KLTY

KLTY

City	Arlington, Texas
Broadcast area	Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
Branding	94.9 KLTY
Slogan	"Safe for the Whole Family"
Frequency	94.9 MHz
First air date	1957 as KCLE FM
Format	Contemporary Christian (Jan. - Nov.) Christmas (Nov. - Dec.)
ERP	99,000 watts
HAAT	508 meters
Class	C
Facility ID	2809
Transmitter coordinates	32°35′22″N 96°58′10″W / 32.58944°N 96.96944°W / 32.58944; -96.96944
Former callsigns	KCLE (1957–1969) KFAD (1969–1972) KAMC (1972–1976) KWJS (1976–1984) KJIM (1984–1985) KLTY (1985–1986) KHYI (1986–1991) KODZ (1991–1992) KSNN (1992–1996) KEWS (1996–1997) KWRD-FM (1997–2000)
Owner	Salem Media Group (Inspiration Media of Texas, LLC)
Sister stations	KEXB, KSKY, KWRD-FM, KTNO, K273BJ
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	http://www.klty.com

KLTY (94.9 FM) is owned by the Salem Media Group with studios located in Irving, Texas, near Dallas and a transmitter in Cedar Hill.^[1] The format is similar to the "Fish" branded stations Salem owns elsewhere and its slogan is: "Safe for the Whole Family". It is considered the number one Adult Contemporary Christian Music station in the country with the largest number of listeners.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

History

KLTY began playing a mix of Adult Contemporary Christian music (CCM). KLTY lasted only from early August 1985^[5] to late September 1986 when station owner Scott K. Ginsburg changed the call letters to KHYI and changed the format to Top 40 as "Y-95". The transmitter site was not at Cedar Hill the primary antenna farm for Dallas radio, but instead transmitted from Lillian, Texas with over 30,000 watts of effective radiated power.

Marcos A. Rodriguez was a fan of the original KLTY and saw potential in the format - especially if a radio station could play it 24 hours a day. He purchased the music library from Ginsburg and began planning the conversion of 94.1 to all CCM. However, he was unable to make a deal for the KLTY call letters (because they were held by an FM station in Liberty, Missouri.

Before it became 94.1 KOJO, the frequency was used by then-sister station KESS. Elfstrand now leads The Morning Ride team at WMBI Chicago.^[6]

KOJO was notable for its commitment to being a "full service" radio station, including a solid news commitment. Morning and afternoon drive newscasts were anchored by former KVIL news director Bob Morrison and Calvin Whitman, and later, Dave Tucker. Morrison moved up to a national network news management position as News and Sports Director of the USA Radio Network, based in Dallas, for 8 1/2 years (until USA was sold and moved to Memphis).

In the spring of 1989, with a free Michael W. Smith concert, Rodriguez created the first Celebrate Freedom-style event and relaunched the KLTY call letters.^[7] Marcos A. Rodriguez went on to produce Celebrate Freedom festivals at Southfork Ranch and build the event into one of the biggest Christian Music festivals in America.^[7] Rodriguez sold KLTY ^[8] to Sunburst Media L.P. in 1999 for $63.3 million and retired. After the sale of KVIL it was the highest price ever paid for a Dallas FM.^[9]

KLTY was on 100.7 MHz from January 2000 to December 2000, and was owned by Sunburst until it was sold to Salem. Salem swapped the Christian talk format that had been on 94.9 for nearly two and a half years known as "The Word", and placed the popular KLTY on a 94.9 signal while "The Word" went to 100.7. This placed the KLTY callsign back on its original frequency.^[10]

The Vice President and General Manager of 94.9 FM KLTY is John L. Peroyea, who joined the team in July 1999, and continues to serve Salem Communications in this and other roles. KLTY now transmits with 100,000 watts ERP from Cedar Hill, Texas.

While KLTY plays a Contemporary Christian music playlist, it has been classified as Adult Contemporary (AC) according to Mediabase.^[11] KLTY could serve as the de facto "AC" station for DFW as CBS Radio-owned 103.7 KVIL in May 2013 retooled its playlist to focus on 1990s to current product (with an Adult Top 40 lean) before Mediabase moved the station to "Hot AC" a year later. As of October 2016, KVIL has switched to CHR/Top 40 full time. Although KLAK (97.5) in Tom Bean, Texas is the sole "AC" station that serves areas north and east of the metroplex.

