KTRH
KTRH (740 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Houston, Texas, broadcasting a news/talk format focused on local and national news, weather, traffic, and political commentary.[1][2] Owned by iHeartMedia, the station operates from studios in Southeast Houston with a transmitter site in nearby Baytown, utilizing a 50,000-watt non-directional antenna for extensive regional coverage.[3][4] KTRH signed on the air on March 25, 1930, from temporary studios on the sixth floor of the Rice Hotel in downtown Houston, establishing it as one of Texas's pioneering broadcast outlets amid the early expansion of AM radio.[5][6] Over the decades, it has evolved from general entertainment and agricultural programming— including longstanding features like GardenLine—to a prominent platform for conservative-leaning talk, hosting shows by personalities such as Michael Berry and syndicated programs like The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show.[1][2] Its high-power signal and strategic location have made KTRH a key information source during major events, such as hurricanes affecting the Gulf Coast, underscoring its role in emergency communications and community engagement.[3]History
Origins as WCM in Austin (1922–1925)
WCM, the predecessor to KTRH, was licensed on March 22, 1922, to the University of Texas at Austin, making it the first broadcasting station in Austin and the second in Texas overall.[7][8] The station emerged from the university's experimental radio activities initiated in 1921, aimed at educational and instructional broadcasting.[8] Equipped with a 500-watt transmitter, WCM ranked among the nation's most powerful and technically advanced stations at launch.[8] Its regular programming featured music, lectures, and dramatic plays, typically transmitted from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. local time to accommodate listeners' schedules and university resources.[8] These broadcasts emphasized educational content, including university faculty presentations and cultural programming, aligning with the era's nascent focus on radio as a tool for public enlightenment rather than commercial entertainment. Operations continued under university control through 1925, during which WCM operated on wavelengths around 360 meters (approximately 833 kHz) and contributed to early regional signal propagation tests.[9] By late 1925, amid shifting federal regulations and resource demands, the station's license was relinquished by the University of Texas, paving the way for its transfer to Houston-based interests.[7] This period established foundational technical and operational precedents that influenced the station's subsequent development.Relocation to Houston and Early Development (1925–1950s)
In December 1929, the station previously operating as KUT in Austin—itself a successor to the original WCM broadcast license granted on April 22, 1922—was relocated to Houston, Texas, with its primary studios established on the sixth floor of the Rice Hotel.[10] [11] The call sign was changed to KTRH, derived from "The Rice Hotel," reflecting its new operational base in the prominent downtown landmark owned and financed by Houston businessman Jesse H. Jones.[12] [13] This move positioned KTRH as a clear-channel station on 740 kHz, enabling broader regional coverage amid growing competition from established Houston outlets like KPRC, which had launched in 1925.[14] KTRH commenced regular broadcasting from its Houston facilities on March 24, 1930, initially operating with limited hours focused on music, local announcements, and variety programming typical of the era's commercial radio.[14] [11] Early technical operations included a shared transmitter site with KPRC along the La Porte Highway (now part of State Highway 225), which supported initial power levels sufficient for local and Gulf Coast reception but constrained expansion due to shared infrastructure.[15] In its formative Houston years, the station emphasized live performances from the Rice Hotel's venues, weather reports for maritime and agricultural interests, and sponsored content from Houston's burgeoning oil and shipping industries, aligning with the city's economic drivers.[8] By October 1936, after two months of renovations, KTRH unveiled upgraded studios at the Rice Hotel, featuring improved acoustics and broadcast capabilities to enhance program quality and attract advertisers.[13] Ownership remained tied to Jones's interests, which facilitated affiliations with national networks like NBC for syndicated content, including dramas, comedies, and news bulletins that drew larger audiences during the Great Depression.[8] Technical advancements accelerated in the 1940s; in 1943, KTRH installed a new 50,000-watt transmitter in Baytown, significantly boosting signal strength and extending clear-channel coverage across Texas and into neighboring states, a critical upgrade amid wartime demand for reliable broadcasting.