KINK

Last updated
KINK
KINK 101.9FM logo.jpg
Broadcast areaNorthwest Oregon and Southwest Washington
Frequency 101.9 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding101.9 KINK FM
Programming
Format Adult Album Alternative
Subchannels HD2: WE 102.9 (Rhythmic CHR)
Ownership
Owner
  • Alpha Media
  • (Alpha Media Licensee LLC Debtor in Possession)
KBFF, KUFO, KUPL, KXL-FM, KXTG
History
First air date
December 25, 1968 [1]
Call sign meaning
K The Underground LINK (former slogan)
Technical information [2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID 53068
Class C
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 501.6 meters (1,646 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
45°30′58.4″N122°43′58.8″W / 45.516222°N 122.733000°W / 45.516222; -122.733000
Translator(s) HD2: 102.9  K275CH (Gresham)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Listen live (HD2)
Website KINK.fm
wehiphop.com (HD2)

KINK (101.9 FM also known as kink.fm) is a commercial radio station in Portland, Oregon. It is owned by Alpha Media and it airs an Adult Album Alternative radio format. KINK's studios and offices are on Southwest 5th Avenue in the PacWest Center. The signal is heard over much of Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington. The transmitter is located off Southwest Barnes Road in the West Hills. [3]

Contents

Although KINK's format has evolved over the years, its sound, philosophy, target audience, marketing, and community involvement have remained fundamentally consistent over its 50+ year history, a rarity in commercial broadcasting. Many of KINK's DJs have been associated with the station for decades. In the vernacular of commercial radio, KINK is known as a "heritage" radio station. [4]

History

The station began broadcasting Christmas Day, 1968, as "KINK – The Underground Link". It was a sister station to KGW (now KPOJ) and KGW-TV. The stations were owned by Seattle-based King Broadcasting. [5] KINK aired a Freeform/Progressive Rock format, where the DJs chose the music they would play. Over time, the format evolved to adult album alternative. [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] In 1998, KINK was sold to CBS Radio. [17]

The station is a prior employer of screenwriter Mike Rich ( Nativity Story , Finding Forrester ), who worked there as the morning newsman and co-host early in his career. [18] In August 2009, CBS Radio sold its Portland cluster (including KINK) to Alpha Media, in an effort to focus on major market stations.

From its first broadcast in 1968 until August 2010, the studios and offices were co-located with KGW-TV on Southwest Jefferson Street, west of Downtown Portland. [1] In August 2010, Alpha Broadcasting moved the station to the PacWest Center, in downtown. [4]

HD Radio

On December 17, 2014 KINK began broadcasting digitally in HD Radio, with a simulcast of co-owned sports radio KXTG 750 AM ("750 The Game") on its HD2 sub channel. [19] KINK's HD2 programming is also heard on a 99-watt FM translator, 102.9 K275CH in Gresham. [20] On September 16, 2019 KINK-HD2/K275CH dropped the sports simulcast with KXTG and changed their format to rhythmic CHR, branded as "WE 102.9". [21]

Programming

KINK plays a wide variety of music, including adult album alternative, rock, acoustic, folk, pop, blues, reggae and new age. KINK's format also features several special programs, some of which have been in place for many years. These include the Sunday Night Blues Room, Sunday Acoustic KINK, and Tranceformation, a weekly selection of trance and chill music. KINK showcases emerging artists from the Portland area with its nightly Local Music Spotlight feature, as well as independent or unsigned artists with a feature known as The Gamut. Beginning in 1973 and ending in the early 2000s KINK aired a late night program of mellow instrumental music known as "Lights Out". A version of the program was resumed in 2021, but ended in early 2023.

Older KINK logo KINK-FM.png
Older KINK logo

The station regularly airs special music features in addition to its regular format. These features can run for a weekend or longer, and often involve input from KINK's listeners. Such features include the Listener Sets Weekend, the KINK Hall of Fame, Five Decades of KINK, and the KINK Summer School of Rock.

In recent years, KINK has expanded its offerings of live musical performances. The KINK Live Performance Lounge brings together touring artists and KINK listeners for casual three to five song performances with brief interviews, either in the KINK studio's performance space, or in another location such as a concert venue or coffee shop. These sessions are recorded, and annual compilations are released in the KINK Live CD series, a benefit for Start Making A Reader Today. The Live Performance Lounge sessions are also videotaped, and are presented on the station's website with high quality audio.

