City Lubbock, Texas Frequency 1420 kHz First air date 1966 (as KLFB) | Branding Raider Country 98.7 Translator(s) 98.7 K254CI (Lubbock) | |
Broadcast area Lubbock metropolitan area | ||
KJDL (1420 AM) is a classic country formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Lubbock, Texas, serving the Lubbock metropolitan area. The station is owned and operated by Walker Broadcasting & Communications, Ltd.
Contents
History
In previous incarnations the station was owned by John Flache d/b/a "La Fiesta Broadcasting" which led to the original name KLFB. Two competing apps had been tendered in the early sixties by La Fiesta Broadcasting and by "Mid Cities Broadcasting" then owner of KOYL AM/FM Odessa. The station signed on in 1967 as the area's first exclusively Spanish language station. KLFB was sold to a partnership of Drew Ballard and Marcelo Tafoya (owners of 92.1 Hutto Texas) in 1977. They filed for night authority which was granted in 1979. The station operated from one site (Buddy Holly Park in north Lubbock) by day and a second site (82nd and Ash) in south Lubbock by night.
Eventually the partners agreed to an exchange where they'd take sole ownership of one station apiece. Ballard became sole owner of KLFB, and Tafoya became sole owner of KRGT Hutto. Ballard operated the station for many years, eventually LMA'ing the station to a local Catholic lay group.
KLFB was purchased in September 2005 by Walker Broadcasting and Communications. Upon purchase the format was changed to News/Talk including a local morning news show. Former KCBD news director Dave Walker oversaw operations as General Manager with former KAMC TV reporter James Clark as News Director. Morning news shows were anchored by radio personality Ron Reid, and news director James Clark.
Content was provided by CBS Radio Network and USA Radio Network; syndicated programming on the station includes Lars Larson, Dennis Miller, Jim Bohannon, Imus in the Morning, Gordon Liddy, Jim Sumpter, Monica Crowley, The Twilight Zone, Meet the Press and Ed McMahon's Lifestyles Live, as well as various old time radio programs.
As of February 22, 2010, the station changed to a Classic Country format. KJDL was the local affiliate for Houston Astros baseball and aired select NFL and NCAA broadcasts from Compass Sports Media while airing the Classic Country format.
On February 24, 2014 KJDL changed their format to contemporary hit radio, branded as "Z98.5" (frequency in branding is for FM translator K253BD 98.5 FM Lubbock).
On February 27, 2015 KJDL changed their format to alternative rock, branded as "The Edge".
On August 1, 2015 KJDL changed their format to classic country, branded as "Raider Country".
Programming
Until February 24, 2014, the station featured a simulcast of its sister station True Country 105.3's morning show, syndicated satellite classic country program throughout the day and an afternoon drive show with Larry Byers called "The Larry-go-round". Houston Astros Baseball as well as New Deal and Shallowater High School sports used to be featured on the station. An afternoon radio show hosted by Lee Barron from 4:45pm-5pm Monday through Friday focuses on local Texas crop prices and conditions. Lee also hosts a two-hour show on Saturday mornings with his son, Jarrod Barron, and contains much of the same information covered during the weekday broadcasts, albeit updated as of Friday night, as well as interviews with various farmers, producers, and young members of 4-H and FFA from surrounding towns.