KDPM (FM)

KDPM (92.3 FM) is a terrestrial American radio station, which is currently broadcasting a full service country music format. Licensed to Marshall, Texas, United States, the station serves the Longview-Marshall area. The station is currently owned by 92.3 The Depot LLC.[1]

KDPM
CityMarshall, Texas
Broadcast areaLongview-Marshall area
Frequency92.3 MHz
Branding92.3 The Depot
SloganYour Local Radio Station
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatCountry
AffiliationsCBS News Radio
Ownership
Owner92.3 The Depot LLC
History
First air date
June 8, 1988 (as KEEP)
Former call signs
KEEP (1988–1992)
KCUL-FM (1992–2020)
KPRO (March–May 2020)
KCUL (May–October 2020)
Call sign meaning
DePot Marshall
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID18263
ClassA
ERP5,800 watts
HAAT100 meters (330 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
32°32′26″N 94°24′3″W
Links
Public license information
Profile
LMS
Website92.3thedepot.com

Former owner RCA Broadcasting moved the former KCUL call sign to 1410 AM on October 22, 2019, and reactivated the KCUL AM/FM radio combo temporarily. On March 9, 2020, RCA changed 92.3's longtime KCUL-FM calls to KPRO; the station changed its call sign to KCUL on May 27, 2020. RCA Broadcasting also owns 1370 KFRO in Longview.

On May 31, 2020, KCUL returned to regular broadcasting activities.

History

The facility went on the air on June 6, 1988 as KEEP, and was originally the FM counterpart to 1410 KCUL. The facility's construction permit and subsequent license was originally applied for in 1985. KEEP was initially owned by East Texas Stereo Inc. (Tommy Moore of Shreveport).

In November 1992, the station changed its call sign to KCUL-FM to match the AM sister station.

KCUL-FM was a full service oldies station that served the city of Marshall, Texas. KCUL-FM had completely live on-air talent 24/7. One of the featured programs was the morning swap shop.

In 2000, the long time owner of KCUL AM/FM, East Texas Stereo Inc. sold the combo to Access.1 of New York. The sale coincided with the sale of Cary Kamp's Shreveport, Louisiana cluster to Access.1.

In 2005, KCUL-FM changed from '50s to '70s oldies format to a Regional Mexican format, and became a simulcast of 96.7 KOYE in Frankston, Texas.

In 2013, the FCC forced Access.1 to sell two of its FM stations, so it was decided that KCUL-FM and 92.1 KSYR in Shreveport would be those stations, releasing both of them to Cosecha Communications LLC, as Trustee (a trust), and were intended to be sold at a later date. Due to the eventual sale of the bulk of the Access.1 stations in both East Texas and northwestern Louisiana, Access.1 ended up keeping KCUL-FM and KSYR, and entered into a shared services lease with Alpha Media, which ended in 2019. Alpha had an option to purchase the stations, but couldn't exercise the option due to ownership limits set by the FCC.

On September 2, 2015, Access.1 once again regained ownership of KCUL-FM and KSYR, after the sale of their larger stations to Alpha Media.

At its zenith (from 2005–2013) "La Invasora" was simulcast on 96.7 KOYE in Frankston, 92.1 KSYR in Benton, Louisiana, and 92.3 KCUL-FM Marshall. With the combined coverage area of these three signals, the Regional Mexican format spanned from Malakoff, Texas to Minden, Louisiana, and remained one of the few, if not only, Spanish language format serving several towns in East Texas and northwestern Louisiana.

On November 30, 2015, Access.1 ceased to exist. Access.1's remaining three stations KCUL-FM, KFRO, and KSYR, were folded into A.1 Investco LLC, controlled by Kevin Gunderson the CEO of Gugenheim Capital. [2]

In January 2019, Access.1 decided to divest their remaining three radio stations KCUL-FM Marshall, KSYR Shreveport, and WGYM Hammonton. KSYR was sold first, then KCUL-FM, and WGYM on October 28, 2019, ending Access.1 as a corporation on October 28, 2019.

On June 19, 2019, A.1 Investco filed to sell KCUL-FM to AM 1410 KZEY owner, RCA Broadcasting, LLC., reuniting the former Marshall based AM/FM combo. After 14 years together, KCUL-FM broke simulcast with 92.1 KSYR "La Invasora". The following day, KCUL-FM went silent.

After a nine-month negotiation and lengthy closing, RCA closed on the sale of KCUL-FM October 1, 2019. 92.3 and 1410 KZEY were reunited under one owner.

On October 22, 2019, AM 1410 reacquired the KCUL call sign, and the KCUL AM/FM Marshall radio combo was reunited. This would prove to be temporary, as on March 6, 2020, RCA filed to change KCUL-FM's call sign to KPRO, while still silent, after holding the KCUL-FM set for 28 years. The two stations then swapped call signs on May 27, 2020, putting KCUL (without the suffix) on 92.3 and KPRO on 1410.

When KCUL 92.3 signed back on, 92.3 joined sister station 1370 KFRO, becoming an affiliate of the Galaxy Nostalgia Network. KCUL aires the Galaxy Moonbeam Nitesite, a program of over 300 shows, which targets baby boomers. Galaxy is hosted by Gilbert Smith and Mike Bragg, and is an educational show that covers music, radio, television, movies, and historical events of the 20th century.

Effective October 2, 2020, RCA Broadcasting sold KCUL to 92.3 The Depot LLC for $125,000. The station simultaneously changed its call sign to KDPM. The new ownership has launched a full service format mainly consisting of country music, featuring top of the hour news breaks from CBS News Radio, and focusing its programming directly at Marshall, promoting itself as the local radio station for the city.

References
  1. "KDPM Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  2. "KDPM Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
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