KBBT

KBBT

City of license	Schertz, Texas
Broadcast area	San Antonio, Texas
Branding	"98.5 The Beat"
Slogan	#1 For Hip-Hop and R&B
Frequency	98.5 MHz (also on HD Radio)
First air date	1980 (at 98.3) 2000 (at 98.5)
Format	Rhythmic Contemporary HD2: Top 40
ERP	97,000 watts
HAAT	302 meters
Class	C1
Facility ID	3075
Callsign meaning	K B BeaT
Owner	Univision
Sister stations	KCOR-AM, KGSX, KROM, KXTN Television stations KNIC & KWEX
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	TheBeatSA.com

KBBT is a successful Rhythmic Contemporary radio station owned by Univision in the San Antonio, Texas area. The city of license is Schertz, Texas and operates at 98.5 MHz.

History

KBBT originally launched as country outlet KBOP-FM at 98.3 and licensed to Plesanton, Texas, in 1980. They later changed call letters to KBUC in 1993 but kept the Country format intact. In 1998 Univision, seeking to tap into a unique Hispanic audience that was non-spanish speaking, very contemporary and influenced by present day trends, acquired KBUC and applied for a city of license change to Schertz and a frequency switch to 98.5 to cover the San Antonio Metropolitan area, which was approved in early April 2000. In September 2000, Univision officially launched KBBT, the company's first non-spanish formatted outlet in San Antonio (outside of bilingual-speaking Tejano sister station KXTN and later on, Active Rock turned Top 40 KLTO), where it shot up to number one in the ratings and has retained that position since its inception. The Beat debuted on September 29, 2000.

From the beginning, KBBT's musical formula, which started under its first, PD J. D. Gonzalez, has centered on Hip-Hop/R&B hits, tailor made for San Antonio and in particular its large mix of teens, females, young adults, and bilingual Hispanic audiences. This formula has also served as the catalyst for the demise of the first KTFM, and later on, KCJZ/KPWT. In 2010, it briefly phased in Rhythmic pop tracks, but at the same time continues to stick to its hip-hop/r&b formula as it faces competition from Top 40/CHR rivals KXXM and a new version of KTFM.

Air Staff

The original airstaff consisted of:

• Danny B
• Rude Dogg
• Lady K
• Romeo
• Xavier Garcia
• Dionna in la manana
• Valencia Mathews

Xavier Garcia and Valencia are the only members of the original staff.

HD2

KBBT HD2 is top 40 formatted Party 97.7, formerly on KLTO-FM (now KZAR).

External links

• 98.5 The Beat
• Query the FCC's FM station database for KBBT
• Radio-Locator information on KBBT
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for KBBT