March Anniversaries

KPFT-FM, 90.1 MHz, signed on at 10:30pm, March 1, 1970, with the airing of ‘Here Comes the Sun’ by the Beatles. It was bombed off the air twice in the first 12 months but has been on the air continuously ever since. The station has a brief history on its website celebrating 38 years.

Broadcasting Yearbook gives March 10, 1962, for the launch of KHCB-FM, at 105.7 mc. A religious station since its inception, the calls stood for ‘Keeping Him Close By.’ There was no story in the Chronicle, not even in the Church Chronicle, a weekly special section. Listings first appeared in the paper on March 16. The station operated originally only from 4pm to Midnight daily.

The Houston area’s second TV station, KGUL-TV, Galveston, Channel 11, came on the air at 6pm, Sunday, March 22, 1953, from studios at 2002 45th street which was dubbed 11 Video Lane. A 550 foot antenna was located 1.3 miles north of Arcadia. Actor Jimmy Stewart, a part owner of the station, was in town to handle the opening ceremonies.

March 23, 1922, brought the issuance of the first broadcasting license for Houston, for station WEV to operate on 360 and 485 meters. It was licensed to the Hurlburt-Still Electrical Company and was the 4th broadcasting station licensed in Texas and 108th nationwide. The first broadcast was on April 12.

March 24, 1930, KTRH signed on as a Houston station from studios in the Rice Hotel and transmitter at Deepwater on the La Porte Highway. It was previously licensed to Austin as KUT and before that as WCM.