| KHFI-FM | |
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| City of license | Georgetown, Texas |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Austin-Round Rock |
| Branding | 96-7 KISS-FM |
| Slogan | "All The Hits" |
| Frequency | 96.7 MHz (also on HD Radio) |
| First air date | March 18, 1980 at 98.3 MHz |
| Format | Top 40 (CHR) |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| Class | C1 |
| Callsign meaning | K Hi-Fi |
| Owner | Clear Channel (CCB Texas Licenses, LP) |
| Sister stations | KASE, KFMK, KHFI, KPEZ, KVET, KVET-FM |
| Webcast | Listen Live! |
| Website | www.967kissfm.com/ |
KHFI-FM (known as "96-7 KISS-FM") is an Austin, Texas radio station playing Top 40 (CHR) and licensed to Georgetown, Texas, with an ERP of 100,000 Watts from a transmitter site near West Lake Hills, Texas.
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KHFI's current 96.7 transmitter originally began operation as 96.7 KGTN Georgetown in the early '80s. KGTN was originally a low power "rim-shot" station north of Austin licensed to Georgetown, hence the "GTN" in the call letters. The FCC approved a power upgrade and a new transmitter site was constructed near Sandy Creek at Lake Travis and the frequency was changed to 96.5 becoming "96.5, The Fox" (KQFX Georgetown). Later the station changed to an oldies format, moved frequencies to 96.7 MHz at 100,000 watts and moved its tower to its current location near West Lake Hills, Texas.
In September 1990, the struggling Oldies 96.7 signed off the air to make room for the new (K-96.7 KHFI) KHFI-FM Georgetown call letters and its Top 40 format, which was moved from 98.1 MHz then known as the popular "K-98.1." K-98.1 became dislocated when the owners of KVET/KASE took the frequency for KVET-FM, which began simulcasting of KVET. The Austin 98.1 frequency is now occupied by Clear Channel Austin sister station, KVET-FM Austin ("98.1 KVET, The Genuine Austin Original"), playing Classic Texas and Nashville Country, news, University of Texas sports, and Paul Harvey.
K-98 KHFI was originally on 98.3 MHz at a much lower power. 98.3 KHFI was in fact the very first FM station licensed to Austin in 1956 and was a classical-music station taking advantage of the new hi-fi technology called FM radio hence the KHFI callsign. A decade later KHFI-FM began its long and well known existence as a Top 40 station. Shortly after, some of the people who had managed the station's classical format got together and founded non-commercial KMFA 89.5 FM which is still on the air today.
In 1978, KHFI changed format to Disco 98. This was in the wake of Saturday Night Fever and actually improved ratings over the album rock format that it replaced. Dick Oppenheimer purchased KHFI from Lin Broadcasting in 1980 and the station returned to top 40 as K98 with Dave Jarrott in the mornings. Radio Legend Chuck Dunaway was PD and did afternoon drive. K98 achieved tremendous ratings, including #1 in Austin for many ratings periods and #6 nationwide 12+. The morning show with Dave Jarrott, Darlene Lewis and Keith Jacobs scored an unbelievable 54 share in 1982. The ratings domination continued for many years in the 1980s.
In 1992 KHFI dropped the K-96.7 moniker and just identified as 96.7 KHFI. By this time, KHFI-FM is one of the first large market stations purchased by Clear Channel Communications outside of San Antonio, Texas, then only a small company.
Of note, local Austin Television station KXAN TV-36 started operation as KHFI-TV in 1965 then on channel 42. KHFI-TV was co-owned with 98.3 KHFI-FM and KHFI 970 AM. The AM license was later sold and is now 970 KIXL Del Valle, Texas.
In August 2001 KHFI re-launched as "The New 96-7 KISS-FM." Today, 96-7 KISS-FM (KHFI-FM) is a popular Austin Top 40 station that goes head to head with market competitor KFMK and leads in its target 18–34 female demographic with its successful Bobby Bones Morning Show with polarizing co-host and stunt man “Lunchbox” whose claim to fame is a short appearance on The Jerry Springer Show while in high school and for making national news after being arrested by Austin Police for entering a local convenience store wearing a ski mask as part of an on-air stunt. The entire morning show was subsequently removed from the air for two weeks while station management sorted out legal issues with local authorities.
The current morning show has been named "Austin Radio Personality Of The Year" for 4 years running.[1][2][3][4] The award is given yearly at the Austin Music Awards. In 2008 the Bobby Bones Show received its first award for "Austin Radio Program of the Year."[4]
In May 2005, KHFI-FM became the third commercial Austin radio station to begin broadcasting using HD Radio technology. Now all five Clear Channel Austin FM stations offer this service. KHFI also was named "Austin Radio Station of the Year" in March 2008.[4]
Current:
Former:
The Clear Channel Radio Austin studios are in an industrial, yet trendy business complex in "SoCo" south central Austin within walking distance of St. Edward's University.
KHFI shares a building with sister stations KASE-FM, KFMK-FM, KPEZ-FM, KVET, and KVET-FM.
In 2002, the KHFI-FM studio and offices were moved to Penn Field along with the other five Clear Channel Austin stations from two separate locations. KHFI-FM then shared a ninth-floor facility with KPEZ-FM in a downtown Austin office building off of Barton Springs Road.
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