UNT Announces new Deal with 95.3 KHYI FM (The Range)

[Harry]

DENTON, Texas - The Mean Green Radio Network and KHYI 95.3 The Range have reached an agreement on a new five-year contract to air all North Texas football and men's basketball games. The new contract begins with the 2012 football season and KHYI The Range will serve as the commercial flagship station for North Texas through the 2017 football and men's basketball season.

"This collaboration with KHYI is an exciting new partnership for our Mean Green Radio Network," said Deputy Athletic Director Hank Dickenson. "Not only does 95.3 FM have the reach that will satisfy our core listenership, it also offers a format and a marketing platform that we are anxious to take advantage of. This is truly a win-win situation for the MGRN. We are blessed to be able to continue our longstanding connection with KNTU 88.1 as our technical flagship station as well."

Read more: http://www.meangreensports.com//ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1800&ATCLID=205416798

[MeanGreenDan]

Read more: http://www.meangreensports.com//ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1800&ATCLID=205416798

Replaces 100.7?

[Harry]

It appears so. Perhaps one of our radio gurus could identify the increase in range that they reference in the article. Right off the bat I like that they are moving from a Christian station to Country because it should attract more listeners. Just from a pure marketing standpoint it seems to make more sense for a sports program. I'm not a big country fan - could anyone that listens to country let us know if this station is popular?

[Mean Green 93-98]

I really don't think 95.3 has anywhere near the signal strength of 100.7. I can pick up 100.7 by about Mt. Vernon and still get it a long way west of Fort Worth. Unless it's changed recently, 95.3 is gone before I ever get to Fort Worth.

[UNTcrazy727]

There are times where I struggled to pick up The Range in Denton. I stopped listening to to the station due to the overall poor reception. Maybe it's gotten better? Anyone know?

[SilverEagle]

I'm not a country fan either, but I've always thought that, even though football is a religion in Texas, it was real strange for Mean Green sports to be on a religious station.

Sports on a country station makes much more sense.

[NorthTexan95]

As long as their internet broadcast is good I'll be fine. However, if they can get their signal all the way to Richmond, VA I'll be even more happy.

[LongJim]

It appears they have a 100K signal, so it's no slouch. However, it appears to broadcast as a rimshot station, which covers areas between major metro locations.

Looks like its main coverage is going to be from Dallas 75 corridor north-ish upwards to Grayson county and beyond, but I'm speculating.

[THOR]

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=KHYI&service=FM&status=L&hours=U

Local Coverage (red): Within this area, you should be able to receive the radio station on almost any radio with moderately good to very good reception.

Distant Coverage (purple): Within this area, the signal of the radio station may be weak unless you have a good car radio or a good stereo with a good antenna. You may not be able to receive the station at all on walkmans or other portable radios.

Fringe Coverage (blue): Within this area, the station's signal will be very weak. You may be able to receive this station if you have a very good radio with a good antenna, but it's possible that interference from other stations may prevent you from picking up these stations at all.

after all these years, i still can't insert an image...so follow the link to see the pic

[Mean Green 93-98]

Thanks for the link, Thor. Here's the image:

By the way, here is the coverage map for our former partner, KWRD:

It looks like we're losing quite a bit of coverage area in this change.

Edited April 20, 2012 by Mean Green 93-98

[kalebschumann]

Everything still going to be on 88.1?

[UNT 90 Grad]

I'm not a country fan either, but I've always thought that, even though football is a religion in Texas, it was real strange for Mean Green sports to be on a religious station.

Sports on a country station makes much more sense.

I suppose Hank and George can start operating a little more blue.

[meangreenbob]

I really don't think 95.3 has anywhere near the signal strength of 100.7. I can pick up 100.7 by about Mt. Vernon and still get it a long way west of Fort Worth. Unless it's changed recently, 95.3 is gone before I ever get to Fort Worth.

Agree. If and when I wanted to listen to country I would listen to 95.3 over the other country stations. They played a lot of original music as well as some of all the other country styles out there. You just had to pick the time of day. However, the signal strength became so bad I quit listening some time ago.

Either 95.3 has approval to increase their signal strength or someone is pulling our legs. I live in Plano. I would very much like to know the truth. Are we leaving the Dallas Market and concentrating on more of the country communities around Denton and if so why?

And Harry, I know and agree with you about the Christian vs Country music and the type and size of their respective markets as far as listeners go but it does sound kinda bad anyway. LOL

Edited April 20, 2012 by meangreenbob

[Harry]

Everything still going to be on 88.1?

yes it will.

