KXYZ

KXYZ
Broadcast areaGreater Houston
Frequency1320 kHz
BrandingHouston's BIN 1320
Programming
LanguageEnglish
FormatNews
AffiliationsBlack Information Network
Ownership
Owner
KBME, KODA, KPRC, KQBT, KTBZ-FM, KTRH
History
First air date
August 24, 1926 (1926-08-24)
Former call signs
KTUE (1926–1930)
Former frequencies
    • 1140 (1926–1927)
    • 1410 (1927–1928)
    • 1420 (1928–1932)
    • 1440 (1932–1941)
    • 1470 (1941)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID95
ClassB
Power8,400 watts day
2,800 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
29°54′56.8″N 95°27′42.8″W / 29.915778°N 95.461889°W / 29.915778; -95.461889
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live (via iHeartRadio)
Websitehouston.binnews.com

KXYZ (1320 AM) is a radio station in the United States. Licensed to Houston, Texas, it is owned by iHeartMedia and broadcasts an all-news radio format as an affiliate of iHeartMedia's Black Information Network.

From 1968 to 1979, KXYZ was owned by ABC Radio. A MOR station for much of that time, KXYZ enjoyed significant success under ABC ownership. Its news department won recognition from the American Bar Association and Associated Press in 1971. In spring 1976, the station had a top-ten Arbitron ranking in Houston. From 1976 to 1978, KXYZ was the radio home of Houston Rockets basketball.

History as KTUE (1926–1930)

KXYZ was first licensed on August 24, 1926, with call sign KTUE. Owned by Uhalt Electric, KTUE broadcast with five watts, starting with a frequency of 1140 kilocycles, then 1410 kc starting June 1, 1927; and 1420 starting December 21, 1928.[2]: 3  In its early years, KTUE usually played music from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m.[3] By 1928, it began broadcasting weekdays at 2 to 3 p.m. and Saturday nights.[4]

Beginning in December 1929, KTUE broadcast with 100 watts and an expanded lineup of programming featuring local musicians.[2]: 3 [5]

KTUE moved into multiple different studios across Houston, such as the Chronicle Building in 1929 and Texas State Hotel from 1929 to 1935.[2]: 3 [6][5]

Following authorization from the Federal Radio Commission (FRC), KTUE shut down on July 31, 1930.[7]

History as KXYZ (1930–present)

On August 8, 1930, the Harris County Broadcasting Company obtained the KTUE broadcast license from Uhalt, and the Federal Radio Commission changed KTUE's call sign to KXYZ.[8][2] Broadcasting from the Texas State Hotel, KXYZ first signed on with test programs on October 3, 1930.[9]

In 1932, KXYZ absorbed another station, KTLC, and moved to 1440 kHz at 250 watts.[2]: 5  Station power increased to 500, then 1,000 watts, in 1935.[2]: 5 

With the enactment of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement (NARBA), the station relocated to 1470 kHz in 1941. When KTRH moved to 740 kHz, KXYZ took over the former KTRH transmission site and began broadcasting with 5,000 watts on 1320.[2]: 7 

Ownership changes

On June 17, 1948, the Federal Communications Commission approved the purchase of Harris County Broadcasting Company by Shamrock Broadcasting Company, owned by Glenn H. McCarthy.[10] The Houston Broadcasting Corporation bought KXYZ in 1957. During the late 1950s, the station aired a top 40 format, but was unable to remain competitive against KLIF and then KNUZ (now KCOH).

In July 1961, the station switched to a beautiful music format.[11]

ABC ownership (1968–1979)

ABC bought KXYZ AM and FM in 1968; this purchase helped ABC reach its maximum level of 14 owned radio stations.[12] KXYZ became part of ABC's American Entertainment Network on July 31 that year.[13]

KXYZ's news department won national honors in 1971, an Associated Press Broadcasters honorable mention for editorials about Houston's regulations on handing out flyers and American Bar Association Certificate of Merit for programs about the United States Bill of Rights.[14] In July 1974, the format changed to middle of the road (MOR) music as "13K", aimed towards listeners aged 25 to 34.[15]

The spring 1976 Arbitron ratings ranked KXYZ ninth in Houston, finding about 15,600 listeners every 15 minutes.[16] From 1976 to 1978, KXYZ was the radio home for Houston Rockets basketball games.[17][18][19] In October 1978, the station adopted a disco format as "Studio 13".[20]

Format changes (1979–1981)

ABC sold KXYZ AM in 1979 to Slater Broadcasting Company for $1.8 million effective March 14, in order to buy an AM station in a different market.[21][22] Slater immediately changed KXYZ's format from disco to Christian upon obtaining the station.[23] The Houston Chronicle observed in June 1979 about KXYZ's new format: "About half the air time at KXYZ is devoted to Christian music and the other half is devoted to speakers and preachers."[24]

Ethnic formats (1981–present)

In 1981, KXYZ changed to a Spanish language format.

