 | |
| Broadcast area | Greater Houston |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 850kHz |
| Branding | "Houston Radio Platinum" |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic hits |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| Radio:KNTE,KQQK,KTJM TV:KZJL | |
| History | |
First air date | 1974 (51 years ago) (1974) |
Call sign meaning | TheKEY toHouston (original branding) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 2911 |
| Class | D |
| Power | Licensed: 10,000watts day 185 watts night Current: 100 watts daytime only; under Special Temporary Authority |
Transmitter coordinates | 29°39′19″N95°40′19″W / 29.65528°N 95.67194°W /29.65528; -95.67194 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | houstonradioplatinum.com |
KEYH (850AM) is acommercialradio station inHouston, Texas, under Special Temporary Authority from theFederal Communications Commission to broadcast at 100 watts from a temporary long-wire antenna, on a tower located in Northline, North Houston. KEYH airs aclassic hits format as "Houston Radio Platinum."
After the loss of its main transmitter site, due to the sale of the land the array sat upon, KEYH went silent from December 31, 2020, until December 27, 2021. KEYH's previous format, prior to going silent, was Regional Mexican, with sports programming interspersed. KEYH is owned byEstrella Media and upon getting back on in late 2021 temporarily rebroadcast Estrella Media's sister station "La Raza" 98.5 KTJM. However, in early 2022, KEYH began broadcasting classic hits with the branding name "Joe 850". The launch of "Joe 850" made a classic hits comeback to the Houston market.
Under normal operations, KEYH is licensed to broadcast with 10,000watts; becauseAM 850 is aclear-channel frequency reserved for 50,000 wattsClass AKOA inDenver, KEYH was required to reduce power at night to 185 watts. The formertransmitter location was near Denver Miller Road inSugar Land, Texas.[2]
In 1974,KEYH firstsigned on as adaytimer, required to be off the air between sunset and sunrise.[3] It was owned by Artlite Broadcasting and aired anall-news format,affiliated with theMutual Broadcasting System and theAssociated Press. The all-news format did not generate many listeners so talk shows were added.
KEYH's slogan was "The Key to Houston" and featured a long key with the station's 850 dial setting andcall sign featured in itslogo. KEYH struggled to gain footing in the market and began airing Mexican music on weekends while continuing the news/talk format on weekdays. With Houston's growing Mexican-American population, the Spanish-language music featured on the weekends proved popular. By the end of the 1970s, KEYH went full-time Regional Mexican and became a direct competitor to the original Spanish-language station in Houston,AM 1480KLVL.
KEYH has gone through several owners and variations of formats since then, including an incarnation of "La Ranchera" which marked the third time KEYH has used the name (both in conjunction with 101.7 KNTE Bay City and as a standalone). In 2003, Liberman Broadcasting, based inBurbank, California, purchased KEYH for $5.7 million.[4]
From 2018 to 2020, the station aired Spanish-language broadcasts of theMajor League Baseball'sHouston Astros.