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| City of license | Houston, Texas |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Greater Houston |
| Branding | Mix 96-5 |
| Slogan | "A Mix of Music You Can't Get Anywhere Else" |
| Frequency |
96.5 HD-2 (The Wave) (Smooth Jazz) |
| First air date | February 1, 1948 (as KXYZ-FM) |
| Format | Hot Adult Contemporary |
| ERP | 97,000 watts |
| HAAT | 585 meters |
| Class | C |
| Facility ID | 47749 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 29°34′34″N 95°30′36″W / 29.57611°N 95.51000°W |
| Callsign meaning | K Houston's MiX 96-5 (slogan) |
| Former callsigns | KXYZ-FM (1948–1953; 1961–1970/71) KAUM (1970/71-1980) KSRR (1980–1986) KKHT (1986–1989) KNRJ (1989–1990) |
| Owner | CBS Radio (CBS Radio Stations Inc.) |
| Sister stations | KIKK, KILT, KILT-FM, KKHH, KLOL |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | mix965houston.com |
KHMX (96.5 FM, "Mix 96-5"), is an Adult Top 40 (Hot AC) music formatted radio station in Houston, Texas, United States. Its transmitter is located in nearby Missouri City, Texas. The station was acquired by CBS Radio from Clear Channel Communications on April 1, 2009.
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Station history [edit]
KXYZ-FM first signed on February 1, 1948. It would stay on the air for 5 1/2 years before being silent for about eight years.[1] As typical of FM radio stations in the mid-20th century, the FM station usually was a Hi-Fi simulcast of its AM parent. During the 1960s, it simulcasted its AM parent KXYZ which played beautiful music. In the late 1960s, the format changed to Love Radio formulated by then-owner ABC Radio, with the calls changing to KAUM around 1970.[2]
From 1980 through late 1986, the station operated as KSRR, "97 Rock FM", featuring morning radio host Moby & Matthew with Hannah Storm as the sports announcer. The station competed against the album rock format of 101.1 KLOL (and for a short period, KILT 100.3 FM, and KZFX, Z-107.5 FM,)
On October 15, 1986, the station changed call letters to KKHT, and the hard rock-oriented format was replaced by a contemporary hit radio format known as Hit 96.5. By mid-1987, heavy competition from top 40 powerhouses KKBQ and KRBE prompted the station to morph to adult contemporary. The station rebranded as 96.5 KKHT.
In 1989, the station changed call letters to KNRJ and modified its format to feature a heavier variety of "high-energy" dance music. This format, branded as Energy 96.5, was a competitive response to two other local stations, 93Q KKBQ and Power 104 KRBE, whose Top 40 formats reflected the increasing presence of dance club-oriented tracks (catering to a then-lucrative target audience drawn to the flourishing night club scenes along Richmond Ave. and inner Westheimer Road.). These competitors featured late-night, weekend live-to-air from local dance clubs (e.g., Club 6400, The Ocean Club), where in-house DJs drew heavily from libraries of imported and small-label, extended-length modern tracks (which otherwise were seldom, if ever, heard on most commercial stations); by early 1990, KNRJ had partnered with the Tower Theater's Decadance to host its own weekend, late-night live broadcast.
On June 25, 1990, at 7:15 AM, during a morning talk show segment, the station's personalities announced that Energy 96.5 would switch to an alternative rock format. The Alternative 96.5 re-brand was a transitional format, lasting roughly six weeks, and was promoted while a forthcoming format—under a strategic decision by the station's owner, Nationwide Communications, Inc.—was under preparation. A weekly playlist, under an Alternative 96.5 makeshift letterhead, was distributed to local retail and media outlets, culminating on July 17, 1990.
Transition to KHMX-FM [edit]
At 7 AM on July 18, 1990, KNRJ stopped playing music and began a 48-hour ticking clock countdown sequence; a heavily processed, pre-recorded masculine studio voice announced the time remaining at 15-minute intervals. For the final 12 hours of this transitional sequence, a series of disjointed song samples (largely unrelated to KNRJ's format) were interspersed—notably the repeated playback (forward and backward) for the opening eight seconds of the Dazz Band's "Let It Whip".
