KJOZ

KJOZ
Conroe, Texas;
Broadcast area	Greater Houston
Frequency	880 kHz
Branding	La Grande 104.5
Programming
Format	Regional Mexican
Ownership
Owner	Hector Guevara Ministry Corp.
History
First air date	May 25, 1951; 73 years ago (as KMCO at 900)
Former call signs	KMCO (1951–1974); KIKR (1974–1991); KJOJ (1991–2012)
Former frequencies	900 kHz (1951–1985)
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	20625
Class	B
Power	10,000 watts day; 1,000 watts night
Transmitter coordinates	30°17′38″N 95°25′55″W / 30.29389°N 95.43194°W
Translator(s)	See § Translators
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Website	www.lagrande1045fm.com

KJOZ (880 AM) is a radio station, paired with 3 FM relay translators. Licensed to Conroe, Texas, KJOZ primarily serves the northern Houston, Texas metropolitan area. The station broadcasts a Regional Mexican format.

History

As 900 KMCO

KJOZ started out as a full service country and western station using the call sign KMCO (standing for Montgomery County) in 1951, owned by Reagan Smith & Fred Perry Sr. It was originally located at 900 kHz.

Owen family purchases KMCO; becomes KIKR

In 1974, Steve Owen purchased KMCO, applied to change its call sign to KIKR, and renamed the station "Kicker". It was co-owned with KNRO at 106.9 FM (currently classic rock KHPT "The Eagle") during this period. The facility was moved to 880 kHz in 1985, after the FM was sold, and upgraded to 10 kilowatts during daytime hours.

Jimmy Swaggart's "Joy of Jesus"

KIKR was sold to Jimmy Swaggart ministries in 1991, resulting in the change to the KJOJ call sign (standing for "Joy Of Jesus").

Once sold to the Swaggart Ministry, 880 became the simulcast partner of KJOJ-FM's Christian ministry format, which had moved from 106.9 to 103.3 a year earlier, due to 106.9's sale by the Swaggart ministries in 1990. 880's 10 kilowatt signal allowed the ministry to remain over the air in the northern areas of the Houston metro, opposite of the 103.3 signal which is located southwest of the metro.

The last General Manager of KJOJ during its religious format and before its move into Houston was Kathy Watson and last Program Director was Gary Johnson.

Swaggart sells KJOJ, KJOJ-FM

In 1998, KJOJ moved its studio located in The Woodlands to the Clear Channel studios in Houston after being sold by the Swaggart ministry.

In May 2001, KJOJ began to simulcast KTJM 98.5 and its former sister KJOJ-FM as Rhythmic Oldies "Houston's Jammin Hits", along with KQUE 1230 AM.

Liberman acquisition

In July 2001, KJOJ and its FM sister were sold to Liberman Broadcasting, which resulted in both KJOJ and the FM counterpart simulcasting "La Raza" with 1230 & 98.5.

In April 2010, Liberman leased KJOJ's 10 kW signal to Rahan Sidiqqui for Hum Tum City's South Asian programming. After several months IDing as simply "880 KJOJ" with Siddiqui's programming, it returned to simulcasting Houston's 1230 KQUE as Regional Mexican "Radio Ranchito" then as "La Ranchera".

KJOJ becomes KJOZ; Radio Aleluya debuts

It was sold to Daij Media, LLC in 2012. During the license reassignment process, Daij Media filed to change the call sign to KJOZ upon consummation of the sale, in order to disassociate the station from the FM counterpart located in Freeport, Texas. Daij Media then switched KJOZ to Radio Aleluya Spanish Christian preaching and music programming from the Aleluya Broadcasting Network.

880 returns to English language; "Where Diversity Finds Its Voice"

On April 13, 2015, KJOZ dropped Spanish Christian programming and relaunched as an urban talk station with the slogan "Where diversity finds its voice."

By November, KJOZ dropped most of its talk programming to become a de facto replacement for the original KCOH, featuring many of the former KCOH personalities including Michael Harris and Don Samuel.

Radio Aleluya returns

On April 8, 2016, Urban Talk & Oldies was dropped from 880 KJOZ, returning to the previous Spanish Christian programming of owner Radio Aleluya.

La Calle moves; KJOZ gains an FM translator

In September 2017, the primary for translator 92.5 K223CW was moved from KCOH to KJOZ, moving the Tropical "La Calle" format from KCOH to KJOZ as well.

Rumba 92.5/880

On December 6, 2019, KJOZ rebranded as "Rumba 92.5/880".^[2]

Effective November 3, 2021, Daij Media swapped KJOZ to Hector Guevara Ministry Corp. in exchange for the licenses to translators K243BO and K254DU.