History of 94.9 FM

The 94.9 frequency has a rich history, long predating the current format and ownership. KCLE was established in 1949 in Cleburne, Texas, by owners Jim Gordon and George Marti at 94.3 FM and 1120 AM. Marti was later the inventor of microwave transmitters (known as "Marti Units.") Employees included notables such as Russ Bloxom (later news anchor at WBAP/KXAS-TV,) Don Harris (personality at WBAP-AM) and Mike Ambrose (later with KLIF-AM, and a San Diego TV weatherman for 28 years.) The station moved to 94.9 in 1957.

In 1969, Gordon and Marti ended their partnership; Marti took the AM station and Gordon, the FM. Gordon flipped the FM to KFAD, with an underground/progressive rock format. Notables included Jon Dillon (now at KZPS), writer Phillip Cook, Dave Thomas, Stuart McRae and Joe Nick Patoski (later the senior editor of Texas Monthly magazine.

On January 1, 1972, Dick Osburn took ownership of the station, and reimaged it as KAMC ("K-Mac") while continuing the underground music format. By 1974, the format flipped to "Progressive Country" when former KFAD talent Stuart McRae convinced Dick Osburn and Program Director Ken Bateman to mix country and rock with a show called "The Country Sunday". It worked so well that the station dropped the underground rock and became the first 24-hour Progressive Country station in America. Stuart McRae had been the first jock when KSCS went Country the year before. KAMC was the only station in Dallas - Ft. Worth to play Outlaw Country artists like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. A notable employee of KAMC was Bill Merrill, who did play-by-play for the Texas Rangers.

On June 19, 1976, with the station now licensed to Arlington, it was sold to Jimmy Swaggart Ministries and became KWJS (the Word of Jimmy Swaggart) and to new KJIM calls in 1984. (The KJIM calls were resurrected from KJIM-870 AM, who used them from 1957-1984.)

After the first incarnation of KLTY (1985–86) and then KHYI (1986-91), 94.9 was home to KODZ "Oldies 94.9", starting on October 28, 1991. After one year, it flipped to classic country as KSNN "Sunny 95" at 12:11 p.m. on October 12, 1992.^[12] It then flipped to KEWS - "The First All-News FM Station in America, Made in Texas" on February 27, 1996.^[13] Religious talker KWRD was established at 94.9 on January 11, 1997 after a trade with KEWS-FM. As a result of the trade, KDFX-1190 AM became KWRD-FM, while KEWS-FM became KOOO-1190 AM.

On-air staff

Notable weekday hosts include The Family-Friendly Morning Show with Host Frank Reed, Morning Co-Host and News Anchor Starlene Stringer. Mid-days host Bonnie Curry, Tony Lopez on afternoons, Nightlight with Andrea on evenings and traffic reporter Gail Lightfoot.

Notable weekend on-air staff include "New Music Cafe" host John Hudson, Sunday morning praise host Ron Taylor, Laurie Lynn, Dave Harrison, and Marc Anderson.

Behind the scenes

The promotions team includes Chocolate Thunder, T-Spoon, Discount, Sanches, Ben J and Big D!

Awards and recognition

For years KLTY has been one of the leading radio stations in America.^[9] The National Association of Broadcasters has awarded KLTY a Marconi Award for being a "Top Major Market Station Of the Year" in 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2012.^[14] In 2014 and 2016 KLTY was awarded the Marconi Award for "Religious Station of the Year".^[15]^[16]

In 2004 KLTY earned the GMA Awards for Major Market Station of the Year and the Music Station of the Year award from National Religious Broadcasters.^[2]

KLTY has the highest number of listeners for a radio station in the Adult CCM format.^[2] According to figures produced from the Arbitron survey released in 2013, KLTY now boasts more than a million listeners.^[17]

References

1 2 "Salem Communications' 94.9 KLTY-FM Sets Ratings Record". Retrieved 9 February 2013.
1 2 3 "Celebrate Freedom: America's Largest Free, Single-Day Concert Set for July 3rd; 94.9 KLTY-FM Sponsors Event at South Fork Ranch". 9 June 2004. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
↑ "Deep in the Heart of Texans: Jon Rivers, the music man". Retrieved 9 February 2013.
↑ Laura Castaneda (13 May 1995). "Catching a Wave: KLTY-FM became nation's most successful Adult Contemporary Christian radio station". The Dallas Morning News. p. 1G. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
↑ "Dallas-Fort Worth-FM Station History". Retrieved 9 February 2013.
↑ "The Morning Ride with Mark Elfstrand". Retrieved 9 February 2013.
1 2 Parish Perkins, Ken (May 6, 2009). "Religious experience: Christian radio learns to live in a secular world". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
↑ John Austin (27 June 1999). "Country show moves deep into the heart of Cowtown". Radio Active. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
1 2 "Radio power". Dallas Business Journal. 21 March 1999. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
↑ "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
↑ Maverick Dallas Outlet Achieves Benchmark
↑ "KODZ-FM switches to classic country". Dallas Morning News. 1992-10-14.
↑ http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1996/R&R-1996-03-01.pdf
↑ "KKOB, Albuquerque (770) wins this year's Marconi for "Legendary Station"". Radio-Info.com. September 24, 2009. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
↑ "2016 NAB Marconi Award - HisAir.Net". 2016-09-23. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
↑ "About Us | 94.9 FM KLTY - Irving, TX". www.klty.com. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
↑ "Christian KLTY Dallas Tops One Million Listeners". January 23, 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.

