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KTJK
Abilene, Texas; United States;
Frequency	106.3 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding	106.3 The Raider
Programming
Format	Variety hits
Subchannels	HD2: Rhythmic top 40 "Infinity FM"
Ownership
Owner	WesTex Communications; (WesTex Telco, LLC);
Sister stations	KABT, KWKC, KZQQ
History
First air date	October 6, 1989
Former call signs	KHXS (1989–1998); KFQX-FM (1998–1999); KKHR (1999–2023);
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	64056
Class	C2
ERP	50,000 watts
HAAT	56 meters (184 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	32°25′14.00″N 99°43′54.00″W / 32.4205556°N 99.7316667°W
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Webcast	The Raider; Infinity FM;
Website	www.theraiderabilene.com; www.infinityfmradio.com;

KTJK (106.3 FM, "The Raider") is a radio station broadcasting a variety hits format in Abilene, Texas, United States. The station is one of four Abilene-area stations owned by WesTex Communications and operates from its studios on Chestnut Street. In addition to its standard format, it broadcasts a rhythmic contemporary format on its HD Radio subchannel.

The 106.3 frequency was established by SURE Broadcasting and went on the air as KHXS "Kicks 106" with a country music format on October 6, 1989. The station then adopted a Tejano music format in 1991, only for the ownership to change formats to easy listening music the next year in order to make more money. In 1992, SURE Broadcasting declared bankruptcy, and it remained in receivership for nearly four years.

Taylor County Broadcasting began leasing KHXS in 1996, after it was sold by the receiver, and programmed a conservative talk format before switching to classic rock. Cumulus Media acquired the Taylor County Broadcasting stations and KHXS in 1997; it switched the programming of KHXS and KFQX-FM 102.7 in 1998, moving contemporary hit outlet Fox FM and the KFQX-FM call sign to 106.3. Nearly immediately, Cumulus traded KFQX-FM to Powell Meredith Communications Corporation, which moved KKHR and its Spanish-language contemporary hit radio format to the 106.3 frequency. Canfin Enterprises acquired KKHR in 2004, retaining the format.

Canfin Enterprises sold its three Abilene radio stations to WesTex Communications in 2022. The long-running Spanish-language format was relaunched and then dropped on August 1, 2023, allowing WesTex to move its "The Raider" variety hits format from 101.7 MHz.

History

SURE Broadcasting ownership and receivership

On February 18, 1988, a construction permit was granted to SURE Broadcasting, owned by Susan Lundborg, for a new 3,000-watt radio station on 106.3 MHz in Abilene. A classic country format under the name "Kicks 106" and the call letters KHXS were selected, and the station rented space on the tower of KACU.^[2] The station began at 1:06 p.m. on October 6, 1989.^[3]

In 1991, KHXS switched to a Spanish-language format of Tejano music.^[4] The station's management and airstaff came from KKHR (98.1 FM), which simultaneously converted to oldies.^[5] This new format lasted less than 18 months; the same core group moved on August 1, 1992, to KEYJ (1560 AM) because the station was not making enough money for its owner.^[6] After nearly two months, businessman Dave Boyll became the new operator, adopting an easy listening format.^[7] Most of the songs the station played were from Boyll's own collection.^[8]

In November 1992, just as KHXS's easy listening format got underway, Sure Broadcasting declared bankruptcy, and its stations were transferred to a receiver. After nearly four years, the receiver found a buyer: Larry Hickerson, whose IQ Radio owned WPIQ in Brunswick, Georgia.^[9] The transaction forced Boyll to move his easy listening programming to daytime hours on KYYD (1340 AM),^[8] a sports radio station that Boyll had begun leasing in January 1995.^[10] Hickerson, for his part, already had a contract in hand to sell KHXS to another Abilene radio station owner.^[11]

Taylor County, Cumulus, and Powell Meredith operation

After the easy listening programming moved out, Taylor County Broadcasting—a related company to the owners of KBCY and KCDD—began leasing the frequency from Hickerson and operated it with a conservative talk format, "The Talk of the Town at 106.3", with nationally syndicated hosts including Don Imus, Rush Limbaugh, and Laura Schlessinger.^[12] This lasted just seven months, and in August, it was replaced with classic rock as "The Bear".^[13] That November, Cumulus Media—which simultaneously purchased KBCY and KCDD—acquired KHXS by exercising a purchase option with Hickerson.^[14]

