KCOH

KCOH (1230 AM) is a radio station in Houston, Texas. The station's branding is "La Ranchera" and broadcasts a Regional Mexican format. The station formerly aired an Urban Oldies format, continued from its long history at 1430kHz under a LMA to the Dunn organization that provided the programming for 1230. Under Liberman's programming control, it has been "Radio Ranchito" and "La Ranchera", both ultilizing a Regional Mexican music format.

History

The radio station began in 1948 when KTHT (now KBME) vacated this frequency for a stronger signal at 790 kHz. Under the KNUZ callsign, it was a Top40 formatted station through the 1960s, competing with KILT (AM) but eventually Houston outgrew 1230's signal coverage and KILT won the battle in the early 70s. KNUZ then switched to a country format until owner Dave Morris sold the station along with its sister FM, KQUE on 102.9.

In 1998, the callsign KQUE was moved to 1230 and the KNUZ callsign was assigned to AM 1090 in Bellville, Texas.

After the longtime Standards and Big Band format was folded, KQUE became part of a quadcast with KTJM 98.5 "Houston's Jammin Hits" from May 2001 to July 2001 along with 880 AM, and 103.3 FM. "Jammin Hit's up and down the dial" was its moniker. 1230 KQUE then dropped from the quadcast and began 1230 a simulcast of classic rock KKRW 93.7 "The Arrow". During a short period, after the FM/AM pair were sold by original owner Dave Morris to Clear Channel, 1230 was used to continue the MOR standards format previously on their 102.9 counterpart during the ownership days of SFX Broadcasting Corporation which took over ABC radio affiliate KNUZ "K-News" News/Opinion. This resulted in 1230 abandoning the KNUZ calls it had used since its inception, and took the calls out of the City that had long been associated with them. The KNUZ callsign had also been used on Channel 39 (Channel 39 frequency now occupied by KIAH).