KATH (AM)


KATH is a Catholic-oriented radio station located in Dallas, Texas. It features a Catholic religious programming format. Guadalupe Radio Network, a Midland, Texas, based Catholic broadcasting company, took over operation of KATH on October 1, 2006 along with sister station KJON. Guadalupe Radio broadcasts Catholic programs in English on KATH and in Spanish on KJON.
The KATH studios are located in Dallas, and the transmitter is located just outside the northwestern city limit of Frisco, Texas, a town just north of Dallas. KATH broadcasts with 1,000 watts during the daytime, and powers down to 500 watts at night, per FCC regulations. Even with the limited signal, the station reportedly covers the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex adequately.

History

KRRV went on the air on October 15, 1936 at 1310 AM, moved to 880 AM in June 1940, and finally settled at 910 AM by 1949. The call letters stood for "Red River Valley." During the 1950s, they played country music during the day and Top 40 at nights. They shifted to full-time Top 40 by the 1960s and continued until October 1974, when they shifted back to country.
The next year, in July 1975, the call letters were changed to KIKM, match their sister station, KIKM-FM. They reverted to an adult Top 40 format until 1986, when country returned again briefly, then adult standards in 1988 as KBLN.
The KXEB call letters were assigned on March 16, 1990. For many years following, the station went through many different formats.
For a few years in the 1990s Marcos A. Rodriguez operated the station as part of his radio group. Throughout the 1990s, they aired brokered Asian-language programming, ABC Radio's syndicated "Unforgettable" and "Stardust" radio networks, and gospel music. They also simulcast briefly with their sister station KTCY-FM. Prior to the current talk format, they aired Spanish-language music formats under the names "Radio Fiesta Mexicana" and "Solo Exitos".
On March 21, 2005, KXEB aired its first day of programming as an Air America Radio affiliate. KXEB debuted its current Catholic talk programming on October 1, 2006, ending its affiliation with Air America Radio.
On January 23, 2007, the new owners changed the call sign from KXEB to KATH.