At 7 AM on July 20, the countdown concluded, and a "roll call" by a fictitious "teacher" called out the names of program directors from other Houston radio stations. This "teacher" asked the class to start their tape recorders and take notes as this "lecture" was to begin, which led to the debut of "Mix 96.5" and new call letters KHMX-FM. Mix 96.5's first two songs were Steve Winwood's "Roll With It" and Taylor Dayne's "I'll Be Your Shelter". Both tracks confirmed the sharp departure from preceding station formats.
The "Mix" format [edit]
For Nationwide Communications, GM Clancy Woods & National PD Guy Zapoleon launched a new Hot AC format (branded as the "Mix" format) and was the first Pop/Rock Hot AC and a forerunner of most Hot ACs today. The Mix brand tagline, "More Music, More Variety, A Better Mix", was commercially successful, and the formula for the Mix format was replicated through the 1990s and early 2000s in several other radio markets across North America and in cities as far away as Sydney, Australia by KHMX consultant Alan Burns. Around the same time, research guru John Parikhal, who also worked with KHMX, was helping PD Greg Strassell of Steve Dodge's American Radio Systems in Boston launch another Mix station known as "Mix 98.5" WBMX-FM. This station was more of a Rhythmic AC and an early example of today's MOViN format. The first true Mix station, which was more of a Pop Adult Top 40, was launched a few months earlier in the Summer of 1989 at WOMX/Orlando by Nationwide Communications GM Rick Weinkoff and PD Brian Thomas, with help from Guy Zapoleon.
KHMX was broadcast nationwide on XM Satellite Radio from 2001 to the end of 2003, as a radio superstation similar to television satellite superstations such as Superstation WGN. In 2004, all XM music channels went commercial free, and KHMX was replaced with a unique-to-XM Mix channel, retaining the same format. Since then, Clear Channel has regained the right to air commercials on their XM music channels.
Since the sale of the station to CBS Radio in 2009, KHMX has tweaked its sound to include more Top 40/CHR currents, thus resulting in its sister station, Top 40/CHR KKHH, to shift towards a Rhythmic Top 40 direction and at the same time not cannibalize each other by playing the same music.
HD radio [edit]
KHMX signed on HD Radio operations in 2006. 96.5 HD2 first carried a dance format, known as "Energy 96.5", which was both a format and moniker KHMX used prior to becoming "Mix" in 1990. After the sale of the station to CBS in April 2009, 96.5 HD2 and KKHH (95.7) HD2 swapped formats, with KHMX-HD2 becoming smooth jazz "The Wave", while KKHH-HD2 would take on the dance format and "Energy 95.7" moniker.
Current competitors [edit]
- Top 40 (CHR) - KRBE 104.1 KRBE
- Modern Rock - KTBZ 94-5 The Buzz
- Triple A - KHJK 103-7FM
- AC - KODA Sunny 99.1
- Urban - KBXX 97.9 The Box
On-air staff [edit]
- Mornings (5am-9am)
- Blake Hayes
- Middays (9am-2pm)
- Afternoons (2pm-7pm)
- Chad Pitt
- Nights (7pm-12am)
- Cody Robbins (formerly of KKRW)
- Weekends
- Julie Takahashi
Former on-air staff [edit]
- Lori Bradley (1996–1999; 2001–2003), formerly of KRBE
- Matt Cain (1995-1998), now a Registered Nurse in Houston, TX
