Owned by Sinclair Telecable Inc. d/b/a Waterloo Media Group, it broadcasts a Spanish contemporary hit radio format. KGSR has studios and offices off Interstate 35 in North Austin, and its transmitter site is located off Route 206 in Bertram.[2]
For the Bastrop, Texas radio station that held the call sign KGSR at 107.1 FM from 1989 to 2009, see KLZT.Latino 93.3
- HD2: Austin City Limits Radio (Free-form radio)
- HD3: The Party (Dance radio)
- Sinclair Telecable Inc.
- (Waterloo Media Group, L.P.)
August 1961
- KLEN-FM (1961-1973)
- KIXS-FM (1973-1986)
- KBTS-FM (1986-1992)
- KMXX (1992-1994)
- KHHT (1994-1996)
- KAJZ (1996-1998)
- KLNC (1998-2001)
- KXMG (2001-2003)
- KDHT (2003-2009)
23604
C
100,000 watts
587 meters (1,926 ft)
HD2: 97.1 K246BD (Austin)
KGSR's effective radiated power is 100,000 watts, with a signal extending from Killeen and Temple to the northern suburbs of San Antonio.
KGSR broadcasts in the HD Radio format - its HD2 subchannel broadcasts Austin City Limits Radio, a freeform format inspired by the Austin City Limits television series and music festival. KGSR-HD2 is also broadcast on FM translator 97.1 K246BD in Austin, which was formerly carried on KGSR's main signal. KGSR-HD3 broadcasts The Party, a dance format launched in September 2021 before rebranding on January 18, 2022.[3]
History[edit]
KLEN-FM and KIXS-FM[edit]
KGSR signed on in August 1961 as KLEN-FM, owned by Clear Channel Campuses and Highlite Broadcasting.[4] Its original city of license was Killeen, Texas, serving the Killeen-Fort Hood area. KLEN-FM was co-owned with KLEN-AM (was KRMY until 2023). Since KLEN-AM was a daytime-only station, KLEN-FM allowed listeners to hear the station at night after the AM transmitter had signed off.
In 1973, the stations were acquired by Accent Radio, which switched them to a Top 40 format, and changed the call signs to KIXS and KIXS-FM in June 1973. In 1986, the two stations were acquired by Duffy Broadcasting, which asked the FCC for a major power increase for the FM station.
Top 40 and Smooth Jazz[edit]
On October 2, 1986, KIXS-FM upgraded its signal to 100,000 watts, allowing it to move in to the more lucrative Austin radio market while still covering Killeen.[5] It would then relaunch its Top 40 format with the new call sign KBTS, "B93", in December, and was an immediate success. However, four years later, B93 came into common ownership with competing top 40 station KHFI, with KBTS flipping to hot adult contemporary as KMMX ("Mix 93.3"). Right before the switch in December 1991, an Urban/Rhythmic format was tried until "B93" ceased to exist in February 1992. Stunting went on for a few months after, until KMMX went on the air in May 1992.
In 1993, the station was bought by LBJ, Inc. for $2.5 million.[6] The company was owned by the family of former President Lyndon Baines Johnson and also owned KLBJ (AM) and KLBJ-FM. Shortly after the sale, the station flipped to an All-1970s hits format as KHHT. That was followed in 1996 by KAJZ, playing smooth jazz. Two years later, the station flipped to country music as KLNC.
Rhythmic KXMG and KDHT[edit]
By 2001, the station tried to appeal to Austin's growing Hispanic community with a dance format as KXMG, known as Mega 93.3. It was also at this time that the city of license changed to Cedar Park.[7]
The stations were part of a larger cluster co-owned by Sinclair Telecable Inc. (d/b/a Sinclair Communications; unrelated to television broadcaster Sinclair Broadcast Group, who owns CBS station KEYE), and LBJ Holdings Co. (owned by Luci Baines Johnson, the daughter of former President Lyndon B. Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson). In 2003, the Indianapolis-based Emmis Communications acquired the LBJ Holdings controlling stake in the stations.[8] KXMG would shift to a hip hop-leaning rhythmic contemporary format, changed call letters to KDHT, and rebranded as Hot 93.3.
Adult Alternative KGSR[edit]
On November 17, 2009, KDHT began stunting, leading to speculation that it would flip to a talk radio format. However, on November 20, Emmis revealed that the adult album alternative format heard on KGSR in Bastrop would move to the more powerful signal on 93.3. The two stations simulcast for a 10-day period until December 1, when KGSR's former 107.1 FM signal switched to a Regional Mexican music format as KLZT.
On December 13, 2010, KGSR began simulcasting on FM translator K274AX (102.7 FM). This lasted until October 20, 2011, when K274AX switched to a comedy radio format, relaying KGSR-HD3. The comedy format proved to be quite successful in the Austin Arbitron ratings, peaking with a 3.8 share. For a time, it was believed to be the highest-rated HD Radio-fed FM translator station in the United States.
On May 30, 2013, K274AX began relaying KLZT-HD2's Spanish-language hits format as Latino 102.7.[9]