KGSR

KLEN-FM and KIXS-FM

The station signed on in August 1961 as KLEN-FM, owned by Highlite Broadcasting.^[3] Its original city of license was Killeen, Texas, and it served the Fort Hood area. It broadcast at only 760 watts, a small fraction of its current power. KLEN-FM was co-owned with AM 1050 KLEN (now KRMY). Because KLEN was a daytimer, KLEN-FM simulcast its programming by day and allowed listeners to hear the station at night after the AM transmitter had signed off.

In the early 1980s, the two stations switched to a Top 40 format, switching call signs to KIXS and KIXS-FM. In 1986 the two stations were acquired by Duffy Broadcasting which asked the FCC for a major power increase for the FM station.

Top 40 and Smooth Jazz

In 1986, KIXS-FM upgraded its signal to 100,000 watts, allowing it to "move in" to the more lucrative Austin radio market while still covering Killeen.^[4] It relaunched its Top 40 format with the new call sign KBTS "B93." It was an immediate success. But a merger four years later brought B93 into common ownership with competing top 40 station KHFI. So management switched the station to a hot adult contemporary sound as KMMX.

In 1993, the station was bought by LBJ, Inc. for $2.5 million.^[5] The company was owned by the family of former President Lyndon Baines Johnson and also owned KLBJ (AM) and KLBJ-FM. The station tried an All-1970s hits format as KHHT.

That was followed in 1996 by KAJZ playing smooth jazz. Two years later, the station tried country music as KLNC.

Rhythmic KXMG and KDHT

By 2001, the station tried to appeal to Austin's growing Hispanic community with a rhythmic contemporary format as KXMG, known as Mega 93.3. It was also at this time that the city of license changed to Cedar Park.^[6] Its tower was moved closer to Austin, located in Bertram.

In 2003, the Indianapolis-based Emmis Corporation acquired KXMG, along with KLBJ-AM-FM, when the Johnson Family decided to sell off its broadcasting properties. KXMG's rhythmic format remained but the call letters were changed to KDHT, as Hot 93.3.

Adult Alternative KGSR

Logo as KGSR, 2009-18

On November 17, 2009, KDHT began stunting, leading to speculation that it would flip to a talk radio format. However, on November 20, 2009, Emmis revealed that the adult album alternative format heard on 107.1 KGSR in Bastrop would move to the more powerful signal on 93.3. The two stations simulcast for a 10-day period until December 1, when KGSR's former 107.1 FM signal switched to a Regional Mexican music format as KLZT.

On December 13, 2010, KGSR began simulcasting on FM translator K274AX 102.7 FM. This lasted until October 20, 2011, when K274AX switched to a comedy radio format, relaying KGSR-HD3. The comedy format proved to be quite successful in the Austin Arbitron ratings, peaking with a 3.8 share. Its believed to be the highest-rated HD Radio-fed FM translator station in the United States.

On May 30, 2013, K274AX began relaying KLZT-HD2's Spanish-language hits format as Latino 102.7.^[7] KGSR-HD3 now airs a heavy metal music format based on sister station 101X's weekly specialty show No Control Radio.

Austin City Limits Radio

On September 5, 2018, KGSR began promoting a major announcement to come at 5:00 p.m. the following day. At the same time, Sinclair Media (which owns 49% of the Emmis Austin cluster) closed on its purchase of translator 97.1 K246BD and began simulcasting KGSR on that frequency.^[8]

On September 6, the two stations re-launched as Austin City Limits Radio, co-branded with the Austin City Limits television series and music festival under a multi-year licensing agreement. The station shifted to an "aesthetic" focus on musicians associated with the television series and festival rather than falling within a strictly-defined format, with a broad mix of music that can range from Americana and country music, to alternative and classic rock, as well as contemporary hip-hop music and world music.^[9] The first song played under the new branding was Willie Nelson's recording of "Whiskey River", which was also the first song performed during the pilot episode of the Austin City Limits television series.^[10][11]

Tom Gimbel, general manager of the Austin City Limits program, stated that the new format reflected the listening habits associated with online music streaming platforms, explaining that "people are not tying themselves to Triple A or hip-hop or rock or country. They're all over the map. I think we're going to see a lot of people in Austin listening the same way."^[10][11][9]

Current

• Forrest Griffen
• Andy Langer
• Loris Lowe
• Emily McIntosh
• Chris Mosser
• Kelly Stocker
• LV

Former

• Bryan Beck
• Jody Denberg
• Nancy Holt
• Haley Jones
• Kelly Jordan
• John Laird
• Kristen Kurtis
• Barbara Jo Skorude