[3] Through the 1940s and into the 1950s, KTRH evolved as a full-service outlet, incorporating remote broadcasts from Houston events, farm reports tailored to rural listeners, and evening entertainment blocks, while navigating Federal Communications Commission regulations on power and frequency allocation post-World War II.[8] The station's Rice Hotel studios became a hub for local talent, with programming reflecting Houston's post-war growth in population and industry, though it faced challenges from increasing FM competition and the shift toward recorded music.[16] By the mid-1950s, KTRH maintained its AM dominance through a mix of live news, talk segments, and music, solidifying its role in the local media landscape without major format overhauls during this period.[8]Expansion and Format Shifts (1960s–1990s)
In 1965, the Rusk Corporation acquired KTRH-AM and its FM counterpart, marking a key ownership transition that facilitated programming diversification.[17] Under Rusk, the FM station initiated nighttime experiments with progressive rock programming while simulcasting the AM during daytime hours, broadening the overall broadcast footprint beyond traditional AM reliance.[17] The AM station had already shifted from a middle-of-the-road music format to news-talk in 1962, emphasizing local news, weather, traffic, and commentary to capture adult listeners amid declining network radio affiliations post-television era.[18] This format gained traction, as evidenced by promotional materials circa 1973 touting 11 years of news-talk success and featuring hosts like Jack Ford and Howard Phillips.[18] In July 1974, KTRH-AM pivoted to a full all-news format, intensifying competition in Houston's information-oriented radio market by delivering continuous updates and eliminating music segments.[18] Concurrently, KTRH-FM fully decoupled from the AM in 1970, adopting a dedicated rock format under the KLOL callsign and targeting younger audiences with album-oriented programming, which expanded the duopoly's market segmentation and listener base.[17] This separation allowed the AM to refine its spoken-word focus without FM constraints, contributing to sustained revenue through targeted advertising in news and talk segments throughout the 1970s and 1980s. By the late 1980s, amid industry consolidation, Rusk's stewardship positioned KTRH for eventual acquisition by larger groups like Clear Channel Communications, which began acquiring Texas stations during that decade.[8]Modern Era and Ownership Transitions (2000s–Present)
In 2000, Clear Channel Communications completed its acquisition of Chancellor Media, which had previously absorbed Evergreen Media's holdings including KTRH, solidifying Clear Channel's control over the station as part of its rapid expansion in the post-Telecommunications Act era.[10] The station continued its news/talk format, emphasizing local Houston coverage alongside syndicated conservative programming such as The Rush Limbaugh Show, which aired daily until Limbaugh's death in February 2021.[1] Ownership remained stable under Clear Channel through the mid-2000s, with programming adjustments including the addition of Chris Baker's afternoon drive show in November 2004, shifting from rival KPRC-AM.[19] Facing mounting debt from acquisitions and the 2008 financial crisis, Clear Channel agreed to a $18.7 billion leveraged buyout in November 2006, completed in 2008, which took the company private and increased its financial leverage.[20] In September 2014, amid restructuring efforts, Clear Channel rebranded its media and entertainment division to iHeartMedia, reflecting a pivot toward digital platforms like the iHeartRadio app, though KTRH's core AM broadcast persisted with enhanced streaming integration.[21] iHeartMedia filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2018 due to over $20 billion in debt but emerged restructured in 2019, retaining ownership of KTRH without divesting the station.[22] Throughout the 2010s and 2020s, KTRH adapted to industry shifts by incorporating more syndicated content, such as replacing Limbaugh with The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show in 2021, while maintaining local staples like morning news blocks.[1] Lineup changes continued, including a 2012 realignment where Michael Berry assumed mornings and Glenn Beck shifted to sister station KPRC-AM.[23] Cost-cutting measures at iHeartMedia, amid ongoing revenue challenges from digital competition, led to staff reductions, notably the 2024 exit of veteran co-anchor Shara Fryer from the morning show.[24] Despite these pressures, KTRH has sustained its position as a dominant conservative talk outlet in the Houston market, with a 50,000-watt signal supporting emergency broadcasting during events like hurricanes.[1]Technical Specifications
Frequency, Power, and Licensing
