Expect change on airwaves
Dinges
5 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Bob Branson will handle local news middays, with Nathan Bernier delivering KUTFM updates during “All Things Considered,” from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
You can find the complete lineups for both stations on my blog, austin360.com/tvblog.
UT’s purchase of KXBTFM left most Austinites without an oldies station. But, if you’ve got an HD radio, Majic 95.5 has a subchannel you should check out. Head to 95.5 KKMJ-FM HD2.
KOKE is it: Former 98.1 KVET-FM morning host Bob Cole was among the veteran broadcasters who helped launch locally owned 98.5/99.3 KOKEFM, which airs primarily Austin- and Texas-centric country music.
Cole hosts mornings, of course. The rest of the schedule features several other familiar Austin radio personalities, including weather updates from meteorologist Troy Kimmel throughout the day. Eric Raines has the 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. shift weekdays.
Weekends, Tom Allen’s popular “Country Gold” show, once a KVET-FM mainstay, runs from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturdays. Another former KVET-FM staple, the gospel brunch, can be heard from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sundays.
Station sales: KXBTFM wasn’t the only Austin frequency financially troubled Border Media sold in 2012. The company liquidated all of its stations here, including 92.5 KXXS-FM, 104.9 KTXX-FM, 1260 KWNXAM and 1530 KZNX-AM.
Ratings race: 96.7 KHFI-FM, known on air as KISS FM, was the station to beat all year long, according to ratings from Arbitron. The popfriendly home of Justin Bieber, Ke$ha and Pink has a dominating lead over the competition. Top 10 regulars in 2012 included 90.5 KUT-FM, 100.7 KASE-FM, 102.3 KPEZ-FM, 103.5 KBPA-FM and 590 KLBJ-AM.
Jam on: Jammin’ 103.1 made its debut on Austin’s airwaves, offering rhythmic hits from today and yesterday — everyone from the Isley Brothers to Flo Rida. It replaced a simulcast of sister station 1300 KVET-AM.
Comings and goings: We saw lots of D Js come and go this year. Bryan Beck, 93.3 KGSR-FM’s longtime morning D J, departed in March, and was replaced by Kelly Brandt, who once worked at now-defunct Austin hip-hop station Hot 93.3.
Popular hosts Geoff Ketchum and Chip Brown disappeared from 104.9 KTXX-FM after it was acquired by Total Austin Sports Radio. The sports station also dumped its local morning show in favor of ESPN’s “Mike and Mike in the Morning.”
You’ll be hearing a lot more of 94.7 KAMX-FM morning sidekicks Sara Osburn and Alex Franco in 2013. In addition to their early-bird shifts, listen for Osburn from 3 to 7 p.m. weekdays, followed by Franco from 7 p.m. to midnight.
And it wasn’t a very merry Christmas for dozens of folks across the nation who were laid off this month by San Antonio-based Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, including 102.3 KPEZ-FM afternoon host JoJo and Joel Burke, program director and on-air personality for 98.1 KVETFM and 100.7 KASE-FM.
What’s in store in 2013? Stay tuned.