KHPT-FM
Encyclopedia
KHPT is a classic hits radio station licensed to Conroe, Texas
. It is owned by Cox Radio, Inc. and is part of the Houston cluster that includes KGLK, KKBQ, and KTHT
. It is headquartered in Suite 2300 at 3 Post Oak Central in the Uptown
district in Houston, Texas
, United States
. Its transmitter is located in Splendora, Texas
, and is shared with KSBJ
.
Until June 20, 2011, the station was modern rock "106-9 the Zone". The station's only jocks were Katy Dempsey (morning), Heather Converse (midday) and Kevin Vargas (afternoons). The station occasionally features Hailie Richardson of KPRC-TV
to do traffic reports.
and used the call letters of KJOJ-FM.
The slogan for KJOJ-FM was "Houston's Joy of Jesus." During the 1980s the on-air personalities included Bert Salas, Keith Cramer, Keith Eckhardt, Minnie Francis, and Lyle Countryman. In early 1980s, the station's morning show "Lamb and Lion" was a Christian comedy radio morning show hosted by Salas.
KJOJ moved from 106.9 to present day 103.3 in 1990, and the station acquired new calls KJZS and new Jazz format, however that format briefly lasted until 1991 when the station changed its calls to KKHU and became "The New You 106.9" as a talk/oldies format right after KFMK 97.9's demise.
A year later KKHU changed both call letters and format this time to KKZR as Z-Rock 106.9 airing SMN-Z Rock network.
It then became KKHT "106.9 The Word" in March 1995. Salem Communications
, a company that specializes in Christian radio stations, bought the station the same year (1995). In 2000, Salem sold the station to Cox Radio
, who, in return, received Atlanta, GA properties from Cox. "The Word" signed off at Midnight on September 15, 2000, and moved to 1070 AM (The Word now resides on 100.7 FM). 106.9 began stunting with a countdown and with monikers saying "MP3 Radio" and "Radio Free Houston", as well as receiving the KZJZ call letters, which led to rumors stating that the station may go to a smooth jazz
format. At 5 P.M., on September 20, 2000, "Jazzy 106.9" signed on with Kenny G
's "Songbird
" being the first song. However, this was a ruse, and the 1980's music station, "106-9 The Point" signed on with Simple Minds
' "Don't You (Forget About Me)
". The call letters changed to KHPT on October 17, 2000.
The station withstood the erosion of 1980s-music stations during 2003, and maintained its format. Over the years, the Point's music library gradually expanded to include some late 1970s songs, as well as early 1990s material, but even added songs as late as 1998 and 1999, but never played any current material, making it an 1980s-oriented adult hits
station. For a long time, ratings were high for the station. However, ratings for the station started to drop gradually over time, most likely due to the burnout factor of the music, peaking at a 1.8 share in its last book as an 1980s-hits station.
At 6 AM on November 8, 2010, KHPT changed its format to classic alternative rock
(with 1980s and more 1990s material) as "106-9 The Zone". The Point's final song was Bon Jovi
's "Wanted Dead or Alive
", while The Zone's first song was Foo Fighters
' "Learn to Fly
". On January 26, 2011, most likely due to low ratings, the station relaunched with a purely 1990s rock format, dropping 1980s material. On April 1, 2011, The Zone began adding alternative songs from the 2000-2007 period to its playlist, and with that change, the station formally changed to a Modern Rock format, similar to KTBZ. This still did not help the station's ratings.
On June 20, 2011, due to low ratings, KHPT has started simulcasting its sister station KGLK. At 5:25 am, after playing "Bring Me to Life
" by Evanescence
, The Zone played Third Eye Blind
's "Jumper (song)
", which was cut midway through with the 107.5 signal and the Dean and Rog show.
Conroe, Texas
Conroe is a suburban city 40 miles north of Houston in the gulf coastal plains/piney woods region of southeast Texas.It is the seat of Montgomery County and falls within the metropolitan area.As of the 2000 U.S...
