KGOW

KGOW
Broadcast areaGreater Houston
Frequency1560 kHz
BrandingViet Radio 1560
Programming
Language(s)Vietnamese
FormatFull service
Ownership
Owner
  • David Gow
  • (Gow Media, LLC)
KFNC
History
First air date
September 1, 1961; 63 years ago (1961-09-01) (as KGUL Port Lavaca)
Former call signs
  • KGUL (1961–1996)
  • KILE (1996–2007)
Call sign meaning
"Gow"
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID17389
ClassB
Power
  • 46,000 watts day
  • 15,000 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
Repeater(s)1480 KNGO (Dallas)
Links
Public license information
Websitevietradio.com

KGOW (1560 AM) is a Vietnamese language terrestrial full service radio station based in Houston, Texas, United States, owned by Gow Media, LLC. KGOW's programming schedule is leased to a third party group that utilizes the broadcast day to air Vietnamese focused programming for southwest Houston, Bellaire, and the areas in southwest Harris County where 1560's signal is strongest. Viet Radio programming is simulcasted on 1480 KNGO Dallas.

The daytime transmitter site is located in Lochridge, Texas, across from Brazos Bend State Park. The nighttime transmitter site is in western Harris County, halfway between Katy, Texas and Hockley, Texas. KGOW used its nighttime authorization at 15 kilowatts full-time, as the 46 kilowatt daytime site was damaged by floodwaters during a flooding event in 2016, then again in Hurricane Harvey. KGOW did not operate on the day power for over one year, authorized by the Federal Communications Commission through a Special Temporary Authority that allows KGOW to operate at reduced power until which time the daytime site could be repaired. This occurred in March 2018.

The studios are located in Uptown Houston one block from The Galleria. The facility originated in Port Lavaca, Texas and began operations in 1961 as KGUL, which remained as such until 1996, when the RAFTT Corporation purchased it and moved the facility into the Houston metropolitan area, licensed to Bellaire.

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KGOW". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.