KKXT

Broadcast area Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
Branding KXT 91.7
Slogan "Go Public."
Format Adult Alternative (Public)
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 335 meters
Class C
Facility ID 55768
Former callsigns KVTT (1950-2009)
Former frequencies 88.5 MHz (1950-late 1960s)
Affiliations NPR
American Public Media
Native Voice One
Owner North Texas Public Broadcasting
Sister stations KERA, KERA-TV
Webcast Listen Live
Website kxt.org

KKXT (91.7 FM) is a public radio music station broadcasting to the greater Dallas, Fort Worth and Denton metropolitan area and worldwide on kxt.org. KXT has a Triple A (adult album alternative) music format with a mix of acoustic, alt-country, indie rock, alternative and world music. The listener supported station has a weekly audience of up to 300,000 listeners. KXT hosts and promotes many musical events include the annual Summer Cut series, KXT Sun Sets and "KXT 91.7 Presents" concerts. KXT regularly brings in local and national artists to the KXT Studios for Live Sessions, and contributes video content from its Live Sessions to VuHaus. KXT was named "Best Music Radio Station" by the Dallas Observer in 2016.[1]

Programming

KXT broadcasts an adult album alternative music format featuring a mix of local and national programming.[2][3] KXT's on-air hosts include program director Amy Miller,[4] assistant program director Brad Dolbeer,[5] music coordinator Gini Mascorro as well as Allen Roberts, Mo Barrow and Paul Slavens.

Live Sessions

Twin Peaks at KXT studios
Twin Peaks performed a live session at the KXT studios in September 2016.[6]

KXT has hosted hundreds of in-studio performances since its inception, welcoming the likes of Chrissie Hynde, Violent Femmes, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Pete Yorn, Sondre Lerche, Guy Clark, and Rogue Wave to play live sessions on-air. These sessions have been archived at kxt.org.

Programs

KXT airs World Cafe, a nightly radio show from WXPN in Philadelphia and syndicated by NPR, on weeknights with an overnight encore. The station also airs UnderCurrents nightly. Other special programs aired on KXT include: eTown, Acoustic Café, American Routes and The Latin Alternative.[7]

Local Dallas-Fort Worth area musician Paul Slavens hosts the award-winning program The Paul Slavens Show on KXT. The show features a diverse and eclectic playlist created from audience suggestions.

Concert Series

KXT hosts several signature concert series including Summer Cut, KXT Sun Sets, the annual KXT anniversary concert (KXT Turns __) and the annual KXT Holiday Concert. Summer Cut is an annual summer music festival hosted by KXT since 2012 featuring regional and national acts.[8] KXT Sun Sets is a summer concert series featuring local and national bands in an intimate setting. KXT Sun Sets had its inaugural season in 2016.[9] KXT Turns __ is an annual anniversary concert celebrating the station's anniversary of broadcasting on the air. KXT also hosts the annual KXT Holiday Concert series .

KXT also presents many other concerts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area throughout the year. These concerts are branded as "KXT 91.7 Presents."

KXT Online

Blog

The KXT blog features a variety of music-focus content, including concert alerts, ticket giveaways, artist interviews and festival coverage.

Live Stream

KXT reaches listeners all over the world via live stream on kxt.org.

History

KXT 91.7 went on the air in November 2009, offering a fresh mix of new, local and legendary music to North Texas. Since that time, KXT has become one of the most-listened to Triple-A stations in the United States. Through its signature concert series including Summer Cut and KXT Sun Sets, as well as dozens of "KXT 91.7 Presents concerts" each year, KXT is an essential part of the region's musical landscape.

Early Beginnings

KKXT was founded in 1950 by the Elkins Institute, at the time known as Texas Trade School, as KVTT 88.5 FM ("The Voice of Texas Trade School"), which used it as a training ground for students including Rush Limbaugh, and moved to 91.7 FM in the late 1960s to early 1970s.[10]

Transition to a Christian format

In 1976, Eldred Thomas, the founder of Covenant Educational Media, bought KVTT and turned it into a Christian music and teaching station. Thomas took KVTT's original call letters and created the "Keep Voicing The Truth" tagline.[11] From its studios in North Dallas, it carried a variety of teaching programs, talk-format programs, and Praise and Worship music, along with their long-running and highest rated program for 20 years, The Journey hosted by Tom Dooley, who died on November 9, 2010.

Logo used from 1986 until 2004 sale to Covenant Educational Media

In July 2001, KVTT license holder Research Educational Foundation, Inc., applied to transfer the broadcast license for this station to The Learning Foundation, Inc.[12] The reported $5 million sale price would have also included the station's donor list for the preceding two years.[12] The transfer was approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on August 24, 2001, but the deal ultimately fell through and the license remained with the Research Educational Foundation.[13]

Logo used following sale to Covenant Educational Media

In July 2004, Research Educational Foundation, Inc., again applied to transfer the license for KVTT, this time to Covenant Educational Media, Inc.[14] The sale price for this single non-commercial station was reported as $16.5 million.[14] The transfer was approved by the FCC on September 21, 2004, and the transaction was consummated on November 16, 2004.[15]