[foutsrouts]

Not great for me. Definitely looks like we're losing quite a bit of coverage. On the way to the Houston area, I've stopped several times at a hilly picnic area near Centerville and caught Mean Green games on 100.7. Doesn't 100.7 also broadcast out of Longview?

[bstnsportsfan3]

95.3 is the 3rd country station in a 3 station town...99.5 the wolf and 96.3 kscs are still way ahead of 95.3 But, i dont think this is a bad move and should bring us more listeners then the word ever did.

[Charlie NT 73]

I love country music, and I listen to the 'Wolf" KPLX 99.5 FM and KSCS 96.3 FM.

I have never heard of KHYI FM 95.3.

I live in Grand Prairie. I always had fair FM reception for KNTU 88.1, while the Word 100.7

would come in sharp and clear.

I will test 95.3 for recpeption on the car radio and the radio at home this afternoon.

I would like to know more about the "UNT Radio Network"

The only radio network I know is 88.1 and 100.7.

Are there other radio stations arcoss the state that carrrier NT football and basketball games?

Where are the other stations in the UNT Radio Network located?

[Mean Green 93-98]

Doesn't 100.7 also broadcast out of Longview?

I think it's an AM broadcast out of Henderson (near Tyler and Longview).

I would like to know more about the "UNT Radio Network"

The only radio network I know is 88.1 and 100.7.

Are there other radio stations arcoss the state that carrrier NT football and basketball games?

Where are the other stations in the UNT Radio Network located?

I'm pretty sure that's it. There used to be a station out of Conroe, but I think they dropped us several years ago.

[GrandGreen]

Going to miss the sermons and sports combo.

Seriously, I wonder why NT would go with less coverage area; maybe the Word didn't want to continue the affiliation.

[Charlie NT 73]

Our UNT Radio Network is one FM station based in Howe Tx, and KNTU?

I guess two stations can create a network.

I do not know how the radio business works, so how can a customer like

UNT, secure more radio stations across the states market areas.

Houston, San Antonio, east Texas and west Texas have many UNT fans too.

How does $MU have their games on 1310, the TICKET ?

[meangreenbob]

95.3 is the 3rd country station in a 3 station town...99.5 the wolf and 96.3 kscs are still way ahead of 95.3 But, i dont think this is a bad move and should bring us more listeners then the word ever did.

I wasn't trying to suggest I thought it was a bad move. In fact, I think it is a great move. Can you amagine all those Decater folks, Gainsville folks and others listening to their country when all a sudden UNT Football comes on. If they listen for just 10 minutes they will be hooked and its those people who are more likely to buy tickets and come to the games.

[meangreenbob]

Just turned on 95.3. Reception isn't too bad in Plano. Maybe they purchased better equipment. I think this was one smart marketing move by our AD.

[SUMG]

Just turned on 95.3. Reception isn't too bad in Plano. Maybe they purchased better equipment. I think this was one smart marketing move by our AD.

Daytime wouldn't be the issue though. It's at night (or sundown) when some stations lower their signal strength. And that's when a lot of our football games are....and almost all of our basketball games.

I listened at lunch....like their music selection.

[Mean Green 93-98]

I wasn't trying to suggest I thought it was a bad move. In fact, I think it is a great move. Can you amagine all those Decater folks, Gainsville folks and others listening to their country when all a sudden UNT Football comes on. If they listen for just 10 minutes they will be hooked and its those people who are more likely to buy tickets and come to the games.

I appreciate your optimism, but I'm a little skeptical. There is no one in KHYI's range who was not also in KWRD's range. And KWRD's range probably covers three times the area of KHYI (geometry is not my strong suit--it might be less, or it might be a whole lot more than that). As for Plano, I would hope you could pick it up there--you're just down the road from their tower. I guess the only way this is a win is if those who listen to KHWI's Americana/Texas singer-songwriter -type country are significantly more likely to get hooked and come to games than those who listen to KWRD's religious programming. I'm not sure who knows that, or how you determine that. But even so, KHYI listeners would have to do so at a much higher rate to makeup for the area lost. And even so, those who are already UNT fans lose out if they were previously in KWRD's coverage area but not KHYI's limited area.

[meangreenbob]

Daytime wouldn't be the issue though. It's at night (or sundown) when some stations lower their signal strength. And that's when a lot of our football games are....and almost all of our basketball games.

I listened at lunch....like their music selection.

Are you saying the signal strength gets worse at night up around Decater and Denton or more the outlying areas?

Right now the quality isn't quite as good as 100.7 in Plano under these weather conditions. It's doable.

Edited April 20, 2012 by meangreenbob