KILT-FM (100.3 FM) is a Houston, Texas-based radio station with a country music format. It is owned by CBS Radio. Its transmitter is located in Missouri City, Texas. The station's callsign is a tribute to the station's former owner, Gordon McClendon, who was known as the "Old Scotchman". It is a sister station to KILT-AM, which is located at 610 kHz, also in Houston. KILT has been nominated for Country Music Association Best Large-Market Radio Station.

[edit] History

In the 1970s, KILT-FM had an album rock format (while "The Big 610" KILT-AM continued with its long-running top 40 format). Both KILT AM and FM changed to country in 1981.^[1] Despite the switch of formats, the station maintained its morning radio show, known as Hudson and Harrigan. From its debut in 1967 through 1995, the morning show had eleven different sets of television personalities. Ken Hoffmann of the Houston Chronicle describes Hudson and Harrigan as "the longest-running, most successful morning team anywhere in America".^[1]

After switching to the country music format, KILT competed directly against KIKK, the only other country music station in the Houston Area. According to the Houston Chronicle, "after initial success, KILT struggled through an aborted change of call letters and the lack of a strong identity with listeners".^[2] In the spring of 1989, KILT finally pulled ahead of KIKK in the Arbitron ratings. They maintained their lead position for the next two seasons, and at the end of the year Radio and Records rated KILT as the second most-listened-to country radio station in the United States, with an estimated 542,600 listeners tuned in for at least 15 minutes each week. KIKK was fourth on the nationwide list, with an estimated 508,700 listeners.^[2] KILT serves as a flagship radio station of the Houston Texans.

[edit] Ownership changes

KILT had been owned by LIN Broadcasting Corporation since 1968.^[3] In an effort to divest itself of all of its radio stations, in late 1986, LIN Broadcasting Corporation sold KILT-FM and KILT-AM to Legacy Broadcasting Inc. for $36.75 million.^[4] Less than three years later, KILT was sold, along with seven other radio stations, by Metropolitan-Legacy to Westinghouse Broadcasting. At the time, the $360 million deal was considered the largest ever in radio. To meet federal regulations on radio ownership, Westinghouse sold their Houston station KODA-FM.^[5]

In 1993, Westinghouse purchased KILT's rival, KIKK. At the time, KILT was first in the Arbitron ratings, with KIKK second in the Houston market. A single general manager was assigned to run both stations. According to Dan Mason, president of Westinghouse Radio Broadcasting, "'As they have been fierce competitors in the past, our two Houston radio properties will now join hands to create one of Houston's most unique country music powerhouses, each with its own programming and sales team.'"^[6] On November 4, 2002, KIKK stopped playing country music and switched to a Smooth Jazz format. This left KILT as again one of only two Houston country stations (competing against KKBQ). Some of the KIKK promotions, including the 10 Man Jam concerts, were moved to KILT.^[7]

KILT was the last Houston radio station to maintain a full-service news department. The department was disbanded in 2004 when KILT decided to drop its afternoon newscasts in the hopes of improving its ratings in the Houston market.^[8]

[edit] Award nominations

In 1996, KILT was nominated by the Country Music Association for the award for Major Market Radio Station of the Year. They were beaten out by local rival KKBQ.^[9] A similar scenario occurred the following year, when KILT was nominated for Best Station of the Year at the Billboard/Airplay Monitor Radio Awards, but again lost to KKBQ.^[10] In 1999, the morning show Hudson and Harrigan was nominated for Country Music Association Major Market Broadcast Personality of the Year.^[11]

[edit] Station rivalry

In recent years, KILT's biggest rival, KKBQ, has shown Arbitron ratings strength comparable with KILT, and the two have often exchanged between first and second place among country stations in some demographics.

Besides involving themselves in a ratings war with KILT, KKBQ has also poked fun at the station for its supposed airing of "the most commercials" in Houston compared with KKBQ, which claims to air the most music of any radio station in Houston. In return, some KILT listeners, and even musicians whose songs are given airplay on KILT, have lauded KILT for not "badmouthing" other stations. However, from June of 2009 KILT has promoted on their website that KILT plays "the most music...PERIOD," comparing the number of songs played over a week with those of KKBQ, under the slogan "where T stands for Truth." ^[12]

[edit] Airstaff

The current lineup (as of August 2009) is as follows: Starting out the day from 5 am–9 am in the morning drive is The Hudson & Harrigan Show with Mac Hudson, Irv Harrigan, Erin Austin, C.J Cooke, David Ranken (News) and Tiffany Terell (Traffic). Next during the mid-morning hours from 9 am–11 am it's Erin Austin. During the mid-day from 11 am–2 pm it's Mikki Lane. Holding down the afternoon drive from 2 pm–7 pm is Rowdy Yates. Wrapping up the regular weekday lineup are Ed Chandle from 7 pm–12 am and Chad Stevens from 12 am–5 am. Weekends/Fill-ins include Dylan Ryder and Leslie T. Travis.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• 100.3 KILT official website
• Query the FCC's FM station database for KILT
• Radio Locator information on KILT
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for KILT