KRGE

Last updated

KRGE
Broadcast area McAllen, Texas
Frequency 1290 kHz C-QUAM AM Stereo
BrandingRadio Vida
Programming
Format Spanish Religious
Ownership
OwnerChristian Ministries of the Valley
KBIC, KXTO, KBPO
History
First air date
 1925
Former call signs
  • KFLU (1925–27)
  • KHMC (1927–28)
  • KRGV (1928–87)
Call sign meaning
Rio Grande
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 11081
Class B
Power 5,000 watts
Links
Public license information
Website www.radiovida.com

KRGE (1290 AM) is a radio station in Weslaco, Texas. It is owned by Christian Ministries of the Valley and carries a Spanish Christian format known as Radio Vida.

Contents

History

Early years and time-share with KWWG

KRGE is one of the Valley's oldest radio stations, receiving its license in 1925 with the callsign KFLU. The station was owned by the San Benito Radio Club and broadcast for its first two years on 1270 kHz with 15 watts, later raised to 100. Programs were broadcast on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 to 9pm. [2] Two years later, the Harlingen Music Company took over the station and changed the callsign to KHMC and then KRGV, relocating the station from San Benito to Harlingen. A radio reallocation in 1928 forced KRGV to 1260 kHz, where it shared time with KWWG, the radio station of the Brownsville Herald and the first radio station in the Valley; [3] additionally, KRGV increased its power to 500 watts. [4]

The Harlingen Music Company sold KRGV to the Valley Radio-Electric Company in 1929. The license was transferred to a new concern controlled by N.S. Miles, KRGV, Incorporated, in 1930. Meanwhile, KWWG did not stick around. Violent storms hit south Texas in August 1933, leaving KRGV's time-share partner in the lower Valley out of commission. When the station applied for renewal of its license, it also sought to be sold to Port Arthur College, which planned to move the station 350 miles (560 km) to Port Arthur. The Federal Radio Commission approved the move, which also allowed KRGV to go full-time. Two petitioners, involved in the operation of KFDM radio in Beaumont, sought to deny the move of KWWG to Port Arthur, but were refused, [5] and KWWG left the Valley for Port Arthur with a new callsign, KPAC; [6] the station now operates on 1250 kHz as KDEI. [6] [7]

KRGV all alone

KWWG's relocation to Port Arthur left KRGV alone on 1260, broadcasting from its new site in Weslaco, and four years later, O.L. Taylor, Gene Howe and T.E. Snowden took over the licensee. NARBA reallocation resulted in KRGV being assigned a new frequency, 1290 kHz, in 1941. The station's power had also been raised to 1,000 watts in 1937. [4]

In 1949, Taylor Radio and Television Corporation took over the station, and it was approved to increase power to 5,000 watts and mount an FM antenna on one of its towers. By this time, a conditional grant had been made for KRGV-FM, which was to broadcast on 93.7 MHz [8] but never came to air. The KRGV family had a more successful expansion into television, as KRGV-TV signed on the air in 1954. KRGV cycled through several owners, including The LBJ Company, the company of Texas senator and future president Lyndon B. Johnson, which bought half of the station's stock in 1957, and Kenco Enterprises, which acquired the stations in 1961. In March 1964, the Manship family, which continues to own KRGV-TV, acquired the stations. [4]

KRGE after 1987

In 1987, KRGV became KRGE when Daytona Group of Texas, Inc. acquired the station. Daytona, which was controlled by Norman S. Drubner, also owned KRIX 99.5 FM. [9] The addition of the FM station was a last-ditch effort to maintain KRGV/KRGE's long-running Top 40 format, which finally went by the wayside in 1988 with a format flip to oldies. [10] Sunbelt Radio Group entered into a deal to acquire KRGE & KRIX in June 1990 and wasted no time selling off the AM station; KRGE was sold to Christian Ministries of the Valley in November 1990. [11]

On March 1, 1991, at 6a.m., KRGE began broadcasting a Spanish Christian format under the Radio Vida name. It was the first station owned by Christian Ministries of the Valley, which now has other owned-and-operated and affiliated stations carrying the format, including sister station KBIC 105.7 FM in Raymondville and its dependent translator on 96.5 MHz in Weslaco. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KGBT-TV</span> Antenna TV/MyNetworkTV affiliate in Harlingen, Texas

KGBT-TV is a television station licensed to Harlingen, Texas, United States, serving the Lower Rio Grande Valley as a primary Antenna TV owned-and-operated station and a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliate. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside Brownsville-licensed dual NBC/CBS affiliate KVEO-TV. The two stations share studios on West Expressway in Harlingen; KGBT-TV's transmitter is located in La Feria, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KHKZ</span> Radio station in San Benito, Texas

KHKZ is a radio station broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format. Licensed to San Benito, Texas, United States, the station serves the Rio Grande Valley. The station is currently owned by iHeartMedia. It shares a studio with its sister stations, KTEX, KBFM, KQXX-FM, and KVNS, located close to the KRGV-TV studios in Weslaco, Texas, while its transmitter is located in La Feria, Texas.

KBTV-TV is a television station licensed to Port Arthur, Texas, United States, serving the Beaumont area as an affiliate of the digital multicast network Dabl. It is owned by Deerfield Media, which maintains joint sales and shared services agreements (JSA/SSA) with Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of CBS/CW+/Fox affiliate KFDM, for the provision of certain services. The two stations share studios on Walden Road in southwest Beaumont; KBTV-TV's transmitter is located in Vidor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KVNA (AM)</span> Radio station in Flagstaff, Arizona

KVNA is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. Licensed to Flagstaff, Arizona, United States, the station serves the Flagstaff area. The station is currently owned by Yavapai Broadcasting Corporation.

