33°17′24″N97°08′12″W / 33.290059°N 97.136540°W /33.290059; -97.136540
 | |
| Broadcast area | Dallas/Fort Worth/Denton/McKinney |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 88.1MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 88.1 Indie |
| Programming | |
| Language | English (primary) |
| Format | Alternative |
| Subchannels | HD2:Jazz "88.1 The One"[1] |
| Affiliations | 24/7 News Network & NBC News Radio(national news partnership) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | University of North Texas |
| History | |
First air date | October 31,1969 (at 88.5) |
Former frequencies | 88.5 MHz (1969–1979) |
Call sign meaning | NorthTexas StateUniversity |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 69003 |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 100,000watts |
| HAAT | 135 meters |
Transmitter coordinates | 33°17′24″N97°08′12″W / 33.290059°N 97.136540°W /33.290059; -97.136540 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | 881indie.com KNTU-JAZZ (HD2) |
KNTU (88.1FM) is theradio station owned and operated by theUniversity of North Texas. The signal of the station covers much of theDallas andFort WorthMetroplex with an indie alternative format.
KNTU also produces the UNTfootball andmen's basketball broadcast feeds for theMean Green Sports Network, a radio property ofLearfield for broadcast on 97.1 FM. UNTwomen's basketball moved to streaming only on Learfield'sVarsity App beginning with the 2022-23 season.
KNTU was founded in 1969 in part byBill Mercer, former voice of theDallas Cowboys,North Texas Mean Green, and a member of the Texas Radio Hall of Fame. Originally on the 88.5 FM frequency, the station officially went on the air on October 31, 1969. Along with music, Mean Green football game broadcasts were soon added, with Mercer providing play-by-play coverage and UNT students usually serving as his color commentators.
The station switched to a jazz format in 1981, while continuing to host public affairs shows and North Texas athletic events. While KNTU had no direct competitors, it shared audiences with106.1 from 1987 to 1992 and107.5 from 1992 to 2006 (both with the KOAI callsigns) assmooth jazz-formatted stations branded "The Oasis."
On July 29, 2022, KNTU switched to an alternative format, "88.1 indie," reflecting the station's independent status. The first song was "Icky Thump" bythe White Stripes. The jazz format continues to stream online, and is broadcast on 88.1 HD-2.[3][4]
The latest format flip puts KNTU in competition with North Texas Public Broadcasting'sAdult album alternative-formattedKKXT (91.7),Audacy-ownedKVIL (Alt 103.7), iHeartMedia’s active rock-formatted KEGL (97.1 The Eagle), and iHeartMedia-owned KEGL-HD2 (97.1 HD2 The Edge).
Unlike most of the area's FM stations (like competitor KVIL) which transmit their signals fromCedar Hill, KNTU transmits its signal from north Denton on land owned by UNT, which was aNike Missile Base. Therefore, KNTU's signal is much stronger in the Northern parts of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex as well as the cities of Denton,Decatur, andMcKinney. The station installed a new antenna during the first week of November 2022.
