KTLU

KTLU (1580 AM, 103.9 FM) is a terrestrial American radio station, relayed by an FM translator, currently broadcasting a classic hits format, and using the branding "K-Hits".[1] Licensed to Rusk, Texas, United States, the station serves the Tyler-Longview area. The station is currently owned by Paul Coates, through licensee Coates Consulting, LLC, and features programming from Citadel Broadcasting.[2]

KTLU
CityRusk, Texas
Broadcast areaJacksonville, Texas
Frequency1580 kHz
BrandingK-Hits
SloganThe Greatest Hits of the 70's, 80's, and 90's
Programming
FormatClassic hits
AffiliationsWestwood One
Ownership
OwnerPaul Coates
(Coates Consulting, LLC)
Sister stationsKEBE
History
First air dateDecember 2, 1955
Technical information
Facility ID19518
ClassD
Power840 watts day
165 watts night
Transmitter coordinates31°49′12.00″N 95°10′19.00″W
Translator(s)See § Translator

Translator
Broadcast translators of KTLU
Call signFrequency
(MHz)		City of licenseFacility
ID		ERP
(W)		Height
(m (ft))		ClassFCC infoNotes
K280CL103.9Rusk, Texas5721425054 m (177 ft)DFCCFirst airdate: July 23, 1985 (in Palestine)

History

KTLU was initially proposed by State Representative Emmett Holman Whitehead to serve as Rusk's lone radio facility. An application was filed with the Federal Communications Commission on July 13, 1955, seeking a construction permit to erect a Class D 500 watt daytime facility on 1580 kilocycles, from a transmission site at the Lion's Club Recreation Park, 1.1 miles ENE of the courthouse in Rusk, Texas. The construction permit was granted in September, with a minor change involved, moving the proposed transmission site from the park to 616 North Main St. in Rusk. KTLU was officially licensed for operation in December 2, 1955.

E.H. & Marie Whitehead would utilize the print and broadcast media platforms they built to support causes benefitting Rusk and Cherokee County for the next 66 years. Together, they successfully defended the operations of the Rusk State Hospital when Austin auditors suggested closure in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, saving almost 1,000 jobs in the area. The Whiteheads would go on to add an FM broadcast facility to the E.H. Whitehead Enterprises portfolio, when 97.7 KWRW signed on in 1981. At its peak, Whitehead Enterprises owned the Rusk Cherokeean, the Alto Herald, radio stations KTLU and KWRW-FM, as well as E-Z Vision Cable Company.

On January 15, 2009, the longtime KTLU format changed from oldies to classic hits, simulcasting the FM sister 97.7 KWRW as Classic Hits 97.7.

After the death of E.H. Whitehead, the station's license was transferred to the Rusk Cherokeean newspaper and overseen by members of the Whitehead family. The beginning of big changes were on the horizon for the AM/FM pair in Rusk, Texas.

On May 15, 2015, KTLU split from its simulcast with 97.7 KWRW, which had been sold to Paul Gleiser and physically moved out of Rusk to operate as the FM counterpart to 600 KTBB in Tyler, relocated to 97.5 FM and relicensed to Troup, Texas. KTLU itself rebranded as "Classic Hits 103.9", simulcasted on FM translator K280CL 103.9 FM. K280CL simultaneously moved from its original transmission facility in Palestine, Texas to Rusk, Texas effectively replacing the lost KWRW 97.7 allocation that had been licensed to Rusk since 1981. K280CL now operates from the current KTLU (and former KWRW) tower site.

On July 15, 2017, KTLU changed their format from classic hits to classic rock. On September 14, 2017, after 62 years of continuous ownership and operation, the Whitehead family sold KTLU & K280CL to Paul Coates' Coates Consulting, LLC. The sale of both facilities was consummated on December 13, 2017.

East Texas Results Media closed the offices in Jacksonville, and took all six stations licensed to them silent as of July 1, 2019.

KZXM, KFRO-FM, KLJT, and KMPA have all since been sold to the Educational Radio Foundation of East Texas, owner and operator of Christian stations KVNE and KGLY. KTLU and KEBE were both silent, awaiting sale of the facilities to new ownership. Both facilities had until July 1, 2020 to return to broadcasting, or by law, the licenses for both would be revoked, and the facilities deleted.

On June 18, 2020, sister station KEBE returned to broadcasting, along with its associated FM translator, airing a classic hits format under the "K-Hits" branding. KTLU and K280CL have also returned to the air utilizing the K-Hits branding and classic hits format, however, KEBE and KTLU are not simulcasting with each other.

References
  1. "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Summer 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  2. "KTLU Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
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