- Rosie Chance (aka "Rosie Daloop"), formerly of KKBQ then KRBE
- Kelly Ryan http://www.937thearrow.com/pages/kellyryan.html (2000–2004), then KHPT; currently on KODA, KKRW, KTBZ-FM, KTRH, and KPRC (AM)Mid-days on KKRW
- Ryan Chase (1/2003–9/2005), currently on KRBE
- Roula Christie (1/2003–9/2005), currently on KRBE
- Paul Christy (1990–2002), formerly of KRBE then KGLK
- Louis Cruise (2001–2006), then KMXP and KRBE
- Brad Booker (2010-2011) (formerly of KKHH; WEZB)
- Dominique Sachse (1990–1992), currently on KPRC-TV
- Kat Cortez (2005–2007), formerly of KQQK then KIKK, currently on KODA
- Dave E Crockett (2005–2008)formerly of KKBQ then KIKK
- Larry Davis, formerly of KRBE KTJM then KHPT
- Michele Fisher (2006–2010), formerly of KRBE
- Ann Duran, currently on WLHK
- Geno Pearson (1989-1991) KTBZ
- Kurt Kelly
- John Boy Bryant
- Susan Lennon (1990–1994), formerly of KPRC-TV; KUSI-TV, currently on KSWB-TV
- Bobby Mitchell (1986–1989)
- Larry Moon (1992–2002), currently on KSTP-FM
- Dave Morales (formerly of KKPN, KKHH, KPTY) (2010-2011)
- Rick O'Bryan (1/2003–4/2006), formerly of KHPT; currently on KDMX
- Hunter Greene (6/2004–6/2008), currently Promotions Director for KKHH
- Prebble Quinn (1990–1994 and 1996–2002) (aka Prebble McLaughlin)
- Jake Redman (2004–2006), currently with Sirius Satellite Radio
- producer Eric Rowe (1/2003–9/2005), currently on KRBE
- Cindy Spicer (2001–2002), currently on KSSX
- Dave Summers, formerly of KKPN, then KRBE
- Shelby Sweeney (1994–2000)
- Bridget Taylor (4/2001–9/2002), currently on KAMX
- Melanie Taylor (1998–2001)
- Maria Todd (formerly of KRBE) (2010-2011)
- Sheryl Vaughan (1992–1995, 2000–2001)
- Emma Villanueva (1989–2003)
- Rick Stacy (2009)
- Matt Kuhl (2009-2010)
Frequency call letters and branding [edit]
- KXYZ - 2/1/1948–1970
- KAUM - 1971 (Love 96½)
- KSRR - 1980 (Star 97, 97 Rock "Kick S Rock n Roll!)
- KKHT - 10/15/1986 (Hit 96.5, 96.5 KKHT)
- KNRJ - 8/4/1989 (Energy 96, Energy 96.5, Alternative 96.5)
- KHMX - 7/20/1990 (Mix 96.5)
- KHMX - 1/1/2003 (The New Mix 96.5)
- KHMX - 1/1/2005 (Mix 96.5)
- KHMX - 4/15/2009 (Mix 96-5)
Slogan history [edit]
- 1990 - "More Music, More Variety, A Better Mix"
- 1993 - "The Best Mix of the 70s, 80s, and 90s"
- 1998 - "Greatest Hits of the 80s, 90s, and 70s", "Houston's New At-Work Choice"
- 2000 - "The Best Mix of the 80s, 90s, and Today"
- 2000 - "Today's Best Music"
- 2001 - "Houston's Hit Music Variety", "Houston's Upbeat Listen While You Work Station"
- 2001 - "The Best Mix of the 80s, 90s, and Today"
- 2002 - "More Music, More Variety, A Better Mix"
- 2005 - "Sam Malone in the Morning and Houston's Best Mix All Day"
- 2006 - "Houston's Best Mix"
- 2009 - "Today's Best Mix"
- 2011 - "Houston's Best Mix and Kidd Kraddick in the Morning"
- 2012 - "A Mix of Music You Can't Get Anywhere Else"
References [edit]
External links [edit]
- Query the FCC's FM station database for KHMX
- Radio-Locator information on KHMX
- Query Arbitron's FM station database for KHMX
- Debut TV commercial for MIX 96.5
- Listen to the launch of KHMX!
- 1989 TV commercial for debut of Energy 96.5!
- KNRJ Legal ID/1990
- KHMX Legal ID/2002
- KHMX Legal ID/2006
- KHMX Legal ID/2006
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