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KHFI-FM

For the station that previously used the callsign, see KVET-FM.

KHFI-FM (96.7 MHz) is a commercial radio station licensed to Georgetown, Texas, and serving the Greater Austin radio market. Owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., it airs a Top 40/CHR radio format, branded as "KISS-FM." It shares studios and offices with other iHeart stations in the Penn Field complex in the South Congress district (or "SoCo") of south central Austin within walking distance of St. Edward's University. It had previously been located in a downtown Austin office building off Barton Springs Road.

KHFI-FM
Broadcast areaGreater Austin
Frequency96.7 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding96-7 KISS-FM
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatTop 40/CHR
Subchannels
AffiliationsPremiere Networks
iHeartRadio
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
March 1, 1972; 52 years ago (1972-03-01)
Former call signs
KGTN-FM (1972–87)
KQFX (1987–90)[1]
Former frequencies
96.5 MHz (1987–1989)
Call sign meaning
K Hi-Fi (High Fidelity)
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID11948
ClassC1
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT290 meters (950 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
30°19′19″N 97°48′04″W / 30.322°N 97.801°W / 30.322; -97.801
Translator(s)HD2: 103.1 K276EL (Austin)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live (via iHeartRadio)
HD2: Listen live (via iHeartRadio)
Websitewww.967kissfm.com
HD2: 1031austin.iheart.com

KHFI-FM broadcasts with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, from a transmitter located off Waymaker Way in Austin, amid numerous towers for other FM and TV stations. KHFI-FM broadcasts in the HD Radio format.[3]

History

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KGTN-FM and KQFX

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former logo

96.7 signed on from Georgetown as KGTN-FM on March 1, 1972.[4] It was co-owned with KGTN (1530 AM, now KZNX), the town's daytime-only AM station, and broadcast with 3,000 watts,[5] providing nighttime service to extend KGTN's broadcast day.[6]

In 1986, KGTN-AM-FM was sold to Joyner Broadcasting, which owned three stations in Illinois, for $5 million.[7] The next year, Capitol Broadcasting Company of Birmingham, Alabama, bought the adult contemporary-formatted FM alone and announced plans to move it toward Austin.[8] The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a power upgrade for the station to 28,500 watts, enough to cover Austin and its close-in suburbs; a new transmitter site was constructed near Sandy Creek at Lake Travis and the frequency was changed to 96.5 MHz. The station became classic hits-formatted "96.5 The Fox", KQFX.[9][10] Later, the station changed to an oldies format and moved its frequency back to 96.7 MHz in order to avoid interference issues with a Houston station.[11] A final signal upgrade to 100,000 watts was completed at the beginning of 1990.[12]

KHFI-FM moves down

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In May 1990, Joyner reacquired KQFX, along with a station in his home market of Raleigh, North Carolina, for a total of $13 million.[13] The transaction's timing turned out to be instrumental in determining the future course of 96.7. At the same time, at 98.1 MHz, KHFI-FM (now KVET-FM) was being purchased by Spur Austin. In September, Spur reached a deal—the second ever radio local marketing agreement—to simulcast KVET on the 98.1 frequency, displacing contemporary hits outlet KHFI-FM ("K-98"). Joyner moved to fire the entire airstaff of the underperforming KQFX and brought the entire airstaff, format and call letters of KHFI-FM to 96.7 MHz, creating "K96.7".[14]

In 1992, KHFI dropped the "K96.7" moniker and began calling itself "The New 96.7 KHFI"; at the same time, new owners The Rusk Corporation leased out KBTS (93.3 FM), KHFI's direct competitor, and turned it into KMXX, "Mix 93.3".[15] At the end of that year, KHFI-FM was bought by San Antonio-based Clear Channel Communications for $3.5 million.[16]

In August 2001, KHFI re-launched as "96.7 KISS-FM"; Clear Channel owns the rights to the KISS-FM brand, which it utilizes for Top 40 stations in Los Angeles, Boston and other cities. Today, iHeart has the 18-34 year-old demographic for contemporary music in Austin covered, with KHFI playing mainstream Top 40, while sister station KPEZ ("102.3 The Beat") airs rhythmic contemporary music.