KINK has a longstanding involvement in fundraising efforts for Oregon Food Bank. These include the Lights Out CD compilation series, the annual KINK Christmas Concerts and the Waterfront Blues Festival. Together, these have raised more than one million dollars for the food bank.

KINK's website has become part of its identity and outreach, with the station identifying itself as "kink dot fm" on the air and in its marketing. The website's content is regularly updated and expanded, including interactivity with the station's listeners, known as the "KINK Community." KINK.fm also offers streaming audio of the station's broadcast, as well as side channels that focus on specific music elements of Kink's format, such as Lights Out 24/7, the Blues Room, Acoustic Kink, and the New Music Channel.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KGON</span> Radio station in Portland, Oregon

KGON is a commercial radio station in Portland, Oregon. The station airs a classic rock radio format and is owned by Audacy, Inc. KGON broadcasts in the HD Radio format. Its HD2 subchannel formerly carried a blues format, known as "Waterfront Blues Radio."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCBS-FM</span> Classic hits radio station in New York City

WCBS-FM is a radio station owned and operated by Audacy, Inc. licensed to New York, New York, and broadcasting a classic hits format. The station's studios are in the combined Audacy facility in the Hudson Square neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, and its transmitter is located at the Empire State Building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KISC</span> Radio station in Spokane, Washington

KISC is a commercial radio station in Spokane, Washington. It is owned by iHeartMedia and airs an adult contemporary radio format, switching to Christmas music for much of November and December. The station has local DJs during the day and carries the syndicated "Delilah" show in the evening from Premiere Networks, an iHeart subsidiary. The station calls itself "KISS 98.1", using a logo trademarked by iHeart, mostly associated with Top 40 stations that also call themselves "KISS-FM".

KBFF is a commercial radio station licensed to Portland, Oregon, and serving the Portland metropolitan area, including parts of Oregon and Washington. The station airs a Top 40 (CHR) radio format and is owned by Alpha Media. It carries the syndicated morning drive time show "Brooke & Jeffrey" from KQMV in Seattle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WQMP</span> Radio station in Daytona Beach, Florida

WQMP is a radio station licensed to Daytona Beach serving the Orlando and Space Coast areas of Central Florida. Owned by Audacy, Inc., it broadcasts an alternative rock format branded as "FM 101.9". Its studios are located in Maitland and the transmitter is in Orange City. To the north, the station can be heard as far as St. Augustine, to the south, the station can be heard as far as Palm Bay and is one of the few Orlando stations that covers Ocala.

KCMO-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Shawnee, Kansas, and serving the Kansas City metropolitan area. The station is owned by Cumulus Broadcasting and airs a classic hits radio format, switching to all-Christmas music from mid-November to December 25. KCMO-FM's studios and offices are located in the Corporate Woods area in Overland Park, Kansas. The transmitter is off Menown Avenue in Independence, Missouri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KEX (AM)</span> Radio station in Portland, Oregon

KEX is a clear channel AM radio station licensed to Portland, Oregon. It is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., and airs a news/talk format known as NewsRadio 1190. The station's studios and offices are on SW 68th Parkway, off Interstate 5 in Tigard, Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KHTP</span> Radio station in Tacoma, Washington

KHTP, is a commercial radio station licensed to Tacoma, Washington, and serving the Seattle metropolitan area. It is owned and operated by Audacy, Inc., and it airs a classic hip-hop radio format. The studios and offices are on Fifth Avenue in Downtown Seattle.