External links

Query the FCC's FM station database for KLTY

Radio-Locator information on KLTY

Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for KLTY

Radio stations in the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex market

By AM frequency	540 570 620 660 700 730 770 820¹ 850² 870² 890 910 970 990 1040² 1080¹ 1110² 1140 1160 1190 1220 1270 1310 1340 1360 1390 1420 1440 1460 1480 1540 1570 1600 1630 1700

By FM frequency	88.1 88.3 88.5 88.5 88.7 89.1 89.3 89.5 89.7 90.1 90.5 90.9 91.3 91.7 92.1 92.1 92.5 93.3 93.7 94.1 94.5 94.9 95.3 95.9 96.3 96.7 97.1 97.5 97.9 98.3 98.7 99.1 99.5 100.3 100.7 101.1 101.7 102.1 102.5 102.9 103.3 103.7 104.5 104.9 105.3 105.7 106.1 106.7 106.9 107.1 107.5 107.9

NOAA Weather Radio frequency	162.4 (Dallas) 162.525 (Corsicana) 162.525 (Mineral Wells) 162.55 (Fort Worth)

Digital radio	570 1080 1270 1700 88.5-1 89.3-1 92.5-1 92.5-2 94.1-1 94.5-1 96.3-1 96.3-2 97.1-1 97.1-2 97.5-1 97.9-1 97.9-2 98.7-1 98.7-2 98.7-3 99.5-1 99.5-2 100.3-1 100.3-2 100.3-3 101.1-1 102.1-1 102.1-2 102.9-1 102.9-2 103.7-1 103.7-2 105.3-1 105.3-2 105.3-3 106.1-1 106.1-2 107.1-1 107.5-1 107.5-2 107.5-3 107.9-1 107.9-2

By callsign	K273BJ KAAM KAND KATH KAWA KBEC KBFB KBOC KBXD KCBI KCLE KDFT KDGE KDKR KDMX KDXX KEC55 KEC56 KEGL KEOM KERA KESN KESS-FM KEXB KFCD KFJZ² KFLC KFWR KFXR KFZO KGGR² KHFX KHKS KHSE KHVN KHYI KJKK KJON² KJRN KKDA KKDA-FM KKGM KKLF KKXT KLAK KLIF KLIF-FM KLNO KLTY KLUV KMNY KMQX KMVK KNON KNOR KNTU KPIR KPLX KPYK KRLD¹ KRLD-FM KRNB KRVA KRVF KSCS KSKY KSOC KSQX KTCK KTCK-FM KTCU-FM KTFW-FM KTNO KTXG KTXV KVCE KVIL KVTT² KWRD-FM KXEZ KXI87 KYDA KYQX KZEE KZMP KZMP-FM KZPS KZZA WBAP¹ WNG651 WRR

Defunct	KTDK-FM 104.1 The Indie-Verse

Satellite radio local traffic/weather XM Channel 225 Sirius Channel 154 Nearby radio markets Abilene Brownwood Killeen–Temple Lawton Oklahoma City Paris Sherman–Denison Tyler–Longview Waco Wichita Falls See also List of radio stations in Texas ¹ = Clear-channel stations with extended nighttime coverage. ² = Daytime-only AM radio station.

Religious radio stations in the state of Texas

KHCB Radio Network	KHCB-FM – Houston (English) KHCB – Galveston (Spanish) KHCH – Huntsville (Spanish & Asian) Satellite Stations KANJ – Giddings KHCJ – Jefferson KHCP – Paris KHIB – Bastrop KHKV – Kerrville KHML – Madisonville KHPO – Port O'Connor KHTA – Wake Village KHVT – Bloomington KKER – Kerrville KRTG – Carthage

EWTN Radio affiliates	Guadalupe Radio Network: KLPF – Midland KATH – Frisco KBKN – Lamesa KBMD – Marble Falls KJMA – Floresville KVDG – Midland (Spanish) KJON – Carrollton (Spanish) KWMF – Pleasanton (Spanish) Other affiliates: KDJW – Amarillo KOLF-LP – Plainview KPIA-LP – Huntsville

