Kbec Studios

What Kbec Studios does

Kbec Studios, operating as Hometown Radio KBEC, is a privately held AM/FM broadcast radio station founded on June 26, 1955, in Waxahachie, Texas, and serving Ellis County under the licensee Faye & Richard Tuck, Inc. The station broadcasts on 1390 AM and 99.1 FM (via FM translator K256DE), with programming centered on classic country music (primarily 1970s–1990s), hyperlocal news, weather, community event coverage, and extensive sports broadcasting of the Waxahachie Indians. Technical infrastructure includes traditional over-the-air broadcast, online live streaming through the LinkedUpRadio platform, a website built on Envisionwise technology, native iOS and Android mobile applications, an Amazon Alexa skill, and on-demand podcast distribution for flagship shows such as Waxahachie Indians Sports, The Press Box, and Polka Party.

The business generates revenue exclusively through local advertising sales, including traditional airtime and live remote broadcasts at local events and businesses, with no published rate card and all sales routed through a single Sales Director. The customer base is segmented into two groups: Ellis County, Texas residents (listeners consuming hyperlocal content) and local SMBs in Ellis County purchasing advertising to reach that audience. Distribution is regional for the broadcast signal and global for the digital streams, but the commercial footprint remains concentrated in Ellis County.

The station was purchased in 2022 by Jon and Alyssa Garrett, who also own The Historic Texas Theater, marking the end of nearly 70 years of continuous Tuck family ownership while retaining long-tenured General Manager Ken Roberts (since 1980). The FCC transfer of control was filed on April 26, 2022, for both the 1390 kHz and 99.1 MHz assets. The business is privately held with no funding history, no disclosed headcount, and no public revenue figures, operating today with a small team of on-air personalities and a tightly localized advertising motion.

Name

Kbec Studios

Legal name

Faye & Richard Tuck, Inc.

Website

https://kbec.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kbec Studios operates Hometown Radio KBEC, a privately held AM/FM community radio station in Waxahachie, Texas, broadcasting on 1390 AM and 99.1 FM to deliver local news, Waxahachie Indians sports coverage, classic country music, and advertising services to SMBs in Ellis County across broadcast, streaming, mobile, and Alexa channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains) (MPABACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local News & Weather Stations (MPABACAJ), Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE)

Keywords

• Community radio broadcasting
• Local news coverage
• Country music programming
• Local sports broadcasting
• Radio advertising sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Waxahachie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Radio Advertising Sales: KBEC generates revenue primarily through selling advertising airtime to local businesses in Ellis County. The station offers traditional radio commercials as well as live remote broadcast integrations at local events and businesses. The station's advertising page emphasizes the nearly 70-year community presence, trusted local personalities, and broad reach across multiple platforms (1390 AM, 99.1 FM, online streaming, Alexa, mobile app). Barry Wolverton serves as Sales Director and can be contacted directly at 469-569-2739 for advertising inquiries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KBEC is a community radio station that broadcasts over-the-air on 1390 AM and 99.1 FM, streams live online, and distributes via iOS/Android apps and an Alexa skill, delivering hyperlocal news, Ellis County sports coverage, classic country music, weather, community event programming, and advertising services to local Ellis County, Texas businesses. Programming features long-tenured on-air personalities and the iconic Flea Market buy/sell/trade show.

Product overview

Hometown Radio KBEC operates as a local radio station with a multi-platform distribution model. The core offering is its AM/FM radio broadcast on 99.1 FM and 1390 AM, supplemented by live online streaming and the KBEC Mobile App for iOS and Android. Programming includes live shows (The Coffee Cup with Ken, The Jeremy Show, Barry Wolverton afternoons), specialty podcasts (Waxahachie Indians Sports, The Press Box, Polka Party), local news, and sports coverage. The station also offers advertising services to local businesses through its various distribution channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hometown Radio KBEC (AM/FM/Streaming) Local radio station serving Ellis County, Texas, broadcasting on 99.1 FM and 1390 AM with live streaming online, providing local news, sports coverage, weather, community event programming, and classic country music spanning the 1970s-1990s to listeners throughout Ellis County and worldwide via streaming.
• KBEC Mobile App Native mobile application for iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play) that enables live streaming of KBEC programming, access to local news updates, and interactive features during live shows for Ellis County listeners and KBEC fans worldwide.
• The Press Box (Podcast) Weekly sports talk podcast covering Ellis County high school and community sports, hosted by Chad Hicks, Mike Fay, and David Van Zandt, with archived on-demand episodes available via the station website and RSS feed.
• Waxahachie Indians Sports (Podcast) Flagship KBEC sports podcast covering Waxahachie high school athletics including football, basketball, baseball, and softball, featuring legendary broadcaster Ken Roberts, available on-demand via the station website and podcast RSS feed.
• Polka Party (Podcast) Sunday morning polka music podcast hosted by Danny Zapletal of Ennis, Texas, airing from 9-11 AM, preserving the polka music tradition and available on-demand via the station website.
• Advertising Services Local business advertising offerings including traditional radio commercials and live remote broadcast integrations at local events and Ellis County businesses, delivered across AM, FM, online streaming, Alexa, and mobile app platforms, sold directly by the station's Sales Director.

