| City of license | Natchitoches, Louisiana |
|---|---|
| Slogan | A Christian Voice In Your Home |
| Frequency | 89.7 MHz |
| First air date | July 2, 2002 |
| Format | Christian radio |
| ERP | 500 watts (CP granted by FCC to upgrade to 10,000 watts ERP) |
| Class | A non-commercial |
| Facility ID | 85510 |
| Transmitter coordinates |
- Currently |
| Affiliations | Radio Maria |
| Owner | Radio Maria, Inc. |
| Sister stations | KNIR, KDEI, KOJO, WHJM, WULM, WHHN, WOLM.WRMW |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | radiomaria.us |
KBIO (89.7 FM, "Radio Maria") is an American radio station in Natchitoches, Louisiana relaying the programming of station KJMJ of Alexandria, Louisiana and airs the English language version of Radio Maria USA airing Catholic programming.
KBIO began life as a construction permit issued to American Family Association, A Christian values based organization to start a relay station in Natchitoches. The group however decided to sell the radio station in 2001 apparently concentrating on the more powerful KAVK signal from Many, Louisiana to fill the void of them not building the radio station.
It was finally licensed in 2006 by the FCC at 90 meter HAAT with only 100 watts of power ERP giving Radio Maria a small coverage area from a tower in Northwest Natchitoches. However most stations operate on a construction permit and information is unavailable on actual first air date.
In 2007, Radio Maria was granted a construction permit to increase power to 10,000 watts ERP and a new height of 100 meters at a location half way between Natchitoches and Winnfield, Louisiana. It currently broadcasts with 500 watts prior to the planned upgrade according to the Radio Maria USA website.
Listeners can also access the Radio Maria audiostream by using iPhone, BlackBerry and Android mobile phone devices by downloading the appropriate app from the same website.