KEXB (AM)

KEXB
Broadcast areaDallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
Frequency1440 kHz
BrandingRelevant Radio
Programming
FormatCatholic talk and teaching
AffiliationsRelevant Radio
Ownership
OwnerRelevant Radio, Inc.
KTEK (Houston area)
KIXL (Austin area)
KRDY (San Antonio area)
History
First air date
1938 (as KDNT Denton)
Former call signs
KDNT (1938–1994)
KICI (1994–1996)
KINF (1996–1997)
KTNO (1997–2019)
Call sign meaning
K EXperts in Business (former call sign and format of AM 620)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID34562
ClassB
Power50,000 watts day
350 watts night
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websiterelevantradio.com

KEXB (1440 AM) is a radio station, licensed to University Park, Texas, and serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. It is owned and operated by Relevant Radio, Inc., and carries a Catholic talk and teaching radio format. Most of the programming comes from the Wisconsin-based radio network known as "Relevant Radio."

By day, KEXB transmits 50,000 watts, the maximum for AM radio stations licensed by the Federal Communications Commission, but at night, to protect other stations on 1440 AM, it reduces power to 350 watts. It uses a directional antenna at all times, employing a four to five-tower array. The transmitter is off Bruton Road in Dallas.[2]

History

The station signed on from Denton in 1938 as KDNT, and would later become a Top 40 station throughout portions of the 1960s and 1970s before becoming a MOR station. It mainly served the Denton area until Marcos A. Rodriguez purchased it in 1991 and converted it to a Spanish-language Regional Mexican radio station. The transmitter was moved into the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and the city of license was switched to University Park, Texas.

"Radio Luz" ident used until 2019.

It was announced on October 21, 2011, that Mortenson Broadcasting would be selling three of its AM stations (including then KTNO) and its FM translator K273BJ to Salem Communications for a reported $2.2 million in cash.[3]

In August 2019, Salem announced that the company had secured a deal with Immaculate Heart Media, Inc. to sell nine stations (including 1440) and four translators.[4][5] Prior to the closing of the sale, Salem moved the "Radio Luz" format to 620 AM on October 21, 2019. The call sign for this facility was swapped from KTNO to KEXB, and vice versa for the 620 facility. During the transition, 1440 ran a continuous redirect message, advising listeners of the Spanish language Christian programming to move their radio dials to 620 AM.[6] The sale was consummated on November 14, 2019.

Once the Spanish Religious format relocated to AM 620, 1440 KEXB became an owned-and-operated network affiliate of Relevant Radio.

References

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KEXB". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ Radio-Locator.com/KEXB
  3. ^ Salem grows in Dallas as Mortenson spins again Archived 2011-10-27 at the Wayback Machine (released October 21, 2011)
  4. ^ Jacobson, Adam. "Update: Salem Reveals Stations In Latest Sale As Stock Slides", Radio & Television Business Report. August 16, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  5. ^ Venta, Lance. "More On Immaculate Heart Media’s Purchase Of Nine Stations From Salem", Radio Insight. August 16, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  6. ^ Radio Luz Moves in Dallas - Radio Insight (published October 21, 2019)

32°45′02″N 96°43′22″W / 32.75056°N 96.72278°W / 32.75056; -96.72278