KRST (92.3 FM) is a commercial radio station in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is owned by Cumulus Media and airs a country music radio format. The radio studios and offices are located in Downtown Albuquerque.
 | |
| Broadcast area | Albuquerque metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 92.3 MHz |
| Branding | 92.3 KRST |
| Programming | |
| Format | Country |
| Affiliations | Westwood One |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KDRF, KKOB, KKOB-FM, KMGA, KNML, KOBQ, KTBL | |
| History | |
First air date | September 16, 1965 |
Call sign meaning | Sandia Crest, its transmitter site |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 12584 |
| Class | C |
| ERP | 22,000 watts |
| HAAT | 1,268 meters (4,160 ft) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 923krst.com |
KRST has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 22,000 watts. The transmitter tower is atop Sandia Crest east of the city.[2] The call sign KRST represents the word "Crest", substituting a K for the C and omitting the E.
History
editProgressive rock
editOn September 16, 1965, KRST first signed on the air.[3] It was owned by Burroughs Broadcasting, along with KRZY (1450 AM), then a country music station. KRST had separate programming from its AM counterpart, playing a free form progressive rock format beginning in the summer of 1970.
Over time, KRST moved from its freeform format to a more structured album rock format, playing the most popular tracks from top-selling rock albums.
Country
editWith the release of 1980 hit movie Urban Cowboy, many FM stations around the U.S. were considering switching to country music, which was gaining acceptance outside rural communities. Since co-owned AM station KRZY had been playing a more traditional country format, management decided to put a modern country format on KRST. In the early 1980s, the station made the switch.[4] Albuquerque radio listeners made KRST one of the market's highest rated FM stations.
In 1996, Citadel Broadcasting acquired KRST and KRZY.[5] (KRZY has since been spun off to Entravision Broadcasting.) Citadel was later merged into current owner Cumulus Media.
Nash FM
editOn May 30, 2014, Cumulus Media expanded the "Nash FM" brand to Albuquerque, as KRST rebranded as "Nash FM 92.3". The conversion of KRST to Nash was part of Cumulus' plans to have their Country outlets adopt a national based brand using a combination of syndicated and local content, similar to Clear Channel Communications' Top 40/CHR "Kiss-FM" model. The conversion also resulted in several KRST air staffers (except for Juan Velasco) being let go, including "The Get Up Gang" morning show.[6]
After five years, Cumulus rebranded the station back to "92.3 KRST" in June 2019.
References
edit- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KRST". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/KRST
- ^ Information from Broadcasting Yearbook 1967 page B-104
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1984 page B-167
- ^ Information from Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010 page D-366
- ^ "Nash Takes Left Turn Into Albuquerque" from Radio Insight (May 30, 2014)
External links
edit- KRST official website
- Facility details for Facility ID 12584 (KRST) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- KRST in Nielsen Audio's FM station database