KTRH broadcasts on the mediumwave AM band at a frequency of 740 kHz from a transmitter site located at coordinates 29°57′58″N 94°56′33″W near Houston, Texas.[25][26] The station employs a non-directional antenna system during daytime hours and a four-tower directional array at night to mitigate interference, operating at a licensed power output of 50 kilowatts (50 kW) continuously, which represents the maximum authorized for its Class B designation under FCC regulations for regional AM stations.[25][26] KTRH holds FCC facility identification number 35674 and is licensed as a commercial broadcast station to IHM Licenses, LLC, a subsidiary of iHeartMedia, Inc., with the community of license designated as Houston, Texas.[27][26] The current license was issued following a construction permit modification granted on July 28, 1981, and remains valid until August 1, 2029, subject to standard FCC renewal processes for AM stations, which occur every eight years.[25][28] As of October 24, 2025, the station has no pending FCC applications requiring public notice, indicating compliance with licensing and operational requirements.[29]Signal Reach and Affiliates
KTRH broadcasts at 50,000 watts on 740 kHz from a four-tower directional antenna array located in Baytown, Texas, enabling primary daytime groundwave coverage over the Houston metropolitan area and secondary coverage across much of southeast Texas, extending westward to Austin and San Antonio.[25][3] At night, the station maintains 50,000 watts but employs a tighter directional pattern to mitigate interference, with groundwave reach covering eastern Texas and skywave propagation allowing reception across broader regions of the United States and occasionally into parts of Mexico and the Caribbean under optimal ionospheric conditions.[30][25] As the flagship station for the Houston Astros Radio Network, KTRH's sports programming is simulcast locally on co-owned KBME (790 AM) and relayed to a network of affiliates including KJTV in Lubbock (950 AM/100.7 FM), KSML in Lufkin (1260 AM), and others spanning Texas markets such as Bryan-College Station and Beaumont-Port Arthur, enhancing statewide reach for baseball broadcasts.[31] The station's news/talk format, including syndicated programs like The Sean Hannity Show, contributes to iHeartMedia's broader distribution network, though KTRH itself does not maintain a separate affiliate syndicate beyond sports; instead, its local content primarily serves the core signal area while select segments air via iHeart's digital platforms and podcast feeds.[32][33]Programming and Format
Evolution from Variety to News/Talk
KTRH initially featured a variety format typical of early network-affiliated radio stations, broadcasting music, dramatic sketches, serials, and live entertainment from its Houston studios starting in 1930, often as a CBS outlet.[5] This programming mirrored the era's reliance on sponsored shows and remote broadcasts from venues like the Rice Hotel, where the station originated.[6] As television eroded radio's dominance in scripted entertainment during the 1950s, KTRH adapted by emphasizing local content, culminating in a shift to news-talk programming on March 12, 1962. The format integrated hourly news blocks, weather updates, traffic reports, and emerging call-in talk segments, leveraging the station's clear-channel 50,000-watt signal for regional coverage. This transition boosted listener engagement by focusing on timely information and opinion-driven discussion, areas where radio retained advantages over visual media.[18] In July 1974, KTRH experimented with a full all-news format, expanding continuous news coverage to compete in an increasingly fragmented market. However, the station reverted to its news-talk hybrid by the late 1970s, incorporating personality-driven shows alongside breaking news, which allowed for greater advertiser appeal through targeted demographics. This evolution aligned with national trends toward talk radio's rise, enabling KTRH to differentiate from music-oriented competitors.[18]Current Daily Schedule and Key Segments
KTRH's weekday programming centers on news, traffic, weather, and conservative talk radio, with a schedule dominated by local morning shows and syndicated national content during midday and afternoons. As of October 2025, the lineup runs from midnight to midnight Central Time, starting with the overnight syndicated Coast to Coast AM, hosted by George Noory, airing from 12:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m., covering paranormal and alternative topics.[34][35] The morning block features syndicated early news from 4:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. with This Morning with Gordon Deal, transitioning to the station's flagship local program, Houston's Morning News, co-hosted by Jimmy Barrett and Shara Fryer from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., which includes hourly traffic reports, weather forecasts, and breaking local and national stories.