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| Broadcast area | Greater Austin |
| Frequency | 96.7MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 96-7 KISS-FM |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Format | Contemporary hit radio |
| Subchannels | HD2:1980s hits HD3: Retro (bilingualclassic hits) |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| History | |
First air date | March 1, 1972 (53 years ago) (1972-03-01) |
Former call signs |
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Former frequencies | 96.5 MHz (1987–1989) |
Call sign meaning | Hi-Fi (High fidelity) |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 11948 |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 290 meters (950 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 30°19′19″N97°48′04″W / 30.322°N 97.801°W /30.322; -97.801 |
| Translator | HD2: 103.1 K276EL (Austin) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast |
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| Website | |
KHFI-FM (96.7FM) is a commercial radio station licensed toGeorgetown, Texas, and serving theGreater Austin market. Owned byiHeartMedia, it airs acontemporary hit radio format, branded as "KISS-FM". It shares studios and offices with other iHeart stations in the Penn Field complex in theSouth Congress district (or "SoCo") of south central Austin within walking distance ofSt. Edward's University. It had previously been located in a downtown Austin office building off Barton Springs Road.
KHFI-FM broadcasts with aneffective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, from atransmitter located off Waymaker Way in Austin, amid numerous towers for other FM and TV stations. KHFI-FM broadcasts in theHD Radio format.[3]
96.7 signed on the air from Georgetown as KGTN-FM on March 1, 1972.[4] It was co-owned withKGTN (1530 AM, now KZNX), the town's daytime-only AM station, and broadcast with 3,000 watts,[5] providing nighttime service to extend KGTN's broadcast day.[6]
In 1986, KGTN-AM-FM was sold to Joyner Broadcasting, which owned three stations in Illinois, for $5 million.[7] The next year, Capitol Broadcasting Company ofBirmingham, Alabama, bought the adult contemporary-formatted FM alone and announced plans to move it toward Austin.[8] TheFederal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a power upgrade for the station to 28,500 watts, enough to cover Austin and its close-in suburbs; a new transmitter site was constructed near Sandy Creek atLake Travis and the frequency was changed to 96.5 MHz. The station becameclassic hits-formatted "96.5 The Fox", KQFX.[9][10] Later, the station changed to anoldies format and moved its frequency back to 96.7 MHz in order to avoid interference issues witha Houston station.[11] A final signal upgrade to 100,000 watts was completed at the beginning of 1990.[12]
In May 1990, Joyner reacquired KQFX, along with a station in his home market ofRaleigh, North Carolina, for a total of $13 million.[13] The transaction's timing turned out to be instrumental in determining the future course of 96.7. At the same time, at 98.1 MHz,KHFI-FM (now KVET-FM) was being purchased by Spur Austin. In September, Spur reached a deal—the second ever radiolocal marketing agreement—to simulcastKVET on the 98.1 frequency, displacing contemporary hits outlet KHFI-FM ("K-98"). On September 15, Joyner moved to fire the entire airstaff of the underperforming KQFX and brought the entire airstaff, format and call letters of KHFI-FM to 96.7 MHz, creating "K96.7".[14][15]
In 1992, KHFI dropped the "K96.7" moniker and began calling itself "The New 96.7 KHFI"; at the same time, new owners The Rusk Corporation leased outKBTS (93.3 FM), KHFI's direct competitor, and turned it into KMXX, "Mix 93.3".[16] At the end of that year, KHFI-FM was bought bySan Antonio-basedClear Channel Communications for $3.5 million.[17]
On August 2, 2001, KHFI re-launched as "96.7 KISS-FM"; Clear Channel owns the rights to theKISS-FM brand, which it utilizes for Top 40 stations inLos Angeles,Boston and other cities.[18][19][20] Today, iHeart has the 18-34 year-olddemographic for contemporary music in Austin covered, with KHFI playing mainstream Top 40, whilesister stationKPEZ ("102.3 The Beat") airsrhythmic contemporary music.
In 2002, KHFI became theflagship station forThe Bobby Bones Show,syndicated byPremiere Networks, an iHeartsubsidiary. Bones, based at KHFI's studios, was named "Austin Radio Personality of the Year" for 4 years running.[21][22][23][24] The award is given yearly at the Austin Music Awards. In 2008,The Bobby Bones Show received its first award for "Austin Radio Program of the Year."[24] Also that year, KHFI was named "Austin Radio Station of the Year."[24]
In February 2013,The Bobby Bones Show was relaunched as a country music show. In addition, Bones moved toNashville, making iHeart-ownedWSIX-FM his new flagship station. As a result, Bones' Austinaffiliate became co-ownedKASE-FM.
Bones was replaced on KHFI withElvis Duran and the Morning Show, which is syndicated by Premiere Networks fromWHTZ in New York City. In February 2016, the morning show was changed toThe Billy The Kidd Morning Show, featuring local DJs Billy the Kidd and Anne Hudson as hosts.[25]
In 2024, KHFI-HD2 began broadcastingtranslator station 103.1 K276EL, which airs an1980s hits format branded "103.1 Austin's 80s Station". The station features longtime Austin morning personality Sandy McIlree’s syndicated “The Sandy Show” weekday mornings, hosted by McIlree and his wife Tricia. McIlree is best known for his long run co-hosting mornings on KAMX with JB Hager from 1995 to 2013.[26] 103.1 K276EL was originally broadcast on the HD2 sub-channel of sister stationKVET-FM.
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | HAAT | Class | Transmitter coordinates | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K276EL | 103.1 FM | Austin, Texas | 140611 | 250 | 364.8 m (1,197 ft) | D | 30°19′24″N97°48′00″W / 30.32333°N 97.80000°W /30.32333; -97.80000 | LMS |