WIRL is a radio station broadcasting a conservative talk format. Licensed to Peoria, Illinois, United States, the station serves the Peoria area and broadcasts in AM stereo. The station is currently owned by Midwest Communications, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KFRQ</span> Classic Rock Radio station in Harlingen, Texas

KFRQ is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. Licensed to Harlingen, Texas, United States, the station serves the Rio Grande Valley area. The station is currently owned by Entravision. It shares a studio with its sister stations in McAllen, Texas, while its transmitter is located in La Feria, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KKPS</span> Bilingual Rhythmic Top 40 Radio station in Brownsville, Texas

KKPS "Fuego 99.5" is a radio station broadcasting a Bilingual Rhythmic CHR format. Licensed to Brownsville, Texas, United States, the station serves the McAllen-Brownsville-Harlingen area. The station is currently owned by Entravision Holdings, LLC. It shares a studio with its sister stations, KFRQ, KNVO-FM, and KVLY, located in McAllen, Texas, while its transmitter is located near Bluetown, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KTEX</span> Country Radio station in Mercedes, Texas

KTEX is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Mercedes, Texas, United States, the station serves the McAllen, Weslaco, Harlingen, Brownsville, Texas, area. The station is owned by iHeartMedia. It shares a studio with its sister stations KBFM, KQXX-FM, KHKZ, and KVNS, located close to the KRGV-TV studios in Weslaco, Texas, while its transmitter is located in Bluetown, Texas.

WJNJ is a commercial radio station in Jacksonville, Florida. It is owned by Norsan Media, and airs a Spanish AC radio format.

WHIM was a country music radio station in the Providence, Rhode Island, market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWTX</span> Radio station in Wilmington, Delaware

WWTX is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Wilmington, Delaware. It airs a sports radio format, with most programming from Fox Sports Radio. The studios are on McKee Road in Dover.

WBTG is an AM radio station licensed to serve Sheffield, Alabama. The station is owned by Slatton & Associates Broadcasters, Inc. It airs an adult standards format positioned as "Memory Music".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLTG</span> Radio station in Panama City, Florida

WLTG is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish Christian format. Licensed to Upper Grand Lagoon, Florida, United States, the station serves the Panama City area. WLTG has the distinction of being one of the radio stations with the lowest daytime power of any licensed AM station in the USA. It is one of few radio stations with a daytime power less than 250 watts. The station is currently owned by Laurie Broadcasting, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KHOV-FM</span> Radio station in Wickenburg, Arizona, United States

KHOV-FM is a radio station on 105.1 MHz in Wickenburg, Arizona, serving the Phoenix metropolitan area. It is owned by TelevisaUnivision through its Uforia brand and carries a simulcast with sister station KHOT-FM, playing the Regional Mexican format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KRIO (AM)</span> Radio station in McAllen, Texas

KRIO is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish-language Christian radio format. Licensed to McAllen, Texas, US, the station serves the McAllen-Brownsville-Harlingen area. The station is currently owned by Rio Grande Bible Institute, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNPN</span> The Publics Radio station in Newport, Rhode Island

WNPN is a radio station broadcasting an NPR news/talk format. It is the flagship broadcast outlet for The Public's Radio. Its official community of license is Newport, Rhode Island, but from a tall tower in Tiverton the signal covers most of Rhode Island and the South Coast of Massachusetts. It also has repeater stations WNPE in Narragansett Pier and WPVD in Providence. The network provides the sole local public radio outlet for Rhode Island.

WNRJ is an AM radio station licensed to serve Huntington, West Virginia, U.S. The station is owned by Bristol Broadcasting Company.

KDEI "Radio Maria" is an AM broadcasting station airing Catholic programming at 1250 kHz in Port Arthur, Texas. It is a repeater station of KJMJ 580 kHz in Alexandria, Louisiana.

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

KVNS is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. Licensed to Brownsville, Texas, the station is currently owned by iHeartMedia and features programming from Fox News Radio, Premiere Radio Networks and Westwood One. It shares studios with its sister stations, KHKZ, KQXX-FM, KTEX, and KBFM, located close to the KRGV-TV studios in Weslaco, Texas, while its transmitter is located near Brownsville, Texas.

KGBT is a Spanish-language AM radio station, licensed to Harlingen, Texas, and serving the Rio Grande Valley border area. It is owned by Latino Media Network; under a local marketing agreement, it was programmed by former owner TelevisaUnivision's Uforia Audio Network until giving full operations to the station and its sister stations KGBT-FM and KBTQ to the owner in the spring of 2023, and airs a Spanish language sports radio format, supplied by the TUDN Radio Network.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for KRGE". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ "American Broadcasting Stations" (PDF). Citizens Radio Call Book. 1926. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Revisiting Brownsville's past". Brownsville Herald. March 14, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 Federal Communications Commission. "FCC History Card" (PDF). Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  5. ↑ United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (1935). "MAGNOLIA PETROLEUM CO. et al. v. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 76 F.2d 439 (1935)" . Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  6. 1 2 Federal Communications Commission. "KWWG/KPAC FCC History Card" (PDF). Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  7. ↑ FCC: Call Sign Changes – KDEI (former KPAC)
  8. ↑ "Directory of Commercial FM Stations in the United States" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 15, 1947. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Broadcasting" (PDF). KRIX(FM) Brownsville, Tex. November 10, 1986. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Billboard's PD of the Week: Dusty Hayes, KBFM" (PDF). Billboard. May 6, 1989. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  11. ↑ "KRGE/Weslaco (Brownsville)" (PDF). Radio and Records. November 30, 1990. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Quiénes Somos" [Who We Are]. Radio Vida (in Spanish). Archived from the original on June 1, 2017. Retrieved June 20, 2017.

26°12′36″N97°54′33″W / 26.21000°N 97.90917°W / 26.21000; -97.90917

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.