KAJA (97.3

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that one h ...

"KJ97") is a

commercial Commercial may refer to: * a dose of advertising conveyed through media (such as - for example - radio or television) ** Radio advertisement ** Television advertisement * (adjective for:) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and s ...

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radi ...

licensed A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...

San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

. It airs a

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, o ...

radio format A radio format or programming format (not to be confused with broadcast programming) describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. The radio format emerged mainly in the United States in the 1950s, at a time when radio was compelle ...

and is owned by locally based iHeartMedia, Inc. The

studio A studio is an artist or worker's workroom. This can be for the purpose of acting, architecture, painting, pottery (ceramics), sculpture, origami, woodworking, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, industrial design, ...

s and offices are located in the Stone Oak neighborhood in Far North San Antonio. KAJA has an

effective radiated power Effective radiated power (ERP), synonymous with equivalent radiated power, is an IEEE standardized definition of directional radio frequency (RF) power, such as that emitted by a radio transmitter. It is the total power in watts that would ...

(ERP) of 100,000

watt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James Wa ...

s, the maximum for non-

grandfathered A grandfather clause, also known as grandfather policy, grandfathering, or grandfathered in, is a provision in which an old rule continues to apply to some existing situations while a new rule will apply to all future cases. Those exempt from t ...

FM stations. The

transmitter In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to ...

site is off Galm Road in the Far West Side of San Antonio, near Government Canyon State Natural Area.

History

In 1951, the station

signed on Signing may refer to: * Using sign language * Signature, placing one's name on a document * Signature (disambiguation) * Manual communication, signing as a form of communication using the hands in place of the voice * Digital signature A dig ...

as KITE-FM. It

simulcast Simulcast (a portmanteau of simultaneous broadcast) is the broadcasting of programmes/programs or events across more than one resolution, bitrate or medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at exactly the same time (that is, simult ...

co-owned

AM 930 The following radio stations broadcast on AM frequency 930 kHz: As classified by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 930 AM is a regional broadcast frequency. In A ...

KITE (now

KLUP KLUP (930 AM) – branded ''930AM The Answer'' – is a commercial conservative talk radio station licensed to serve Terrell Hills, Texas. Owned by the Salem Media Group, the station covers the San Antonio metropolitan area. The KLUP studios an ...

). Because KITE was a

daytimer A clear-channel station is an AM radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. The system exists to ensure the viability of cross-co ...

at the time, KITE-FM was able to continue its programming into the night. KITE-AM-FM were owned by Charles W. Balthrope. KITE-FM transmitted with 6,200 watts, a fraction of its current output. A few years later, the station flipped to a

beautiful music Beautiful music (sometimes abbreviated as BM, B/EZ or BM/EZ for "beautiful music/easy listening") is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in North American radio from the late 1950s through the 1980s. Easy listening, elevator m ...

format. The

call sign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assig ...

switched to KEEZ in 1958, to reflect

easy listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, ...

music. In 1960, KEEZ and KITE were bought by the Townsend U.S. International Growth Fund. The power increased to 17,500 watts, covering San Antonio and its suburbs in that era. KEEZ was sold to San Antonio Broadcasting Company in 1975. SABC was owned by

Lowry Mays Lester Lowry Mays (July 24, 1935 – September 12, 2022) was an American businessman. He was the founder and chairman of Clear Channel Communications. Early years Mays was born in Houston on July 24, 1935. His father, Lester T. Mays, was a ...

, BJ Red McCombs, and Paul Schaffer (no relation to Paul Schaffer of The Late Show fame). A year later the same owners bought AM 1200 WOAI, and owing to WOAI operating as a 50,000-

clear-channel station A clear-channel station is an AM radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. The system exists to ensure the viability of cross-co ...

, named their company Clear Channel Communications. In the late seventies SBC and Clear Channel were merged into a new Clear Channel, which went on to own more than 1,000 radio stations. KEEZ became WOAI-FM from 1978-1981. The station adopted the KAJA call letters and current country format in 1981. In 1987, KAJA got a rival FM station, when 100.3 KCYY began its own country music format. KAJA and KCYY, owned by Cox Media, have competed for San Antonio country listeners for more than three decades. On October 18, 2010, KAJA won the 2010

Country Music Association The Country Music Association (CMA) was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre. The objectives of the organization are to guide and enha ...

(CMA) Large Market Radio Station of the Year award. This was the station's first CMA award win. The staff accepted the award at the show in November.2010 CMA awards
/ref> In October 2012, Randy Carroll and Jamie Martin won the 2012 CMA Large Market Personality of the Year award. It was their first CMA win. They accepted their awards at the show on November 1.

References

External links

KJ-97's website
{{Authority control Country radio stations in the United States

AJA Aja or AJA may refer to: Acronyms *AJ Auxerre, a French football club *Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport's IATA airport code *Al Jazeera America, an American news channel *American Jewish Archives *''American Journal of Archaeology'' *, a Germa ...

Radio stations established in 1951 IHeartMedia radio stations 1951 establishments in Texas