The station signed on the air on April 2, 1985; 39 years ago (April 2, 1985).[3] The call sign was KXTO and it broadcast at 98.3 MHz. It initially was powered at 3,000 watts, a fraction of its current output. It was owned by Capi Spanish Broadcasting and aired a bilingual format of Spanish-languageoldies and Top 40 hits.[3] The KXTO call letters were switched to KKHQ on January 29, 1988.[4]
By the early 1990s, Capi was bankrupt. In 1991, the station was listed as having been silent at least six months.[5] The station remained in bankruptcy until Coastal Digital Broadcasting, owned by Harry Sherwood, Jack Buck and Michael Mintz, acquired it for just $72,000 in 1992.[6] Coastal Digital resurrected KKHQ as an album-oriented rock outlet.[7]
KLHB and KMJR
In 1996, the station changed its call letters to KLHB, branding as "Club 98.3." It carried a Tejano music format. That ended in 2009 when it flipped to Spanish language oldies under the "Recuerdo" (Remember) moniker.[8]
Tejas Broadcasting bought KLHB and other stations in 2004 in a multi-city, multi-station group deal for $20 million.[9] The call letters changed to KMJR in 2010. The station took the name "La Mejor" (The Best). At first, it played a Regional Mexican format but eventually changed monikers to "La Caliente" (The Hot One).[10]
Sale to EMF
In 2018, Tejas Broadcasting began selling its broadcast properties. KMJR was sold in December 2018 to the Educational Media Foundation for $432,000, giving EMF its third signal in the market. That resulted in the station flipping to Radio Nueva Vida, an independently-owned Spanish-language Christian radio network, which aired on some EMF-owned signals.[10]
KMJR, however, would serve to play a larger role in a complex modification plan. With EMF in control of KMJR and KXAI (103.7 FM)—which had previously been KMJR's sister station until it was sold in 2013—the foundation saw an opportunity. In partnership with Emmis Communications, owner of KBPA in the Austin market, a series of applications were filed. KMJR would move to 103.7 MHz and broadcast with 75,000 watts, assuming the antenna of KXAI. It would remain on 103.7 but move into the heart of the San Antonio metropolitan area, placing a city-grade signal over San Antonio.[11][12]
To make the move possible, Emmis's KBPA103.5 FM would slightly downgrade its signal. In January 2020, the relocation and other facilities changes were approved by the Federal Communications Commission.[13][11] The call letters were changed to KZLR on October 13, 2020.
On May 25, 2021, KZLR changed its call sign to KXAI. The frequency changes took place in June 2021, with KXAI taking on the 103.7 technical facilities and Air 1 programming. The old KXAI became KZAI and moved closer to San Antonio.
