KEYH

KEYH
Houston, Texas;
Broadcast area	Greater Houston
Frequency	850 kHz
Branding	"La Mejor 104.5"
Programming
Format	Regional Mexican
Ownership
Owner	Hector Guevara Ministry Corp.
Sister stations	KJOZ
History
First air date	1974 (51 years ago)
Call sign meaning	The KEY to Houston (original branding)
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	2911
Class	D
Power	Licensed: 10,000 watts day; 185 watts night; Current: 100 watts daytime only; under Special Temporary Authority
Transmitter coordinates	29°39′19″N 95°40′19″W / 29.65528°N 95.67194°W
Translator(s)	104.5 K283CH (Houston)
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Website	lamejordigital.com

KEYH (850 AM) is a commercial radio station in Houston, Texas, under Special Temporary Authority from the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 100 watts from a temporary long-wire antenna, on a tower located in Northline, North Houston. KEYH airs a regional Mexican format as "La Mejor 104.5."

After the loss of its main transmitter site, due to the sale of the land the array sat upon, KEYH went silent from December 31, 2020, until December 27, 2021. KEYH's previous format, prior to going silent, was Regional Mexican, with sports programming interspersed. KEYH was previously owned by Estrella Media and upon getting back on in late 2021 temporarily rebroadcast Estrella Media's sister station "La Raza" 98.5 KTJM. However, in early 2022, KEYH began broadcasting classic hits with the branding name "Joe 850". The launch of "Joe 850" made a classic hits comeback to the Houston market.

Under normal operations, KEYH is licensed to broadcast with 10,000 watts; because AM 850 is a clear-channel frequency reserved for 50,000 watts Class A KOA in Denver, KEYH was required to reduce power at night to 185 watts. The former transmitter location was near Denver Miller Road in Sugar Land, Texas.^[2]

History

In 1974, KEYH first signed on as a daytimer, required to be off the air between sunset and sunrise.^[3] It was owned by Artlite Broadcasting and aired an all-news format, affiliated with the Mutual Broadcasting System and the Associated Press. The all-news format did not generate many listeners so talk shows were added.

KEYH's slogan was "The Key to Houston" and featured a long key with the station's 850 dial setting and call sign featured in its logo. KEYH struggled to gain footing in the market and began airing Mexican music on weekends while continuing the news/talk format on weekdays. With Houston's growing Mexican-American population, the Spanish-language music featured on the weekends proved popular. By the end of the 1970s, KEYH went full-time Regional Mexican and became a direct competitor to the original Spanish-language station in Houston, AM 1480 KLVL.

KEYH has gone through several owners and variations of formats since then, including an incarnation of "La Ranchera" which marked the third time KEYH has used the name (both in conjunction with 101.7 KNTE Bay City and as a standalone). In 2003, Liberman Broadcasting, based in Burbank, California, purchased KEYH for $5.7 million.^[4]

From 2018 to 2020, the station aired Spanish-language broadcasts of the Major League Baseball's Houston Astros.

After the loss of its main transmitter site, due to the sale of the land the array sat upon, KEYH went silent from December 31, 2020, until December 27, 2021. KEYH's previous format, prior to going silent, was Regional Mexican, with sports programming interspersed. KEYH upon getting back on in late 2021 temporarily rebroadcast Estrella Media's sister station "La Raza" 98.5 KTJM. However, in early 2022, KEYH began broadcasting classic hits with the branding name "Joe 850". The launch of "Joe 850" made a classic hits comeback to the Houston market.

In October 2022, KEYH rebranded as "Houston Radio Platinum".

In January 2024, Hector Guevara Ministry Corp. begun operating KEYH via LMA and began airing a Spanish Christian format under the "La Nueva" brand.

In March 2024, Hector Guervara Ministry Corp. filed to purchase KEYH and the sale was consummated on June 6, 2024.

In September 2024, KEYH switched to a South Asian format under the branding "Radio Dabang 99.5", relayed by 99.5 translators K258BZ in Sugar Land and K258DA in Houston.

In March 2025, KEYH switched to Regional Mexican under the branding "La Mejor 104.5", relayed by translator K283CH on 104.5 in Houston.