Quantifiable outcome

• Longest family-owned radio station in Texas, operating since 1955
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Historic Texas TheatercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Jon and Alyssa Garrett, who purchased KBEC in 2022, also own The Historic Texas Theater in Waxahachie. Both institutions are described as two of Waxahachie's most cherished institutions. The Garrett family stewardship connects the radio station with live music, local talent, family entertainment, and cultural celebrations, representing a strategic integration of media and live entertainment under unified local ownership.
• Texas RV RoofminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTexas RV Roof is a sponsor of the Waxahachie Indians Sports podcast, a flagship sports program on KBEC. The sponsorship appears on the podcast page as a supporter of Waxahachie Indians Athletics, representing a marketing partnership where Texas RV Roof receives branding visibility on a popular local sports podcast in exchange for supporting local athletics.
• City of WaxahachieminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe City of Waxahachie sponsors the 'Listen Live' page on KBEC's website, indicating a marketing partnership where the city receives visibility on the station's primary listenership platform in exchange for sponsorship support.
• LinkedUpRadiocoreTechnology or IntegrationKBEC operates its internet radio infrastructure on the LinkedUpRadio platform (linkedupradio.com). The station website carries the LinkedUpRadio branding, indicating the platform provides the technological backbone for online streaming and digital distribution of KBEC's radio content.
• EnvisionwisecoreTechnology or IntegrationKBEC's website is built on Envisionwise technology (envisionwise.com), as indicated by the website footer. Envisionwise provides web services and technology infrastructure powering the station's digital presence, website functionality, and online listener experience.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Emmis Communications: Owns and operates local radio stations in major U.S. markets, with a focus on local content and community engagement. Comparable business model to KBEC but at much larger scale.
• Audacy: Operates a large portfolio of AM/FM stations plus the Audacy digital streaming platform. Operates in the same broadcast radio + digital advertising space as KBEC, though at national scale.
• Salem Communications: Operates local radio stations with conservative/talk/religious formats plus digital properties. Comparable to KBEC as a local radio operator monetizing niche/community audience loyalty through advertising.
• Cumulus Media: Major U.S. radio station operator with a portfolio spanning small to large markets, plus the Westwood One network. Comparable business model (local advertising + content syndication) at much greater scale than KBEC.
• iHeartMedia: Largest U.S. radio operator with thousands of stations plus the iHeartRadio digital platform. While much larger and national in scope, it competes for the same local advertiser dollars and faces the same AM/FM secular pressures as KBEC.
• Bonneville International: Operates local radio stations in major U.S. markets with an emphasis on news, talk, and community-relevant programming. Comparable local-radio operating model to KBEC, though at much greater scale.

Direct peers

• Saga Communications: Operates local radio stations in small and mid-sized U.S. markets with a focus on local news, sports, and community programming. Comparable in scale, market profile, and content strategy to KBEC.
• Townsquare Media: Owns and operates a portfolio of local radio stations concentrated in small and mid-sized markets across the U.S., with a focus on local content, live events, and digital extensions. Highly comparable to KBEC's model of community-rooted local radio with advertising-driven revenue.
• Midwest Communications: Family-owned operator of local AM/FM radio stations in small and mid-sized Midwest markets with deep community ties and local content focus. Directly comparable in business model and market profile to KBEC.

Others

• LinkedUpRadio: Internet radio technology platform that powers KBEC's online streaming infrastructure (KBEC's website is built on this platform). Functions as a technology partner/enabler for small-market local stations rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/1390KBEC
• Facebookfacebook.com/HometownRadioKBEC
• Instagraminstagram.com/hometownradiokbec
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kbec

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kbec Studios