North Texas Daily

Editor’s note: This is a developing story.

Jazz will return to radio stations on KNTU FM 88.1 HD2 in late 2022 or early 2023 and is currently available to stream on KNTU.com, Mark Lambert, KNTU programming, news and operations manager told the North Texas Daily Friday.

After being the only jazz-dedicated radio station in the DFW for nearly 50 years, KNTU announced July 29 the station switched to an alternative music format – KNTU 88.1 Indie. The decision to switch KNTU’s format was made after the station saw a decline in listeners, student volunteers and corporate underwriting, Lambert said.

The announcement resulted in criticism and a petition to “bring back jazz.” Texins Jazz Band saxophone player and President Paul Westbrook started the petition and it has garnered nearly 2,600 signatures.

“I’m compiling a list of decision makers at UNT and plan to deliver the petition and comments to them by early next week,” Westbrook said in an announcement on his Change.org petition. “The love for jazz is strong, and I’m hopeful they’ll reverse this abrupt programming change and return jazz to the airwaves in DFW.”

Despite KNTU’s new alternative format, Lambert emphasized the jazz station is still up and running and will return to airwaves once new equipment is installed.

“We failed in this part of the [announcement],” Lambert said. “We did not emphasize [jazz will be streaming on] KNTU.com because we were unveiling this new frequency – but I’m stressing that jazz is not gone.”

KNTU 88.1 Indie is now an independent, non-corporate alternative music radio. The station will play alternative music from the 80s to new releases. Once the radio station’s new equipment is installed in late 2022 or early 2023, KNTU’s jazz station will be available on KNTU FM 88.1 HD2.

“We understand it’s upsetting,” Lambert said. “Yes – we’re at the University of North Texas. Yes – We’ve been jazz for a long time. But we need to look at how to [help] the station grow [and] how to get students back involved. It took making this change. But we hear people and we understand – that’s why it’s so important for people to know it’s at KNTU.com.”

Featured Image: The sign for the Radio, TV, Film & Performing Arts building stands at 1179 Union Circle on August 6, 2022. The building houses the KNTU broadcast studio and radio station. Photo by Matt Iaia