Waterloo Media’s sale of 93.3 KGSR to Norsan Media is imminent. Meanwhile, the station’s legacy AAA brand relaunches as Radio Austin on 103.5 KBPA-HD3.
What We Know: The iconic AAA format debuted on 107.1 KGSR Bastrop back in 1991. Later, it migrated to 93.3 in 2009 as the brand expanded regionally. Subsequently, an Austin City Limits Festival partnership sparked a major rebrand in September 2018. Then the format landed on 97.1 K246BD/KGSR-HD2 in March 2019 before ultimately relocating to its current HD home in August 2024.
What’s at Stake: The Waterloo Media sale fundamentally reshapes Austin’s radio landscape and ownership. Norsan Media now controls one of Texas’s most respected and storied call letters. Additionally, Radio Austin loses its traditional KGSR identity along with the 93.3 frequency entirely. However, the station retains a robust on-air lineup anchoring its transition forward.
What Remains Unclear: Will Norsan Media preserve 93.3’s existing format or pursue an entirely different direction? Furthermore, does the Waterloo Media cluster maintain Radio Austin’s editorial independence and identity? Also, how will HD-only distribution impact listener reach and future revenue streams? These critical questions will ultimately shape the station’s trajectory ahead.
What It Means: Radio Austin’s survival demonstrates real viability for HD-and-streaming-only radio stations in competitive markets. Moreover, Waterloo Media successfully protected its AAA legacy entirely outside the traditional dial. Importantly, Austin’s radio market continues evolving as major ownership transitions unfold. Going forward, niche formats like AAA face fresh challenges under different ownership structures and strategies.
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David Hill serves as a Music Radio Editor, Columnist and Features writer for Barrett Media. A radio lifer with more than 30 years behind the mic, in the control room, and in the program director’s chair, David’s career spans influential stops at brands such as WIYY 98 Rock, WBAL-AM, and 99X. He has worked across multiple formats and ownership groups, including iHeartMedia and Cumulus Media, developing talent, breaking music, and navigating every major industry shift from diary to PPM and terrestrial dominance to streaming disruption. When he’s not writing or analyzing the industry, Dave runs The Tune Farm, a marketing firm built to help artists and brands grow audience the same way great radio always has—by creating connection, not just impressions. He can be reached at David@BarrettMedia.com.