[34][36] From 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Michael Berry hosts a show focused on political commentary, Houston issues, and listener call-ins.[34][37] Midday programming shifts to national syndication with The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., offering analysis of politics, culture, and sports from a conservative perspective, followed by The Sean Hannity Show from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., emphasizing opinion-driven discussions on current events and policy critiques.[34] Afternoon drive time from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. features The Mark Levin Show, known for its emphasis on constitutional principles and rapid-fire monologues.[35] Evenings from 8:00 p.m. to midnight include additional syndicated talk or replays before looping back to overnight programming.[34] Weekend schedules diverge, prioritizing lifestyle and specialty content; for instance, GardenLine with Randy Lemmon airs Saturdays and Sundays from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., providing gardening advice tailored to Texas climates.[38][39] Key segments within the daily lineup include integrated traffic updates every 15 minutes during Houston's Morning News and afternoon shows, delivered by dedicated reporters for Houston's commuters, as well as health-focused discussions in recurring spots like Your Health with Dr. Joe Galati.[1][39] These elements underscore KTRH's role as a utility for real-time information alongside ideological programming.[1]Syndicated Content Integration
KTRH incorporates nationally syndicated programs primarily from Premiere Networks, an iHeartMedia subsidiary, to fill midday, afternoon, evening, and overnight slots, balancing local Houston-focused content with broader conservative commentary and specialized topics.[34] Weekday programming transitions from local morning shows to syndicated fare starting at 11:00 AM with The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, which airs until 2:00 PM and features analysis of news, politics, and sports from a conservative viewpoint.[40] This is followed by The Sean Hannity Show from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, a staple syndicated program reaching over 500 affiliates and emphasizing conservative critiques of current events.[32] Evening hours include The Mark Levin Show from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, hosted by constitutional scholar Mark Levin, focusing on legal, historical, and policy discussions.[41] Additional syndicated content appears in late evenings and overnights, such as The Joe Pags Show, which covers politics and culture, and Coast to Coast AM from midnight to 4:00 AM, delving into paranormal and alternative topics with host George Noory.[42] Weekend schedules feature programs like Our American Stories, highlighting inspirational American narratives, and regionally syndicated shows such as Texas Business Radio, which reports on state-level economic developments.[43][44] This integration strategy leverages iHeartMedia's syndication network to extend listenership beyond local markets, with KTRH serving as an originating station for shows like The Michael Berry Show, which expanded to national syndication on October 7, 2024, via Premiere Networks.[45] Syndicated segments are seamlessly woven into the format, often bookended by local news updates from ABC News Radio affiliates, ensuring continuity in the station's news/talk emphasis while minimizing disruptions to the 740 AM signal's regional coverage.[1]Notable Hosts and Personalities
Pioneering Figures
KTRH's inaugural broadcasting efforts in the 1930s featured a core group of announcers who shaped its early identity as a full-service station affiliated with CBS. Key figures included Russ Harlow and Lou Hanlon, who handled on-air duties alongside Dave Godwin and Hal Kemp, delivering news, music, and local content from studios in the Rice Hotel.[16] Howard Phillips and Jack Ford also contributed as staff announcers, supporting the station's expansion to 5,000 watts of power by the late 1930s, which enhanced its regional reach.[16][8] News operations in the station's formative decades relied on dedicated reporters like Bruce Dadd and Charlie Miller, whose work emphasized local Houston events and national wire service updates.[16] These personalities helped establish KTRH as a vital information source during World War II, broadcasting emergency alerts and war news under the constraints of wartime programming regulations. By the late 1940s, the team had grown to include Tom Jacobs, further solidifying the station's reputation for reliable announcing and journalism.[16] A pivotal early career launchpad for KTRH came in 1953, when Dan Rather joined as a beat reporter and news anchor fresh from college, covering local stories that built his foundational reporting skills before transitioning to television.[46] Rather's tenure at the 50,000-watt clear-channel outlet exposed him to high-stakes broadcasting, including live coverage of hurricanes and civic issues, marking KTRH as an incubator for professional journalists in the post-war era.[46] This period underscored the station's role in nurturing talent amid Houston's booming population and economic growth.Contemporary Conservative Voices