The Bobby Bones Show

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In 2002, KHFI became the flagship station for The Bobby Bones Show, syndicated by Premiere Networks, an iHeart subsidiary. Bones, based at KHFI's studios, was named "Austin Radio Personality of the Year" for 4 years running.[17][18][19][20] The award is given yearly at the Austin Music Awards. In 2008, The Bobby Bones Show received its first award for "Austin Radio Program of the Year."[20] Also that year, KHFI was named "Austin Radio Station of the Year."[20]

In February 2013, The Bobby Bones Show was relaunched as a country music show. In addition, Bones moved to Nashville, making iHeart-owned WSIX-FM his new flagship station. As a result, Bones' Austin affiliate became co-owned KASE-FM.

Bones was replaced on KHFI with Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, which is syndicated by Premiere Networks from WHTZ in New York City. In February 2016, the morning show was changed to The Billy The Kidd Morning Show, featuring local DJs Billy the Kidd and Anne Hudson as hosts.[21]

HD Radio

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In 2024, KHFI-HD2 began broadcasting translator station 103.1 K276EL, which airs an 1980s hits format branded "103.1 Austin's 80s Station". The station features longtime Austin morning personality Sandy McIlree’s syndicated “The Sandy Show” weekday mornings, hosted by McIlree and his wife Tricia. McIlree is best known for his long run co-hosting mornings on KAMX with JB Hager from 1995 to 2013.[22] 103.1 K276EL was originally broadcast on the HD2 sub-channel of sister station KVET-FM.

Broadcast translator for KHFI-HD2
Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) HAAT Class Transmitter coordinates FCC info
K276EL 103.1 FM Austin, Texas 140611 250 364.8 m (1,197 ft) D 30°19′24″N 97°48′00″W / 30.32333°N 97.80000°W / 30.32333; -97.80000 LMS

References

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  1. ^ Callsign history for KHFI-FM Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  2. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KHFI-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ^ HDradio.com/stations/Austin
  4. ^ "Georgetown FM Station To Open". The Austin Statesman. March 1, 1972. p. 34. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  5. ^ FCC History Cards for KHFI-FM
  6. ^ "New FM Station Signs On". The Cameron Herald. March 6, 1972. p. 1. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  7. ^ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. June 16, 1986. p. 71. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  8. ^ Herndon, John (March 10, 1987). "Buyout brings KGTN to Austin". Austin American-Statesman. p. B6. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  9. ^ Herndon, John (August 16, 1987). "KQFX premieres with adult rock format". Austin American-Statesman. p. Show World 10. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  10. ^ Herndon, John (December 27, 1987). "Signaling change: Market growth may transform Austin radio in new year". Austin American-Statesman. p. Show World 18. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  11. ^ Herndon, John (January 22, 1989). "Country KASE tops surveys for more than 2 years". Austin American-Statesman. p. Show World 18. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  12. ^ Herndon, John (January 14, 1990). "KLBJ-AM shifts focus from personalities to issues". Austin American-Statesman. p. Show World 18. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  13. ^ "Transactions: Joyner Visits Capitol, Pays $13.1 Million For FM Tour" (PDF). Radio & Records. May 11, 1990. p. 10. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  14. ^ "Austin's Flip-Flop Formats" (PDF). Radio & Records. September 14, 1990. p. 58. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  15. ^ "Street Talk" (PDF). Radio & Records. June 5, 1992. p. 30. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  16. ^ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. January 11, 1993. p. 64. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  17. ^ "2004-05 Austin Music Awards". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
  18. ^ "2005-06 Austin Music Awards". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
  19. ^ "2006-07 Austin Music Awards". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
  20. ^ a b c "2007-08 Austin Music Awards". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
  21. ^ Venta, Lance (February 24, 2016). "Billy The Kidd & Anne Hudson To Host Mornings at 96.7 Kiss-FM Austin". RadioInsight. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  22. ^ Venta, Lance (August 27, 2021). "iHeartMedia Launches Austin's 80s Station". RadioInsight. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
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