City | Houston, Texas |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Greater Houston |
Branding | Mega 101 |
Slogan | Numero Uno en Exitos |
Frequency | 101.1 MHz (also on HD Radio) 101.1 HD2-KMVK Simulcast) |
First air date | June 30, 1947 (as KTRH-FM) |
Format | Latin Pop |
Language(s) | Spanish |
Audience share | 4.5 (February 2017, Nielsen Audio[1]) |
ERP | 96 kilowatts |
HAAT | 585 m (1,919 ft) |
Class | C |
Facility ID | 35073 |
Transmitter coordinates | 29°34′34″N 95°30′36″W / 29.57611°N 95.51000°W |
Callsign meaning | LOL resembles 101 (lower case l0l) |
Former callsigns | KTRH-FM (1947-1970) |
Owner |
CBS Radio (sale to Entercom pending) (CBS Radio Stations Inc.) |
Sister stations | KHMX, KIKK, KILT, KILT-FM, KKHH |
Webcast | Listen Live |
Website | klol.radio.com rock101klol.com |
KLOL (Mega 101) is a Spanish Pop radio station in Houston, Texas that is owned by CBS Radio. Its transmitter is located in Missouri City, Texas, and its studios are located in Greenway Plaza.
The 101.1 frequency signed on in 1947 as KTRH-FM.
In 1970, "I'm Free" by The Who ushered in a new format and callsign to the 101.1 frequency and "The KLOL Legend" was born. In the early days, KLOL was known as "Mother's Family" and later "K101" and utilized what would be termed a "free form format". The "Mother's Family" name was a reference to KFMK-FM (97.9, now KBXX), Houston's original Progressive Rock radio station, known as "Mother Radio."
A major contributor to the early and ongoing success of KLOL was the laid back perennial DJ Maurice "Crash" Collins. KLOL played a good dose of Rock in the early years, but it was also possible to hear Jazz, Blues, and R&B.
In the mid-1970s the main competition to 101 KLOL was the smaller 96.5 KAUM. KAUM eventually went top 40, leaving KLOL and KILT to battle it out. By the late 1970s KLOL had transformed into a full-fledged AOR (Album-Oriented Rock) station and changed its moniker to 101 KLOL.
KLOL achieved victory in early 1981 against format rival KILT-FM (who changed format to country and remains so to this day). Shortly thereafter, KLOL would have another rival in 97ROCK (KSRR) and one of the fiercest AOR battles of the 1980s commenced. KLOL once again won the battle as KSRR flipped to Top 40 as KKHT in 1986 (now KHMX).
KLOL mellowed somewhat in the 1980s (as did many AORs), but their playlist remained quite wide.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, KLOL was one of the top rated AOR station in the United States. KLOL featured legendary morning men Mark Stevens and Jim Pruett and their "Stevens and Pruett Show," chalking up both high ratings and numerous fines from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Dayna Steele anchored mid-days, and the "Steele-workers" were numerous. And in the evenings it was "Outlaw Radio", an Active Rock show with "a lot of attitude." KLOL was regularly in the Top 3 in that time frame.