Michael Berry serves as a prominent local conservative voice on KTRH, hosting a weekday program that delivers commentary on news, politics, and culture from a right-leaning perspective, emphasizing rationality and traditional values.[37] A veteran broadcaster and former Houston City Council member, Berry's show expanded to national syndication via Premiere Networks on October 7, 2024, reflecting his growing influence in conservative media circles.[45] His segments often critique progressive policies and highlight empirical critiques of government overreach, drawing on local Texas issues alongside national debates.[47] The station integrates syndicated programs featuring younger conservative commentators, such as the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, which airs midday and replaced the late Rush Limbaugh's slot in June 2021.[34] Travis, a sports journalist turned political analyst, and Sexton, a former CIA analyst, provide unfiltered takes on current events, blending humor with defenses of free-market principles and skepticism toward mainstream narratives on topics like election integrity and cultural shifts.[48] Their approach appeals to audiences seeking alternatives to perceived biases in legacy media, with episodes frequently addressing causal links between policy decisions and economic outcomes.[49] Jimmy Barrett anchors Houston's Morning News, co-hosted with Shara Fryer, offering a conservative-inflected news format that prioritizes local reporting on Texas politics and national headlines from October 2025 onward.[36] Having joined KTRH in mid-2025 after stints in Detroit and Richmond, Barrett's delivery focuses on factual breakdowns of events like border security and energy policy, aligning with the station's talk-oriented ethos without overt editorializing in news segments.[50] This lineup underscores KTRH's role in amplifying voices critical of institutional left-leaning tendencies in academia and journalism, as evidenced by guest appearances from independent conservative outlets.[51]Recent Changes and Layoffs
In November 2024, Shara Fryer, longtime co-host of Houston's Morning News on KTRH, was let go as part of iHeartMedia's broader cost-cutting measures amid financial pressures in the radio industry.[52] Her departure was confirmed by co-host Jimmy Barrett on air and via social media, marking a significant change to the station's flagship morning program, which she had anchored since 2010.[24] Fryer's exit followed iHeartMedia's pattern of staff reductions, including earlier 2024 cuts across its portfolio, driven by declining ad revenue and operational streamlining.[53] Subsequent iHeartMedia layoffs in October 2025, ahead of the company's Q3 earnings report, affected programming and management roles nationwide but did not publicly specify additional KTRH personnel impacts beyond the prior cuts.[54] These reductions, which included on-air talent and production staff, reflect ongoing industry challenges such as audience fragmentation and competition from digital media, though KTRH maintained its core news/talk format with Barrett continuing to lead the morning slot solo.[55] No major programming overhauls were announced in direct response to the layoffs, preserving syndicated shows like The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show in midday slots.[34]Ratings, Influence, and Reception
Audience Metrics and Market Performance
KTRH operates in the Houston-Galveston metropolitan area, the fifth-largest radio market in the United States with a population of approximately 6.5 million as of the Fall 2025 Nielsen Audio revisions.[56][57] As a news/talk station owned by iHeartMedia, its audience metrics are tracked via Nielsen Audio's Portable People Meter (PPM) surveys, which measure average quarter-hour (AQH) shares for persons aged 6 and older across Monday through Sunday, 6 a.m. to midnight. These shares reflect the percentage of active radio listening captured by the station, providing a key indicator of market performance and advertising viability.[57][58] In the September 2025 survey (August 21–September 17), KTRH recorded an AQH share of 4.5, placing it eighth in the overall market ranking among monitored stations.[57][58] This performance aligns with a stable trend throughout 2025, where shares fluctuated modestly between 4.5 and 5.3, underscoring resilience in a fragmented market dominated by music formats.[57]| Survey Period | AQH Share (Persons 6+) | Market Rank |
|---|---|---|
| April 2025 | 5.3 | Not specified |
| May 2025 | 4.7 | Not specified |
| June 2025 | 4.6 | Not specified |
| July 2025 | 4.7 | Not specified |
| August 2025 | 4.6 | Not specified |
| September 2025 | 4.5 | 8th |