In November 1996, Grant Communications Group, Inc., applied to the FCC to transfer the license for this station to Timon Auto & Equipment Leasing Corp. The deal was approved by the FCC on December 24, 1996, and the transaction was consummated on February 20, 1997.[6]
In September 1998, Timon Auto & Equipment Leasing Corp. reached an agreement to sell this station to Horizon Broadcasting, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on October 26, 1998, and the transaction was consummated on November 10, 1998.[7] Facing technical and financial difficulties, KBMI went dark on August 1, 2004.
In November 2004, Horizon Broadcasting, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to Border Media Partners LLC, through their wholly owned BMP RGV License Company, LP, subsidiary. The deal was approved by the FCC on March 14, 2005, and the transaction was consummated on March 31, 2005.[8] KBMI was returned to regular broadcast operations at approximately 1:00 p.m. on July 15, 2005.
In January 2008, Border Media Partners LLC, through their BMP RGV License Company, LP, subsidiary, reached an agreement to sell this station to Rio Grande Bible Institute, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on March 12, 2008, and the transaction was consummated on April 9, 2008.[9] In September 2008, the FCC approved the Rio Grande Bible Institute's application to flip KBMI from a commercial station to a non-commercial educational license, operated and programmed remotely under a main studio waiver.
On March 10, 2011, KBMI changed their call letters to KRIO-FM.[4]