iHeartMedia Austin is giving its morning show more airtime. The Morning Kickoff grows by an effective immediately on 1300 The Zone.
What We Know: 1300 The Zone’s The Morning Kickoff with Mike Hardge and Mark Henry now runs 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. weekdays, an hour earlier than before. Hardge and Henry continue as co-hosts, with no change to that pairing. No other lineup local lineup changes were announced; Craig Way and “Bucky & BK” remain in their current afternoon slots. With the shift, the station will only carry two hours of The Dan Patrick Show.
What They Said: Bryan Erickson, Region Program Director for iHeartMedia Austin: “The 2026 college football season just around the corner. This move gives Longhorn fans another hour of the in-depth analysis, big-name interviews and passionate discussion they’ve come to expect from Hardge and Henry.”
What Remains Unclear: With the added hour of local and one less hour of syndication, how listener behavior could shift is unknown.
What It Means: Ultimately, the expansion signals confidence in Hardge and Henry ahead of a marquee Longhorns season. Meanwhile, it reinforces 1300 The Zone’s positioning as Austin’s dedicated home for Texas athletics coverage. As competition for sports-talk listeners intensifies, the extra hour gives the station more inventory for interviews and in-depth analysis during college football’s biggest ramp-up period.
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