. It is owned by Cox Radio, Inc. and is part of the Houston cluster that includes KGLK, KKBQ, and KTHT
KTHT
KTHT 97.1 "Country Legends 97.1" is a 100,000 watt FM station licensed to Cleveland, TX, that includes service to Houston and Beaumont TX with its Classic Country format. The station is owned by Cox Radio and is co-owned with KGLK, KHPT, and KKBQ...
. It is headquartered in Suite 2300 at 3 Post Oak Central in the Uptown
Uptown Houston
The Uptown District of Houston is located 6.2 miles west of downtown and is centered along Post Oak Boulevard, Westheimer Road , and the Galleria...
district in Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its transmitter is located in Splendora, Texas
Splendora, Texas
Splendora is a town in Montgomery County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,275 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Splendora is located at ....
, and is shared with KSBJ
KSBJ
KSBJ is a non-commercial Contemporary Christian music radio station based in Humble, Texas, broadcasting on 89.3 MHz FM in the Greater Houston area...
.
Until June 20, 2011, the station was modern rock "106-9 the Zone". The station's only jocks were Katy Dempsey (morning), Heather Converse (midday) and Kevin Vargas (afternoons). The station occasionally features Hailie Richardson of KPRC-TV
KPRC-TV
KPRC-TV is the NBC affiliated television station based in Houston, Texas, and serving the Greater Houston television market. It has studios located in the Sharpstown district on the Southwest portion of the city, and has a transmitter site in unincorporated Fort Bend County near Missouri City...
to do traffic reports.
Callsign History
- KNRO
- KJOJ
- KJZS - 12/1990
- KKHU - 03/06/1992
- KKZR - 09/04/1992
- KKHT - 03/07/1995
- KKHT-FM - 09/07/2000
- KZJZ - 10/04/2000
- KHPT - 10/17/2000
History
The station signed on during an unknown date in the 1970s with the call letters of KNRO. Over time, the call letters have been changed 6 times. It was a religious station for many years, having been owned by Jimmy Swaggart Ministries and was sold in the early 1990s after the fall of Jimmy SwaggartJimmy Swaggart
Jimmy Lee Swaggart is a Pentecostal American pastor, teacher, musician, television host, and televangelist. He has preached to crowds around the world through his weekly telecast...
and used the call letters of KJOJ-FM.
The slogan for KJOJ-FM was "Houston's Joy of Jesus." During the 1980s the on-air personalities included Bert Salas, Keith Cramer, Keith Eckhardt, Minnie Francis, and Lyle Countryman. In early 1980s, the station's morning show "Lamb and Lion" was a Christian comedy radio morning show hosted by Salas.
KJOJ moved from 106.9 to present day 103.3 in 1990, and the station acquired new calls KJZS and new Jazz format, however that format briefly lasted until 1991 when the station changed its calls to KKHU and became "The New You 106.9" as a talk/oldies format right after KFMK 97.9's demise.
A year later KKHU changed both call letters and format this time to KKZR as Z-Rock 106.9 airing SMN-Z Rock network.
It then became KKHT "106.9 The Word" in March 1995. Salem Communications
Salem Communications
Salem Communications is a U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher specializing in evangelical Christian and conservative political talk radio. It owns 99 commercial radio stations, 65 of which are in the top 25 markets. Salem is the fifth largest U.S....
, a company that specializes in Christian radio stations, bought the station the same year (1995). In 2000, Salem sold the station to Cox Radio
Cox Radio
Cox Radio, Inc. is a division of Cox Enterprises that holds a number of radio stations. Cox Radio is headquartered at 6205 Peachtree Dunwoody Road in Sandy Springs, Georgia....
