KWBT (94.5

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...

, "La Grande 94.5FM") is a

radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting 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 rad ...

Waco, Texas Waco ( ) is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is situated along the Brazos River and Interstate 35, I-35, halfway between Dallas and Austin, Texas, Austin. The city had a U.S. census estimated 2024 popul ...

, United States, broadcasting an

Regional Mexican Regional Mexican music refers collectively to the regional subgenres of the country music of Mexico and its derivatives from the Southwestern United States. Each subgenre is representative of a certain region and its popularity also varies by ...

format. It is owned by Jerry and Loy Lenamon, through licensee Kennelwood Radio, LLC, and operated by Soccoro Torres' Torres Media Group through an LMA until the sale ends. KWBT's studios are located in Waco, and its

transmitter In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter (often abbreviated as XMTR or TX in technical documents) is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna (radio), antenna with the purpose of sig ...

is located off Beverley Drive near the Waco VA Hospital. The station began broadcasting in August 1996 as jazz-formatted KBCT and spent stints as a country music and news/talk outlet. KWBT, an

urban contemporary Urban contemporary music, also known as urban music, urban pop, or just simply urban, is a music radio format. The term was coined by New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker in the early to mid-1970s as a synonym for Black music. Urban contemporary r ...

station which had broadcast at 104.9 MHz, moved to this frequency at the start of 2014. It flipped to

urban adult contemporary Urban adult contemporary, often abbreviated as urban AC or UAC, (also known as adult R&B,) is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have hip hop music on ...

in 2023. Later on February 1st, 2025, following the sale to Torres Media Group, it has flipped to Regional Mexican as "La Grande 94.5FM" under an LMA.

History

The station was assigned 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 as ...

KANF on August 11, 1995. On September 8, 1995, the station changed its call sign to KBCT. KBCT signed on August 1, 1996, as

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

station "The Spot". It was owned by Jerry and Loy Lenamon, who persevered through a ten-year hearing and permitting process at the

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, wi-fi, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains j ...

(FCC) to build the station. On March 3, 2003, The Spot was replaced with a

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

format known as "Lone Star 94", putting it in competition with the market's leading country station,

WACO-FM WACO-FM (99.9 Hertz, MHz, "WACO 100") is a commercial radio, commercial radio station in Waco, Texas. It airs a country music radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios and offices are located on West Highway 6 in Southwest Waco. ...

. Unable to make headway against WACO-FM in the ratings, KBCT flipped to conservative talk on January 8, 2007. It was the second station in the format locally but the only one on FM. On December 31, 2013, the KWBT call letters and

format on 104.9 in

Bellmead, Texas Bellmead is a city in McLennan County, Texas, McLennan County, Texas, United States. The population was 10,494 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Waco, Texas, Waco Waco metropolitan area, Metropolitan Statistical Area. Geography According t ...

, moved to 94.5, replacing KBCT's talk programming. The deal saw KWBT's program director, Edwards Media, take over the airtime of the 94.5 frequency under a

local marketing agreement In North American broadcasting, a local marketing agreement (LMA), or local management agreement, is a contract in which one corporation, company agrees to operate a radio station, radio or television station owned by another party. In essence, it ...

. The 104.9 facility became

KBHT KRMX (104.9 FM broadcasting, FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Texas country format. Licensed to Bellmead, Texas, Bellmead, Texas, United States, the station serves the Waco area. The station is currently owned by M&M Broadcasters. Its stu ...

, which in turn launched its own competing

rhythmic contemporary Rhythmic contemporary, also known as Rhythmic Top 20, Rhythmic Top 30, Rhythmic Top 40, Rhythmic CHR or rhythmic crossover, is a primarily American music-radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip-hop and upbeat R&B hit ...

format. The station had planned to launch their HD2 feed on translator station K231CG (94.1 FM) in early October 2018; the subchannel and translator were to carry CBS Sports Radio. however, the launch was delayed to the end of October due to "engineering and recent weather issues". On December 21, 2018, the

rescinded K231CG's broadcast license, as it had never properly been constructed before the expiration of its construction permit in 2016. As of October 2023, KWBT flipped to urban AC as "Magic 94.5". The previous urban/hip-hop format that aired on KWBT is now on translator K297CC on 107.3, simulcasting KBHT HD4 as "The Beat 107.3". As of January 23, 2025, KWBT has been sold to Torres Media Group for $400,000 and will flip to a Spanish format as "La Grande 94.5" as of February 1, 2025 under an LMA (Local Management Agreement) until the sale is finalized. On February 1, 2025, the station flipped to

as "La Grande 94.5FM". The format change gives Prophesy Media Group's KWOW a competitor to aim at hispanic listeners in the Waco Metropolitan Area.

References

Magic Sale To Be La Grande In Waco
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External links

* WBT (FM) Urban adult contemporary radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1996 1996 establishments in Texas {{Texas-radio-station-stub