Translators

Broadcast translators for KJOZ
Call sign	Frequency	City of license	FID	ERP (W)	Class	FCC info
K258DI	99.5 FM	Humble, Texas	147295	80	D	LMS
K273AL	102.5 FM	Houston, Texas	147307	99	D	LMS
K283CH	104.5 FM	Houston, Texas	146522	99	D	LMS

References

^ "Facility Technical Data for KJOZ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
^ La Calle Houston Rebrands as Rumba 92.5/880 Radioinsight - December 6, 2019

External links

Facility details for Facility ID 20625 (KJOZ) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
KJOZ in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
Facility details for Facility ID 147295 (K258DI) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
K258DI at FCCdata.org
Facility details for Facility ID 147307 (K273AL) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
K273AL at FCCdata.org

[1] "Facility Technical Data for KJOZ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.

[2] La Calle Houston Rebrands as Rumba 92.5/880 Radioinsight - December 6, 2019

[1]

[2]

v t e Spanish-language radio stations in the state of Texas
Stations	KABA – Louise KAIQ – Wolfforth KAJE - Ingleside KAMA – El Paso KAMA-FM – Deer Park KAMM - University Park KBDR – Mirando City KBEX - Dalhart KBIB – Marion KBIC – Raymondville KBNA-FM – El Paso KBNL – Laredo KBNR – Brownsville KBOC – Bridgeport KBRZ-FM – Victoria KBZO - Lubbock KCHX – Odessa KCOT – Cotulla KCZO – Carrizo Springs KDFM – Falfurrias KDFT – Ferris KDRN – Del Rio KDXX – Lewisville KEPI – Eagle Pass KEPX – Eagle Pass KESS-FM – Benbrook KEWP – Uvalde Estates KEYH – Houston KFLC – Fort Worth KFTG – Pasadena KFZO – Denton KGBT – Harlingen KGBT-FM – McAllen KGFZ - Burke KGSR - Cedar Park KGVL – Greenville KHFZ – Pittsburgh KHRO – El Paso KHVU – Houston KIBL – Beeville KINE – Kingsville KINT – El Paso KIRT – Mission KJOZ - Conroe KLAR – Laredo KLAT – Houston KLBD – Premont KLDS – Falfurrias KLEY-FM – Jourdanton KLFZ – Jacksonville KLIT – Ranchitos Las Lomas KLJA – Georgetown KLOL – Houston KLQB – Taylor KLTD - Temple KLTN – Houston KLVL – Pasadena KLZT – Bastrop KMFR – Pearsall KMVK – Fort Worth KMXO – Merkel KMYO - Comfort KNOR – Krum KNTE – Bay City KNVO-FM – Port Isabel KOIR – Edinburg KOKE-FM - Thorndale KOPY - Alice KOVE-FM – Galveston KOYE – Frankston KPCO-FM – Cooper KPMB – Plainview KQBO – Rio Grande City KQFX - Borger/Amarillo KQLM – Odessa KQQK – Beaumont KQUE – Houston KRCM – Shenandoah KRGE – Weslaco KRGX – Rio Grande City KRIO – McAllen KRIO-FM – Roma KROB – Robstown KROM – San Antonio KRVA – Cockrell Hill KSAH – Universal City KSAH-FM – Pearsall KSJT-FM – San Angelo KSML-FM – Huntington KSTV – Stephenville KSVE – El Paso KTAE - Elgin KTAM – Bryan KTJM – Port Arthur KTLH – Hallsville KTNO – Plano KTNZ – Amarillo KTXO - Goldsmith KTXX-FM - Bee Cave KTXZ – West Lake Hills KTYR – Trinity KUBR – San Juan KUNO – Corpus Christi KVER – El Paso KVFM – Beeville KVIV – El Paso KVJM – Hearne KVJY – Pharr KVOZ – Del Mar Hills KVUD – Bay City KVUJ – Lake Jackson KVVO-LP – Abilene KVVT – Sulphur Springs KWEL – Midland KWMF – Pleasanton KWOW – Clifton KWRA-LP – Waco KXBJ – El Campo KXOI – Crane KXTN – San Antonio KXVR-LP – Corpus Christi KXZX-LP – Juilliard KXZY-LP – Waco KYLP-LP – Greenville KYST – Texas City KZAM – Pleasant Valley KZDC – San Antonio KZEP-FM - San Antonio KZIP - Amarillo KZNX – Creedmoor KZZA – Muenster
Defunct	KERB-FM – Kermit KJNZ – Hereford KJOJ-FM – Freeport KMUL – Farwell KOZA – Odessa KPDB – Big Lake KXPL – El Paso
See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in Texas See also Classical Jazz Religious Spanish Smooth Jazz Other