KJOZ

Last updated
KJOZ
Broadcast area Greater Houston
Frequency 880 kHz
BrandingRadio Unica 880 AM
Programming
Language(s) Spanish
Format Tropical
Ownership
OwnerHector Guevara Ministry Corp.
History
First air date
May 25, 1951;71 years ago (1951-05-25) (as KMCO at 900)
Former call signs
KMCO (1951-1974)
KIKR (1974-1991)
KJOJ (1991-2012)
Former frequencies
900 kHz (1951-1985)
Technical information
Facility ID 20625
Class B
Power 10,000 watts day
1,000 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
30°17′38″N95°25′55″W / 30.29389°N 95.43194°W / 30.29389; -95.43194
Translator(s) See § Translators
Links
Website www.radiounicadigital.com

KJOZ (880 AM) is a radio station, paired with 2 FM relay translators. Licensed to Conroe, Texas, KJOZ primarily serves the northern Houston, Texas metropolitan area. The station broadcasts a Regional Mexican format.

Contents

History

As 900 KMCO

KJOZ started out as a full service country and western station using the call sign KMCO (standing for Montgomery County) in 1951, owned by Reagan Smith & Fred Perry Sr. It was originally located at 900 kHz.

Owen family purchases KMCO; becomes KIKR

In 1974, Steve Owen purchased KMCO, applied to change its call sign to KIKR, and renamed the station "Kicker". It was co-owned with KNRO at 106.9 FM (currently classic rock KHPT "The Eagle") during this period. The facility was moved to 880 kHz in 1985, after the FM was sold, and upgraded to 10 kilowatts during daytime hours.

Jimmy Swaggart's "Joy of Jesus"

KIKR was sold to Jimmy Swaggart ministries in 1991, resulting in the change to the KJOJ call sign (standing for "Joy Of Jesus").

Once sold to the Swaggart Ministry, 880 became the simulcast partner of KJOJ-FM's Christian ministry format, which had moved from 106.9 to 103.3 a year earlier, due to 106.9's sale by the Swaggart ministries in 1990. 880's 10 kilowatt signal allowed the ministry to remain over the air in the northern areas of the Houston metro, opposite of the 103.3 signal which is located southwest of the metro.

The last General Manager of KJOJ during its religious format and before its move into Houston was Kathy Watson and last Program Director was Gary Johnson.

Swaggart sells KJOJ, KJOJ-FM

In 1998, KJOJ moved its studio located in The Woodlands to the Clear Channel studios in Houston after being sold by the Swaggart ministry.

In May 2001, KJOJ began to simulcast KTJM 98.5 and its former sister KJOJ-FM as Rhythmic Oldies "Houston's Jammin Hits", along with KQUE 1230 AM.

Liberman acquisition

In July 2001, KJOJ and its FM sister were sold to Liberman Broadcasting, which resulted in both KJOJ and the FM counterpart simulcasting "La Raza" with 1230 & 98.5.

In April 2010, Liberman leased KJOJ's 10 kW signal to Rahan Sidiqqui for Hum Tum City's South Asian programming. After several months IDing as simply "880 KJOJ" with Siddiqui's programming, it returned to simulcasting Houston's 1230 KQUE as Regional Mexican "Radio Ranchito" then as "La Ranchera".

KJOJ becomes KJOZ; Radio Aleluya debuts

It was sold to Daij Media, LLC in 2012. During the license reassignment process, Daij Media filed to change the call sign to KJOZ upon consummation of the sale, in order to disassociate the station from the FM counterpart located in Freeport, Texas. Daij Media then switched KJOZ to Radio Aleluya Spanish Christian preaching and music programming from the Aleluya Broadcasting Network.

880 returns to English language; "Where Diversity Finds Its Voice"

On April 13, 2015, KJOZ dropped Spanish Christian programming and relaunched as an urban talk station with the slogan "Where diversity finds its voice."

By November, KJOZ dropped most of its talk programming to become a de facto replacement for the original KCOH, featuring many of the former KCOH personalities including Michael Harris and Don Samuel.

Radio Aleluya returns

On April 8, 2016, Urban Talk & Oldies was dropped from 880 KJOZ, returning to the previous Spanish Christian programming of owner Radio Aleluya.

La Calle moves; KJOZ gains an FM translator

In September 2017, the primary for translator 92.5 K223CW was moved from KCOH to KJOZ, moving the Tropical "La Calle" format from KCOH to KJOZ as well.

Rumba 92.5/880

On December 6, 2019, KJOZ rebranded as "Rumba 92.5/880". [1]

Effective November 3, 2021, Daij Media swapped KJOZ to Hector Guevara Ministry Corp. in exchange for the licenses to translators K243BO and K254DU.

Translators

Broadcast translators of KJOZ
Call sign Frequency
(MHz)
City of license Facility
ID
ERP
(W)
Class FCC info
K258DI99.5 Humble, Texas 14729580D FCC LMS
K273AL102.5 Houston, Texas 14730799D FCC LMS
K283CH 104.5 Houston, Texas 14652299D FCC LMS

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KAMA-FM</span> Spanish Contemporary radio station in Deer Park–Houston, Texas

KAMA-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Deer Park, Texas, and serving the Greater Houston radio market. It is owned by the Uforia Audio Network, a subsidiary of Univision, and it airs a Spanish-language CHR/Top 40 radio format.