Cumulus also took over KFQX-FM 102.7 and switched the formats of the two stations in 1998, with 106.3 inheriting the contemporary hits "Fox FM" that had been revived on the 102.7 frequency the year prior.^[15] It then traded with Powell Meredith Communications Company, which owned KKHR at 98.1; a format and call sign swap resulted, bringing the Spanish-language music programming of KKHR to the 106.3 frequency. Powell Meredith not only brought over KKHR's music to the frequency, it also brought a running dispute with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Since 1995, the station had not paid for an ASCAP license, and it played ASCAP-registered songs under a de facto license that expired at the end of 2000. From 2001 to 2003, ASCAP contacted Powell Meredith five times and advised them not to play its songs without a license; the owners of the station rebuffed proposals to settle the dispute. In October 2002 and again in July 2003, ASCAP sent an agent to Abilene to record the station's broadcasts. An ASCAP-employed musician confirmed that the station had aired eight compositions represented by the performing rights society without permission, such as Santana's version of "Oye Como Va" and Juan Gabriel's "Se Me Olvidó Otra Vez" (I Forgot Again). In 2005, a court awarded $8,000 in statutory damages to ASCAP and the rightsholders of the compositions.^[16]

Canfin and WesTex Telco

Canfin Enterprises, a company owned by Parker Cannan, purchased KKHR in late 2004 for $684,000.^[17] In 2022, Canfin Enterprises reached a deal to sell its Abilene radio cluster to WesTex Telco, LLC, owner of KTJK (101.7 FM).^[18] On November 7, 2022, KKHR began stunting, promising "something new" and a "Great Flip" for a new format to debut on November 10; on that date, KKHR relaunched as "My 106.3", continuing to air Spanish-language hit music in a bilingual presentation.^[19]

On August 1, 2023, WesTex Telco began simulcasting KTJK's "The Raider" variety hits format on KKHR, migrating it to the higher-power 106.3 frequency.^[20] It then swapped the two stations' call signs; 101.7 changed again to become KABT after switching to a blend of Americana and red dirt known as The Patriot on August 21, 2023.^[21] The Raider was named after the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider, a heavy bomber under development and to be housed at nearby Dyess Air Force Base.^[22]

References

^ "Facility Technical Data for KTJK". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
^ Bruce, Bob; Lemon, Mary Ann (August 22, 1989). "New country-western radio station opening". The Abilene Reporter-News. p. 5C. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
^ Bruce, Bob; Lemon, Mary Ann (October 3, 1989). "'Kicks-106' goes on air at 1:06 p.m. Oct. 6". The Abilene Reporter-News. p. 6C.
^ Bruce, Bob; Kirk, Scott (March 20, 1991). "KHXS switches from country". p. 8A. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
^ Jaklewicz, Greg (March 22, 1991). "Local ears get a rest, but more ahead". The Abilene Reporter-News. p. 2D. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
^ Jaklewicz, Greg (August 7, 1992). "Garth echo; Tejano travels". The Abilene Reporter-News. p. 8D. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
^ Jaklewicz, Greg (October 2, 1992). "Easy-listening, Top 40 formats debut". The Abilene Reporter-News. p. 3C. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
^ ^a ^b Whitaker, Bill (November 11, 1996). "Radio station official determined to keep 'taking it easy'". Abilene Reporter-News. p. 1B. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
^ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. September 30, 1996. p. 45. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-03-08. Retrieved 2021-10-17.
^ Williamson, Doug (January 20, 1995). "CD 103, SportsRadio 1340 change hands, keep same formats". The Abilene Reporter-News. p. 5B. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
^ Williamson, Doug (November 17, 1996). "Radio dialing for $$$". The Abilene Reporter-News. p. 1E, 2E. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
^ Williamson, Doug (January 22, 1997). "News-talk radio returns to Abilene airwaves". The Abilene Reporter-News. p. 3E. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
^ Jaklewicz, Greg (August 29, 1992). "KHXS: Talk radio gives way to classic rock". The Abilene Reporter-News. p. Weekend 9. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
^ "Cumulus Adds Ann Arbor Quartet, Abilene Trio" (PDF). Radio & Records. November 21, 1997. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-09-28. Retrieved 2021-10-17.
^ Moore, Rob (July 25, 1999). "Radio Days: Abilene makes its mark on the airwaves". The Abilene Reporter-News. pp. 1B, 2B. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
^ Metered Music, Inc. v. Powell Meredith Communications Co., 1:04-CV-015-C, 3 (N.D. Tex. March 2, 2005), Text.
^ "Deals". Broadcasting & Cable. December 5, 2004. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
^ Venta, Lance (June 28, 2022). "WesTex Telco Acquires Abilene Trio". RadioInsight. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
^ Venta, Lance (November 11, 2022). "My 106.3 Debuts in Abilene". RadioInsight.
^ Venta, Lance (2023-08-01). "The Raider Moves In Abilene". RadioInsight. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
^ Venta, Lance (2023-08-21). "The Patriot Brings Americana To Abilene". RadioInsight. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
^ Jaklewicz, Greg (2020-07-01). "What the Abilene Reporter-News liked and disliked: Those stepping up". Abilene Reporter-News. Retrieved 2021-08-10.