Other religious stations	K274BA - Paris K237EE - Childress KABA – Louise KACB-LP – College Station KACD-LP – Midland KAFR – Conroe KAGC – Bryan KAMY – Lubbock KANI – Wharton KAQD – Abilene KATG – Athens KAVO – Pampa KAVW – Amarillo KAVX – Lufkin KAYK – Victoria KBAH – Plainview KBBW – Waco KBCX – Big Spring KBJS – Jacksonville KBMM – Odessa KBNR – Brownsville KBRZ-FM – Victoria KBUB – Brownwood KCAS – McCook KCKT – Crockett KCRN – San Angelo KCRN-FM – San Angelo KCTA – Corpus Christi KDAE – Sinton KDEI – Port Arthur KDKR – Decatur KDRY – Alamo Heights KDSH-LP – Borger KELP – El Paso KEOE-LP – Lufkin KEPI – Eagle Pass KFGG-LP – Marble Falls KFLB – Odessa KFLB – Odessa KGLY – Tyler KGOD-LP – Tenaha KGWP – Pittsburg KHSP – Killeen KIBL – Beeville KIJN – Farwell KIJN-FM – Farwell KIXL – Del Valle KJAK – Slaton KJHV – Killeen KJRN – Keene KJRT – Amarillo KKHT – Winnie KLBW – New Boston KLDS – Falfurrias KMAT – Seadrift KMEO – Mertzon KMOC – Wichita Falls KNNK – Dimmitt KNRB – Atlanta KOIR – Edinburg KOKE-FM – Thorndale KPAS – Fabens KPDR – Wheeler KPXI – Overton KQUE-FM – Bay City KRBG – Umbarger KRCM – Shenandoah KRIO-FM – Roma KRYH – Temple KSGR – Portland KSLR – San Antonio KTAA – Big Sany KTEK – Alvin KTER – Rudolph KTMR – Edna KTMR – Converse KTMU – Muenster KTXB – Beaumont KTYR – Trinity KVJS – Arroyo KVMV – McAllen KWAS – Borger KWRD-FM – Highland Village KXAI – Refugio KXOI – Crane KXVX-LP – Sulphur Springs KYFB – Denison KYFP – Palestine KYFS – San Antonio KYJC – Commerce KYZQ – Mount Pleasant KZFT – Fannett

Defunct	KKVI – Overland

See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in Texas See also Classical Jazz Religious Spanish Smooth Jazz Other

Salem Media Group

AM radio stations	KBJD KCBQ KCRO KDIZ KDMT KDOW KDZR KEXB KFAX KFIA KGNW KGU KHCM KHNR KKOL KKMS KKNT KLFE KLUP KNTH KNTS KNUS KOTK KPDQ KPRZ KPXQ KRDY KRKS KRLA KSKY KSLR KTEK KTIE KTKZ KTNO KTRB KXXT KYCR KZNT WAFS WAVA WBIX WBZW WDTK WDWD WDYZ WEZE WFIA WFIL WGKA WGTK WGUL WHIM WHK WHKW WHKZ WIND WKAT WLCC WLQV WLSS WLTA WMCA WNIV WNTP WNYM WOCN WORL WPGP WPIT WRCW WRFD WROL WSDZ WTBN WTLN WTWD WWDJ WWMI WWRC WWTC WYLL WZAB¹

FM radio stations	KAIM-FM KBIQ KDAR KDIS-FM KFIS KFSH-FM KGBI-FM KGFT KGU-FM KHCM-FM KHTE-FM* KKHT-FM KKFS KKLA-FM KKOL-FM KKSP KLTY KPDQ-FM KRKS-FM KRYP KSAC-FM KWRD-FM WAVA-FM WBOZ WFFH WFFI WFHM-FM WFIA-FM WFSH-FM WGTK-FM WLTE WORD-FM WRTH WTOH

Salem Radio Network	FamilyTalk Solid Gospel The Word In Praise Today's Christian Music

Salem Publishing	Eagle Financial Publications Eagle Wellness FaithTalk Homecoming Magazine Preaching Magazine Regnery Publishing Singing News Townhall Xulon Press YouthWorker Journal

Salem Web Network	CCMmagazine.com Christianity.com Crosswalk.com Godtube Hot Air Human Events Oneplace.com RedState Townhall.com Twitchy.com

¹ = Co-owned with Florida City Radio under LMA. * = Station owned by Crain Media Group and operated by Salem under LMA.

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