KPLZ-FM is a commercial radio station in Seattle, Washington. It is owned and operated by Lotus Communications and it airs a gold-based country music radio format. The studios and offices are co-located with former sister station KOMO-TV within KOMO Plaza in the Lower Queen Anne section of Seattle, directly across the street from the Space Needle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KKRZ</span> Contemporary hit radio station in Portland, Oregon

KKRZ is a commercial FM radio station in Portland, Oregon, known as Z100. It is owned by iHeartMedia and airs a Top 40 (CHR) radio format. The studios and offices are on SW 68th Parkway in Tigard. Z100 carries 2 syndicated shows on weekdays, "Johnjay and Rich" in morning drive time and Ryan Seacrest in middays. Local DJs are heard in the afternoon and evening.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KXL-FM</span> Radio station in Oregon, United States

KXL-FM is a commercial radio station in Portland, Oregon. It is owned by Alpha Media and broadcasts a news/talk radio format. The studios are on SW 5th Avenue in downtown Portland. KXL-FM is the flagship station for the nationally syndicated Lars Larson Show. In addition to news blocks in weekday AM and PM drive time, KXL-FM also carries syndicated shows from Chad Benson, Markley, Van Camp and Robbins, Red Eye Radio, This Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal and America in the Morning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KXJM</span> Radio station in Banks–Portland, Oregon

KXJM is a commercial radio station licensed to Banks, Oregon and serving the Portland metropolitan area. KXJM's studios and offices are in Tigard and the transmitter is located in Portland's West Hills. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., and airs a Rhythmic CHR format.

KKWF is a commercial radio station in Seattle, Washington. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. and it airs a country music radio format. The studios and offices are on Fifth Avenue in Downtown Seattle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KMHD</span> Non-profit radio station in Gresham, Oregon

KMHD is a listener-supported, non-profit FM broadcast radio station in Portland, Oregon. For the first 25 years of its operation, the station's studio was located on the Mt. Hood Community College campus in Gresham, Oregon, before moving to OPB's studios. Its transmitter is on the Tualatin Mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KPOJ</span> Radio station in Portland, Oregon

KPOJ is a radio station serving the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon and neighboring Washington. It airs a sports format, and is affiliated with Fox Sports Radio. Its transmitter is located in Sunnyside, Oregon, and its studios are in Tigard, Oregon. The station is owned by iHeartMedia.

KKWA is a commercial radio station licensed to West Linn, Oregon, and broadcasting to the Portland metropolitan area. KKWA airs a contemporary worship music radio format branded as "Worship 24/7".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMTX</span> Radio station in Tampa, Florida

WMTX is a commercial radio station in Tampa, Florida, known as "Mix 100.7". It has an adult contemporary radio format, switching to Christmas music for much of November and December. It is owned by iHeartMedia, with its studios and offices on Gandy Boulevard in Tampa. WMTX serves as the primary Emergency Alert System station for the Tampa Bay area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KXTG</span> Radio station in Portland, Oregon

KXTG is a sports radio station in Portland, Oregon. Its transmitter is located in Damascus, while studios are in downtown Portland. It is owned by Alpha Media, a company owned by veteran radio executive Larry Wilson.

KUKN is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Longview, Washington, United States, the station is currently owned by Washington Interstate Broadcasting, Inc.

K275CH is a commercial FM radio station translator licensed to Gresham, Oregon, and broadcasting to the Portland metropolitan area. The station, billed as "WE 102.9," airs a rhythmic contemporary radio format, owned and operated by Alpha Media, which owns five of its own radio stations in the Portland market.

References

  1. 1 2 Mungeam, Frank (August 13, 2010). "KINK Radio moves to new studio". KGW.com. Archived from the original on September 16, 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
  2. "Facility Technical Data for KINK". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. Radio-Locator.com/KINK
  4. 1 2 Carlin, Peter Ames (August 26, 2010). "KINK-FM and friends are true to their shiny new performance space". The Oregonian . Retrieved 2018-12-02.
  5. Broadcasting Yearbook page C-173
  6. "1990 KINK 102 FM - Portland, OR. Radio commercial". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.
  7. "For the Music in You". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.
  8. "KINK Ad - Move". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.
  9. "KINK Ad - Work". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.
  10. "You think you know KINK?". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.
  11. "I turned KINK 101.9 on". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.
  12. "101.9 KINK Independent. Portland". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.
  13. "101.9 KINK. Independent. Portland". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.
  14. "Independent. Portland". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.
  15. "101.9 KINK - Independent. Portland". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.
  16. "KINK Music #3". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.
  17. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1990 page D-371
  18. Michael Rich Biography - Yahoo! Movies
  19. http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=24 HD Radio Guide for Portland
  20. Radio-Locator.com/K275CH
  21. WE 96.3 Portland Begins Transition to 102.9 Radioinsight - September 17, 2019