WJFM is a radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format. Licensed to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States, the station is currently owned by Jimmy Swaggart Ministries. The listener-supported station is run by SonLife Radio, a ministry of Jimmy Swaggart Ministries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KHPT</span> Radio station in Conroe, Texas

KHPT is a classic rock-formatted radio station licensed to Conroe, Texas, which simulcasts KGLK. It is owned by Cox Media Group, and is part of the Houston cluster that also includes KKBQ and KTHT. It is headquartered in Suite 2300 at 3 Post Oak Central in the Uptown district in Houston, Texas. KHPT's transmitter is located in Splendora, Texas, once shared with KSBJ.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KLTN</span> Radio station in Houston, Texas

KLTN is a Regional Mexican radio station broadcasting in Houston, Texas, United States. Owned by Univision Radio, its studios are in Uptown Houston and the transmitter is located on the historic (1948) KNUZ tower, along with sister station KAMA-FM, at 315 N. Ennis Street in the East End.

KMIC is an English language South Asian music and spoken word formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Houston, Texas, serving the Greater Houston area. The station, which began broadcasting in 1947, is owned and operated by DAIJ Media.

KBME is a sports-talk AM radio station in the Houston, Texas metropolitan area. It is currently owned by iHeartMedia. The station airs local sports-talk and carries nationally syndicated Fox Sports Radio programming. KBME is also the flagship radio station for the Houston Rockets, Houston Astros and Texas Longhorns. The station's studios are located along the West Loop Freeway in the city's Uptown district. The transmitter site is located at what is now the southwest corner of Fallbrook Drive and T.C. Jester Boulevard, near Greenspoint in unincorporated Harris County.

KSHJ is a Catholic religious radio station in Houston, Texas. It is part of the Guadalupe Radio Network, and is owned by La Promesa Foundation. Some programming from EWTN Radio is also on the schedule. The studios and offices are located in Southeast Houston.

KYND is a commercial terrestrial radio station, licensed to the unincorporated Harris County community of Cypress, serving the Houston, Texas metropolitan area as a Class D daytime only operating facility. KYND is owned by El Sembrador Ministries.

KQUE, is a Spanish language Christian radio AM station, with an FM relay translator, in the Houston, Texas, metropolitan area. KQUE is dually licensed to both Rosenberg, Texas and Richmond, Texas and is currently owned by Daij Media, LLC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KTJM</span> Radio station in Port Arthur, Texas

KTJM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Port Arthur, Texas. It is owned by Estrella Media and airs a Regional Mexican radio format. The studios and offices are located at 3000 Bering Drive in Southwest Houston. Programming is simulcast with sister station 101.7 KNTE Bay City, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KGOL</span> Radio station in Humble, Texas

KGOL is a commercial radio station, licensed to Humble, Texas, and serving Greater Houston.

WHOL is a rhythmic contemporary radio station in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Major Keystone LLC and airs a rhythmic contemporary radio format. It is simulcast with co-owned AM 1400 WEST in Easton, Pennsylvania. The studios and transmitter are on Colorado Street in Allentown.

KCOH is a commercial radio station in Houston, Texas that airs an urban talk/urban contemporary format. It is a return to the heritage format that aired in Houston from 1953 to 2013 on 1430 KCOH, moving to this facility after 1430 was sold. KCOH returned to the legendary music format on March 14, 2019, while KCOH officially relaunched on Monday April 15, 2019 as "1230 KCOH, The Source", featuring many of the long-time KCOH shows from the original station, and the return of such legendary KCOH personalities as Don Sam and Ralph Cooper.

KMIA is an AM radio station broadcasting a Spanish-language Christian Radio format, known as "Radio Amor." Licensed to Auburn–Federal Way, Washington, it serves the Seattle metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by Amador and Rosalie Bustos, through licensee Bustos Media Holdings, LLC. It uses a brokered programming system, where religious leaders buy time on the station and seek donations to their ministries during their shows.

KYOZ is a commercial AM radio station in Spokane, Washington, owned by 247 Media Ministries. It airs a worship music radio format, known as "Worship 24/7".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRUB (FM)</span> Radio station in Sarasota, Florida

WRUB is a commercial FM radio station broadcasting a Spanish contemporary hits format. Licensed to Sarasota, Florida, it serves the Sarasota / Bradenton / Tampa Bay Areas. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., with studios on West Gandy Boulevard in Tampa.

KJOJ-FM was a radio station licensed to Freeport, Texas, United States, operating as a rimshot into the Greater Houston area. It was last owned by Estrella Media and operated in tandem with KTJM in Port Arthur, with its transmitter to the east of the Houston area. The KJOJ-FM transmitter was located off Sgt. Joe Parks Memorial Highway in Sargent, Texas; studios were in Bay City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KEYY</span> Radio station in Provo, Utah

KEYY is a Christian radio station licensed to Provo, Utah, United States. The station is broadcasting via a translator on 91.3 FM in Provo as well. The station is owned by Biblical Ministries Worldwide, a Christian organization.

KBRZ is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Missouri City, Texas. It is operated by Sangeet Radio and owned by Daij Media, LLC. The station airs a South Asian radio format targeted at the Greater Houston radio market, with listeners originally from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh now living in Southeast Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KNTE (FM)</span> Radio station in Bay City, Texas

KNTE is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Bay City, Texas. The station broadcasts a radio format The studios of Regional Mexican music, simulcast with sister station 98.5 KTJM Port Arthur, and is owned by Estrella Radio License of Houston LLC, a subsidiary of Estrella Media.

References

  1. La Calle Houston Rebrands as Rumba 92.5/880 Radioinsight - December 6, 2019