KHHT

Infobox Radio station


name = KHHT
airdate = 1989
frequency = 92.3 (MHz) HD Radio
city = Los Angeles, California
area =
format = KHHT: Rhythmic AC
KHHT-HD2: Slow Jams
owner = Clear Channel Broadcasting
erp = 43,000 watts
haat = 887 meters
former_callsigns = KKBT, KCMG, KFAC
branding = "Hot 92.3"
slogan = "Old School and R&B"
class = B
webcast = [http://www.hot923.com/cc-common/streaming_new/ Listen Live]
website = http://www.hot923.com/
callsign_meaning = K H HOT 92.3
sister_stations = KBIG, KFI, KIIS, KLAC, KOST, KTLK, KYSR

KHHT (92.3 FM "Hot 92.3") is a radio station licensed to Los Angeles, California, USA with an Rhythmic AC musical format. It is owned by Clear Channel Broadcasting.

History

92.3 began as KFAC and played classical music. In 1989 the station was sold to Evergreen and renamed a rhythmic contemporary hits station KKBT, "92.3 The Beat". Initially September 1989, the station offered a blend of adult rock, dance music, and adult contemporary. The format failed miserably and by 1990 the adult rock cuts were gone. The station moved toward a rhythmic AC format playing a blend of disco, soft pop hits, current R&B and oldies. The station still did not do well and by summer 1990, it evolved to a strictly urban AC station. By 1991, rap and hip-hop were being mixed in and the station evolved to an Urban Contemporary format.

As an urban contemporary station, "92.3 the Beat", hit #1 a few times in the ratings. They competed aggressively with a Hip Hop station on the 105.9 frequency, KPWR (which evolved from dance/urban CHR). During the time the station featured many popular DJs and hosts including John London and the House Party, a popular morning show which competed with other top local shows like Mark and Brian on KLOS and Rick Dees on KIIS, Theo Mizuhara, Eric Cubiche, and Nautica De La Cruz, along with Dr. Dre and the World Class Wreckin' Crew. Other shows included Westside Radio, a weekly radio program dedicated to West Coast Hip-Hop, which now airs on KDAY and Street Science, a weekly program dedicated to community issues and politics. The stations slogan was "No Color Lines," proudly championing the diversity of the region. It is believed that 92.3 the Beat was inspired by KDAY, the first hip-hop station in the area.

In a group deal in 1997 Evergreen merged with Chancellor. Chancellor acquired stations from other groups that exited the market. In 1999 Chancellor would merge with Capstar and the company became AMFM, Incorporated.

In the fall of 1999, Clear Channel Broadcasting and AMFM Inc. merged. This gave Clear Channel the 5 FM stations in LA as well as KIIS which Clear Channel already owned. However, in order to get under the government-mandated market ownership limits, some stations were required to be spun off. One of the full powered FMs in Los Angeles had to go. KKBT's intellectual unit was the station chosen; it was sold off to Radio One. However, Clear Channel wanted to keep the best possible signal and gave Radio One 100.3 FM. Radio One then moved KKBT's format to 100.3. Leading up to the frequency swap, rumors swirled about whether 100.3's format would survive the move to 92.3 FM. Being 100.3 was going to an African American owned company known for urban formats it seemed that "The Beat" would likely move to 100.3 intact. Much speculation led to 92.3 going active rock, possibly with the KMET calls. When the switch was made on June 30, 2000, the formats did come along for the ride with 92.3 becoming "Mega 92.3" and 100.3 becoming "100.3 the Beat".

Initially, the station, now called KHHT, played Rhythmic Oldies on 92.3 but by 2001 evolved to more of an urban oldies format and then to an urban AC format by 2002. But KHHT is not a typical Urban AC station; this station was one of the first Urban AC's to play more old school/classic soul, the more mainstream-level R&B currently out (barely-to-not playing Neo-soul at all) and some rhythmic and Latino pop/R&B songs to cater to the Hispanic and Asian audiences that listen to R&B music in particular. In this way, KHHT's playlist structure was the inspiration for other Urban AC markets in the western half of the U.S. such as sister stations in San Francisco, Albuquerque and Sacramento. [http://web.yes.com/?q=KHHT]

KHHT was one of three urban ACs serving the Los Angeles market. The others were KRBV, (formerly KKBT, which flipped from R&B/hip-hop in May 2006 but was sold by Radio One to Boneville International in April 2008) and KJLH, whose signal is not full-power and barely penetrates the San Fernando Valley. In July 2006, it was announced that Art Laboe, a legendary oldies DJ in Los Angeles, would expand his syndicated show from weekend to weekdays, with KHHT as the flagship station. Laboe's move was interpreted as an attempt to expand the station's Hispanic audience as it competeted with KRBV and KJLH, both of which were Black owned, operated and targeting stations(Only KJLH remains black owned)

However, by 2008 it became apparent that the oversaturation of Adult R&B stations in Los Angeles has made it difficult for three outlets to compete for the same audience. As a result of this, KHHT began to shift directions from an Urban AC direction to Rhythmic Hot AC, allowing them to focus more on the Hispanic and Asian audience. They also opened up their playlist to include current Rhythmic hits. This move also opens up a new battle in the Los Angeles radio war, which finds KHHT now taking on another Rhythmic AC, KMVN, whose direction is more focused on recurrents from the 1970s and 1980s, which could also explain KHHT's decision to add currents to its playlist. It should be noted that KHHT's sister station KBIG once had a Rhythmic AC direction before shifting back to Hot AC in September 2007. The recent sale/format change of KRBV would've resulted in further tweakings at KHHT, but due to Arbitron's implementation of the PPM in the Los Angeles radio market and a move by its sister stations to adjust their formats to attract certain demos, KHHT has decided to continue concentrating on attracting their Hispanic demos, where they feel more comfortable [ [http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-arbitron12-2008aug12,0,1606327.story Radio will get meter readings] From Los Angeles Times (August 12, 2008)] .

The station recently renamed itself "Hot 92.3" from "Hot 92 Jamz".

92.3 in Los Angeles was mentioned in Tupac Shakur's song "To Live and Die in L.A.".

KHHT-HD2

On January 23, 2006, KHHT relaunched its former Rhythmic Oldies format on its HD2 subcarrier. On December 29th, 2007, the HD-2 shifted to an all Slow Jamz format, playing quiet storm music from artists such as Anita Baker, Tank, Jaheim, and Boyz II Men. It is also staffed by many KHHT jocks including Lisa St Regis, Kevin Slow Jamming James, and Al B Sure.

Awards

The station was one of 10 stations awarded the 2007 Crystal Radio Award for public service awarded by the National Association of Broadcasters.cite web |work=National Association of Broadcasters |title=NAB Announces Crystal Radio Awards Winners |date=2007-04-17 |url=http://www.nab.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search&template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=8638] Winners were honored at the Radio Luncheon on April 17, 2007, during the NAB Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

References

External links

* [http://www.hot923.com/ Hot 92.3 KHHT official website]
*FMQ|KHHT
*FML|KHHT
*FMARB|KHHT