KVTT's failed swap bid

In June 2006, KVTT's owners tried to broker a frequency swap with WRR (101.1 FM), a commercial radio station owned by the City of Dallas.[16] The swap would allow the relocated KVTT to sell commercial advertising to increase its revenue stream. Even though one official estimated the deal "could be worth up to $50 million" to the city of Dallas, the swap was ultimately rejected by the city.[17][18]

Sale to KERA

It was announced on June 9, 2009, that Covenant Educational Media would be selling this station to North Texas Public Broadcasting (owners of KERA (90.1 FM) and KERA-TV) for $18 million.[2][19] The deal was approved by the FCC on July 30, 2009, and the transaction was consummated on September 28, 2009.[3][20] It is said to be the biggest single radio station sale to that point in 2009.[21]

The 2008 economic downturn, coupled by a shortfall of donations from its "share-a-thon" and an "urgent" fundraiser, led to the sale of KVTT.[22] The station's now-previous owners have vowed to keep the Christian format in operation in some capacity.[23] The final broadcasting day for the Christian format on 91.7 FM was September 28; on that date, the station moved its programming to a daytime-only station, KJSA (1110 AM).[24] In addition, the station also provided its programming via the internet from its website, kvtt.org. The KVTT call sign was then transferred to Covenant's sister station in Palisade, Colorado, KAAI, on October 1, 2009. On October 14, 2009, the KVTT call sign returned to the D/FW area on the AM station formerly licensed as KJSA, which was transferred to the Colorado station (that station has since reverted to KAAI).

91.7 Today

KXT 91.7 logo from 2009 launch until January 2016.

On October 1, 2009, the 91.7 frequency became "KKXT", and the station temporarily went silent; programming, under the moniker "KXT 91.7", began on November 9.[25] The format flip to Adult Album Alternative also occurred on that date.[21][26] The station will carry national and locally produced music programming. Music programs formerly heard on KERA FM have moved to 91.7, including 90.1 at Night, which has been renamed as The Paul Slavens Show .[25][27]

References

  1. ↑ "Best Music Radio Station: 91.7 KXT | Best of Dallas® 2016: Your Key to the City". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  2. 1 2 Wilonsky, Robert (June 9, 2009). ""Local Programs, Local Musicians, Local Talent": KERA's Singing a New Tune". Dallas Observer. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  3. 1 2 Wilonsky, Robert (August 31, 2009). ""The Process": Wanna Know When KERA's Debuting That New Music Station? Stay Tuned.". Dallas Observer. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  4. ↑ "KXT/91.7 FM names Amy Miller program director". Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  5. ↑ "KXT/91.7 FM adds Brad Dolbeer as assistant program director". Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  6. ↑ "Twin Peaks". KXT 91.7. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
  7. ↑ "KXT On-Air Schedule". KXT. KXT. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  8. ↑ "Who's Playing KXT's Summer Cut? Glad You Asked…". Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  9. ↑ "Photos from KXT Sun Sets". KXT 91.7. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  10. ↑ http://www.knus99.com/fmlist.html
  11. ↑ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Retrieved September 5, 2009.
  12. 1 2 Rathbun, Elizabeth A. (July 29, 2001). "Changing Hands - 2001-07-30". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  13. ↑ "Application Search Details (BALED-20010705AAM)". FCC Media Bureau. August 24, 2001.
  14. 1 2 "Changing Hands - 2004-07-19". Broadcasting & Cable. July 18, 2004. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  15. ↑ "Application Search Details (BALED-20040712AAN)". FCC Media Bureau. November 16, 2004.
  16. ↑ Levinthal, Dave (June 1, 2006). "WRR signal may be traded: Swap could turn station noncommercial but earn millions for Dallas". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  17. ↑ Levinthal, Dave (June 7, 2006). "Several officials lean against WRR swap: Dallas: Panel considers trade, but mayor has no interest in deal". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  18. ↑ Levinthal, Dave (August 29, 2006). "Committee rejects WRR signal swap". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
  19. ↑ "Deals - 2009-06-20". Broadcasting & Cable. June 22, 2009. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  20. ↑ "Application Search Details (BALED-20090609AAQ)". FCC Media Bureau. July 30, 2009.
  21. 1 2 "2009's biggest radio deal is for Dallas non-com KVTT – it sells for $18 million". Radio-Info.com. June 9, 2009.
  22. ↑ "KVTT's Future?". 917thetruth.org. June 9, 2009. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011.
  23. ↑ "KVTT's Future? (Part 2)". 917thetruth.org. August 15, 2009. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011.
  24. ↑ KVTT: "Will we be silenced?", 9/9/2009. Archived July 24, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  25. 1 2 Wilonsky, Robert (September 16, 2009). "It's Official: KERA's All-Music Station, KXT, Will Make Noise Starting November 9". Dallas Observer. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
  26. ↑ Venta, Lance (June 9, 2009). "KVTT Dallas Sold; To Go AAA". Radio Insight. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  27. ↑ Crisman, Sarah (September 13, 2009). "New KERA station puts focus on North Texas music scene". Pegasus News.

External links

Coordinates: 32°35′24″N 96°58′23″W / 32.590°N 96.973°W / 32.590; -96.973

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