, who, in return, received Atlanta, GA properties from Cox. "The Word" signed off at Midnight on September 15, 2000, and moved to 1070 AM (The Word now resides on 100.7 FM). 106.9 began stunting with a countdown and with monikers saying "MP3 Radio" and "Radio Free Houston", as well as receiving the KZJZ call letters, which led to rumors stating that the station may go to a smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
format. At 5 P.M., on September 20, 2000, "Jazzy 106.9" signed on with Kenny G
Kenny G
Kenneth Bruce Gorelick , better known by his stage name Kenny G, is an American, adult contemporary and smooth jazz saxophonist. His fourth album, Duotones, brought him breakthrough success in 1986...
's "Songbird
Songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds . Another name that is sometimes seen as scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin oscen, "a songbird"...
" being the first song. However, this was a ruse, and the 1980's music station, "106-9 The Point" signed on with Simple Minds
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
' "Don't You (Forget About Me)
Don't You (Forget About Me)
"Don't You " is a song known for its being in the soundtrack to the film The Breakfast Club and performed by the band Simple Minds in 1985. The songwriters were producer Keith Forsey "Don't You (Forget About Me)" is a song known for its being in the soundtrack to the film The Breakfast Club and...
". The call letters changed to KHPT on October 17, 2000.
The station withstood the erosion of 1980s-music stations during 2003, and maintained its format. Over the years, the Point's music library gradually expanded to include some late 1970s songs, as well as early 1990s material, but even added songs as late as 1998 and 1999, but never played any current material, making it an 1980s-oriented adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
station. For a long time, ratings were high for the station. However, ratings for the station started to drop gradually over time, most likely due to the burnout factor of the music, peaking at a 1.8 share in its last book as an 1980s-hits station.
At 6 AM on November 8, 2010, KHPT changed its format to classic alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
(with 1980s and more 1990s material) as "106-9 The Zone". The Point's final song was Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
's "Wanted Dead or Alive
Wanted Dead or Alive (Bon Jovi song)
-Music Video:The video for the song is black and white and features footage from the band's massive 1986-1987 world tour, including shots from Chicago's UIC Pavilion, Rochester, Minnesota's Mayo Civic Center, Denver, Colorado's McNichols Arena, Pittsburgh, PA F. Pitt Tunnel and Pittsburgh Skyline...
", while The Zone's first song was Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
' "Learn to Fly
Learn to Fly
For other results, see Learning to fly."Learn to Fly" is the first single from the Foo Fighters' third album There Is Nothing Left to Lose. It was released on two different singles in the UK in 1999...
". On January 26, 2011, most likely due to low ratings, the station relaunched with a purely 1990s rock format, dropping 1980s material. On April 1, 2011, The Zone began adding alternative songs from the 2000-2007 period to its playlist, and with that change, the station formally changed to a Modern Rock format, similar to KTBZ. This still did not help the station's ratings.
On June 20, 2011, due to low ratings, KHPT has started simulcasting its sister station KGLK. At 5:25 am, after playing "Bring Me to Life
Bring Me to Life
"Bring Me to Life" is a song by American rock band Evanescence. It was written by Amy Lee, Ben Moody and David Hodges and produced by Dave Fortman. It also features guest vocals from Paul McCoy of the band 12 Stones. Wind-up released "Bring Me to Life" in 2003 as the lead single from Evanescence's...
" by Evanescence
Evanescence
Evanescence is an American rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995 by singer/pianist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody. After recording private albums, the band released their first full-length album, Fallen, on Wind-up Records in 2003. Fallen sold more than 17 million copies worldwide...
, The Zone played Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind is an American alternative rock band formed in the early 1990s in San Francisco. The songwriting duo of Kevin Cadogan and Stephan Jenkins signed the band's first major label recording contract with Elektra records in 1996 resulting in two multi platinum albums. The band's lineup...
's "Jumper (song)
Jumper (song)
"Jumper" is a song by the American rock band Third Eye Blind, released on their 1997 self titled album, and written by vocalist Stephan Jenkins. Released as a single, the song peaked at #5.-Meaning:...
", which was cut midway through with the 107.5 signal and the Dean and Rog show.