KILT-FM

Infobox Radio station


name = KILT-FM
airdate =
frequency = 100.3 MHz HD Radio

100.3 HD-2 Strait Country
city = Houston, Texas
area = Greater Houston
format = Country
owner = CBS Radio
licensee = Texas CBS Radio Broadcasting, LP
erp = 95,000 watts
haat = 585 meters
branding = "100.3 KILT"
slogan = "Real Country Variety"
class = C
facility_id = 25439
webcast = [http://player.play.it/player/player.html?id=132&onestat=kilt Listen Live]
website = http://www.kilt.com/
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns =
sister_stations = KIKK, KHJZ, KILT-AM|

KILT-FM (100.3 FM) is a Houston, Texas-based radio station with a country music format. It is owned by CBS Radio. Its transmitter is located in Missouri City, Texas. The station's callsign is a tribute to the station's former owner, Gordon McClendon, who was known as the "Old Scotchman". It is a sister station to KILT-AM, which is located at 610 kHz, also in Houston. KILT has been nominated for Country Music Association Best Large-Market Radio Station.

History

In the 1970s, KILT-FM had an album rock format (while "The Big 610" KILT-AM continued with its long-running top 40 format). Both KILT AM and FM changed to country in 1981.citation|last=Hoffman|first=Ken|title=Hudson and Harrigan: Is their reign on the wane?|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|date=August 2, 1995|page=Houston section, p. 2.|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1995_1289146|accessdate=2007-11-19] Despite the switch of formats, the station maintained its morning radio show, known as Hudson and Harrigan. From its debut in 1967 through 1995, the morning show had eleven different sets of television personalities. Ken Hoffmann of the "Houston Chronicle" describes Hudson and Harrigan as "the longest-running, most successful morning team anywhere in America".

After switching to the country music format, KILT competed directly against KIKK, the only other country music station in the Houston Area. According to the "Houston Chronicle", "after initial success, KILT struggled through an aborted change of call letters and the lack of a strong identity with listeners". In the spring of 1989, KILT finally pulled ahead of KIKK in the Arbitron ratings. They maintained their lead position for the next two seasons, and at the end of the year "Radio and Records" rated KILT as the second most-listened-to country radio station in the United States, with an estimated 542,600 listeners tuned in for at least 15 minuted each week. KIKK was fourth on the nationwide list, with an estimated 508,700 listeners.citation|last=Mitchell|first=Rick|title=They' fightin' for the country: Radio stations KIKK and KILT go toe-to-toe for Houston listeners|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|date=February 25, 1990|page=Zest, p. 8.|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1990_686054|accessdate=2007-11-19]

Ownership changes

KILT had been owned by LIN Broadcasting Corporation since 1968. [citation|last=Parks|first=Louis B.|title=Stations take cautious approach to new radio rules|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|date=April 27, 1987|page=Houston section, p. 1.|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1987_458968|accessdate=2007-11-19] In an effort to divest itself of all of its radio stations, in late 1986, LIN Broadcasting Corporation sold KILT-FM and KILT-AM to Legacy Broadcasting Inc. for $36.75 million. [citation|title=LIN to sell KILT radio stations for $36 million|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|date=December 18, 1986|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1986_428960|accessdate=2007-11-19|page=Business, p. 2.] Less than three years later, KILT was sold, along with seven other radio stations, by Metropolitan-Legacy to Westinghouse Broadcasting. At the time, the $360 million deal was considered the largest ever in radio. To meet federal regulations on radio ownership, Westinghouse sold their Houston station KODA-FM. [citation|title=Business briefs|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|date=December 8, 1989|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1989_669093|accessdate=2007-11-19|page=Business, p. 4.]

In 1993, Westinghouse purchased KILT's rival, KIKK. At the time, KILT was first in the Arbitron ratings, with KIKK second in the Houston market. A single general manager was assigned to run both stations. According to Dan Mason, president of Westinghouse Radio Broadcasting, "'As they have been fierce competitors in the past, our two Houston radio properties will now join hands to create one of Houston's most unique country music powerhouses, each with its own programming and sales team.'" [citation|last=Hassell|title=KIKK corralled by KILT's owner Westinghouse|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|date=July 9, 1993|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1993_1140170|accessdate=2007-11-19|page=Business, p. 1.] On November 4, 2002, KIKK stopped playing country music and switched to a Smooth Jazz format. This left KILT as again one of only two Houston country stations (competing against KKBQ). Some of the KIKK promotions, including the 10 Man Jam concerts, were moved to KILT. [citation|last=Pugh|first=Clifford|title=KIKK now in a jazz format|date=November 5, 2002|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3596947|accessdate=2007-11-19|page=Houston section, p. 1.]

KILT was the last Houston radio station to maintain a full-service news department. The department was disbanded in 2004 when KILT decided to drop its afternoon newscasts in the hopes of improving its ratings in the Houston market. [citation|last=Barron|first=David|title=KILT lays off longtime radio icon: Carola continues as PA announcer for Texans games|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|date=December 17, 2004|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2004_3827108|accessdate=2007-11-19|page=Sports, p. 3.]

Award nominations

In 1996, KILT was nominated by the Country Music Association for the award for Major Market Radio Station of the Year. They were beaten out by local rival KKBQ. [citation|last=Mitchell|first=Rick|title=CMA names KKBQ radio as major market station of year|date=August 31, 1996|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1996_1363316|accessdate=2007-11-19|page=Houston section, p. 5.] A similar scenario occurred the following year, when KILT was nominated for Best Station of the Year at the Billboard/Airplay Monitor Radio Awards, but again lost to KKBQ. [citation|last=Parks|first=Louis B.|title=KRBE's Sam Malone nominated for local air personality of the year|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|date=July 17, 1997|page=Houston section, p. 5.|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1997_1424877|accessdate=2007-11-19] In 1999, the morning show Hudson and Harrigan was nominated for Country Music Association Major Market Broadcast Personality of the Year. [citation|title=CMA Announces 1999 Broadcast Awards Nominees|publisher=Business Wire|date=July 12, 1999|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1999_July_12/ai_55150499|accessdate=2007-11-19]

tation rivalry

In recent years, KILT's biggest rival, KKBQ, has shown Arbitron ratings strength comparable with KILT, and the two have often exchanged between first and second place among country stations in some demographics.

Besides involving themselves in a ratings war with KILT, KKBQ has also poked fun at the station for its supposed airing of "the most commercials" in Houston compared with KKBQ, which claims to air the most music of any radio station in Houston. In return, some KILT listeners, and even musicians whose songs are given airplay on KILT, have lauded KILT for not "badmouthing" other stations.

Airstaff

The current lineup is as follows:

* Morning Show: The Hudson & Harrigan Show - Mac Hudson, Irv Harrigan, Robert B. McEntire, Jim-Job Jumpback, T.J Callahan & C.J Cooke
* Mid-Days: Steve Rixx
* Afternoon Drive: Rowdy Yates
* Nighttime: Tom Fontaine
* Overnights: Chad Stevens
* Weekends/Fill-ins: Ed Chandler, Dylan Ryder and Leslie T. Travis

References

External links

* [http://www.kilt.com/ 100.3 KILT official website]
*FMQ|KILT
*FML|KILT
*FMARB|KILT