In 1983, Infinity Broadcasting (later CBS Radio) absorbed KXYZ. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, it was a Spanish language station, playing Regional Mexican music and was known as "Radio 13." During this period, KXYZ carried Houston Astros and Houston Rockets games in Spanish. KXYZ then carried the Spanish talk format of satellite network Radio Unica.

In July 1998, Multicultural Broadcasting bought KXYZ from Infinity/CBS, and Biz Radio made its debut in the early years of the 2000s, carrying a business talk format.

Biz Radio left KXYZ for KTEK in Alvin, Texas. Multicultural purchased KTEK and began signal testing in November 2007 simulcasting with KXYZ until December 11, 2007. KXYZ returned to Spanish language programming at that point.

On November 4, 2019, KXYZ began airing brokered programming in four different languages: Texas Chinese Radio (Mandarin language); DTHT Radio (Vietnamese language); Radio Gracia (Spanish); DATT Performing Arts (Hindi language); Geetanjali Radio (Hindi); and Radio Me Hang Cuu Giup (Vietnamese).

On December 17, 2020, after the station was acquired by iHeartMedia, KXYZ flipped to the African-American oriented all-news radio format of the Black Information Network. The sale of KXYZ by Multicultural Broadcasting to iHeartMedia was consummated on March 31, 2021 at a price of $1.4 million.

Technical information

From a directional antenna in north Houston, KXYZ broadcasts with 8.4 kilowatts of daytime power and 2.8 kilowatts at night.[25] KXYZ's studios are located at Uptown Houston, in the iHeart Houston building near Interstate 610.[26]

References

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KXYZ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "KXYZ history cards". FCC. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  3. ^ "What's Doing in Radio". Houston Post. December 3, 1926. Retrieved July 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Daily radio program". Houston Post. March 8, 1928. Retrieved July 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b "Our City". Houston Chronicle. December 23, 1929. p. 1. Retrieved July 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Glimpses inside Texas State Hotel studios of radio station KTUE". Houston Chronicle. December 23, 1929. Retrieved July 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Station KTUE Here Ceases Broadcasts". Houston Chronicle. August 1, 1930. Retrieved July 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "KTUE Gets Permit to Assign Radio License". Houston Post. August 9, 1930. Retrieved July 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Whispering Wires". Houston Chronicle. October 6, 1930. Retrieved July 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "McCarthy Completes Purchase of KXYZ" (PDF). Broadcasting. Vol. 34, no. 26. June 28, 1948. p. 38B. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  11. ^ "KXYZ Style Switches". Houston Chronicle. July 23, 1961. p. 47, TV Pullout. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "ABC gains full radio allotment" (PDF). Broadcasting. Vol. 74, no. 20. May 13, 1968. p. 48 – via World Radio History.
  13. ^ "ABC adds 11 stations to radio networks" (PDF). Broadcasting. Vol. 75, no. 6. August 5, 1968. p. 31. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via World Radio History.
  14. ^ Hodges, Ann (June 12, 1971). "Price Conquers Pride for Star Pitchmen". Houston Chronicle. p. 34, Section 1. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Hodges, Ann (July 2, 1974). "KXYZ Getting New Style, Sound and Name". Houston Chronicle. p. 10, section 1. Retrieved July 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "The top 25 formats in radio" (PDF). Broadcasting. Vol. 91, no. 13. September 27, 1976. pp. 44, 46. Retrieved December 24, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  17. ^ Hodges, Ann (October 6, 1976). "Frank blasts debate organizers". Houston Chronicle. p. 4, Section 7. Retrieved July 6, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Hodges, Ann (September 22, 1978). "ABC's 'Apple Pie' sure to be an early loser". Houston Chronicle. p. 7, Section 6. Retrieved July 6, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Barron, David (June 27, 2012). "Rockets shift radio allegiance from KILT to KBME". Ultimate Rockets. Chron.com. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  20. ^ Skipper, C.W. (October 6, 1978). "'Lifeline's' real-life drama couldn't have a better cast". Houston Post. p. 7F. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  21. ^ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. Vol. 96, no. 6. February 5, 1979. p. 67. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via World Radio History.
  22. ^ "KXYZ sale announced". Houston Post. March 7, 1979. p. 9AA. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ Asker, Jim (March 17, 1979). "KXYZ goes commercial Christian". Houston Post. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Christian program era at KFMK ends Tuesday". Houston Chronicle. June 23, 1979. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "KXYZ". FCC Data. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  26. ^ "Members-Only Media Tour with iHeart Media". PRSA Houston. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
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