Friday, March 21, 1997

Radio stations shuffle formats

By DOUG WILLIAMSON

Business Editor

Abilene's radio dial just got jumbled, again.

Three AM stations have new formats today.

The broadcasting juggling act began when Lloyd Mynatt (KEYJ, KCWS, KORQ, KBBA) took over operation of KNTS. KNTS signed off June 12, 1996, and has been silent ever since.

Mynatt's Dynamic Broadcasting Inc. is serving as the operational arm with a local marketing agreement. He is seeking to purchase the station outright, officials said.

"We thought it was really a shame that Abilene's first radio station was silent," said Caroline Whitaker of Dynamic Broadcasting.

Originally KRBC-AM, the station began broadcasting in 1936.

KNTS 1470 is now a Hispanic station broadcasting Tejano music, Whitaker said. An application has been filed with the Federal Communications Commission to change the station's call letters to KBBA.

The original KBBA, Dynamic's Hispanic station, was at 1560 on the radio dial. It was licensed to operate only during daylight hours.

"The Hispanic community asked us for years to make the station 24 hours a day," Whitaker said. "Now, we have been able to do that."

The original KBBA's call letters have changed to KMPC at 1560. New owner Dave Boyll has an easy-listening format, which he formerly broadcast during the daylight hours on KYYD at 1340.

KYYD, now under Dynamic's ownership, has returned to its 24-hour, all-sports format. Whitaker said it will broadcast the Texas Rangers and local college and high school sports. An application is expected to be filed to change the call letters to KEYJ-AM.

Stay tuned.