References

^ "Facility Technical Data for KEYH". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
^ Radio-Locator.com/KEYH
^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-206
^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010 page D-529

External links

Facility details for Facility ID 2911 (KEYH) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
KEYH in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
FCC History Cards for KEYH

[1] "Facility Technical Data for KEYH". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.

[2] Radio-Locator.com/KEYH

[3] Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-206

[4] Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010 page D-529

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[3]

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v t e Spanish-language radio stations in the state of Texas
Stations	KABA – Louise KAIQ – Wolfforth KAJE - Ingleside KAMA – El Paso KAMA-FM – Deer Park KBDR – Mirando City KBEX - Dalhart KBIB – Marion KBIC – Raymondville KBNA-FM – El Paso KBNL – Laredo KBNR – Brownsville KBOC – Bridgeport KBRZ-FM – Victoria KBZO - Lubbock KCHX – Odessa KCOT – Cotulla KCZO – Carrizo Springs KDFM – Falfurrias KDFT – Ferris KDRN – Del Rio KDXX – Lewisville KEPI – Eagle Pass KEPX – Eagle Pass KESS-FM – Benbrook KEWP – Uvalde Estates KEYH – Houston KFLC – Fort Worth KFTG – Pasadena KFZO – Denton KGBT-FM – McAllen KGFZ - Burke KGSR - Cedar Park KGVL – Greenville KHFZ – Pittsburgh KHRO – El Paso KHVU – Houston KIBL – Beeville KINE – Kingsville KINT – El Paso KIRT – Mission KJOZ - Conroe KLAR – Laredo KLAT – Houston KLBD – Premont KLDS – Falfurrias KLEY-FM – Jourdanton KLFZ – Jacksonville KLIT – Ranchitos Las Lomas KLJA – Georgetown KLOL – Houston KLQB – Taylor KLTD - Temple KLTN – Houston KLVL – Pasadena KLZT – Bastrop KMFR – Pearsall KMVK – Fort Worth KMXO – Merkel KMYO - Comfort KNOR – Krum KNTE – Bay City KNVO-FM – Port Isabel KOIR – Edinburg KOKE-FM - Thorndale KOPY - Alice KOVE-FM – Galveston KOYE – Frankston KPCO-FM – Cooper KPMB – Plainview KQBO – Rio Grande City KQFX - Borger/Amarillo KQLM – Odessa KQQK – Beaumont KQUE – Houston KRCM – Shenandoah KRGE – Weslaco KRGC – Rio Grande City KRIO – McAllen KRIO-FM – Roma KROB – Robstown KROI - Seabrook/Houston KROM – San Antonio KRVA – Cockrell Hill KSAH – Universal City KSAH-FM – Pearsall KSJT-FM – San Angelo KSML-FM – Huntington KSTV – Stephenville KSVE – El Paso KTAE - Elgin KTAM – Bryan KTJM – Port Arthur KTLH – Hallsville KTNO – Plano KTNZ – Amarillo KTXO - Goldsmith KTXX-FM - Bee Cave KTXZ – West Lake Hills KTYR – Trinity KUBR – San Juan KUNO – Corpus Christi KVER – El Paso KVFM – Beeville KVIV – El Paso KVJM – Hearne KVJY – Pharr KVOZ – Del Mar Hills KVUD – Bay City KVUJ – Lake Jackson KVVO-LP – Abilene KVVT – Sulphur Springs KWBT – Waco KWEL – Midland KWMF – Pleasanton KWOW – Clifton KWRA-LP – Waco KXBJ – El Campo KXOI – Crane KXTN – San Antonio KXVR-LP – Corpus Christi KXZX-LP – Juilliard KXZY-LP – Waco KYLP-LP – Greenville KYST – Texas City KYWW – Harlingen KZAM – Pleasant Valley KZDC – San Antonio KZEP-FM - San Antonio KZIP - Amarillo KZNX – Creedmoor KZZA – Muenster
Defunct	KERB-FM – Kermit KJNZ – Hereford KJOJ-FM – Freeport KMUL – Farwell KOZA – Odessa KPDB – Big Lake KXPL – El Paso
See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in Texas See also Classical Jazz Religious Spanish Smooth Jazz Other