KBLE

Last updated

KBLE
SacredHeartRadio.jpg
Frequency 1050 kHz
BrandingSacred Heart Radio
Programming
Format Catholic radio
Affiliations EWTN
Ownership
OwnerSacred Heart Radio
KBUP
History
First air date
February 1948 (1948-02)
Former call signs
  • KRKL (1948–1954)
  • KNBX (1954–1963)
Call sign meaning
"Cable Radio", after the former cable car system in the city
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 33667
Class B
Power
Transmitter coordinates
 47°33′41″N122°21′34″W / 47.56139°N 122.35944°W / 47.56139; -122.35944
Translator(s) 100.3 K262CX (Shoreline)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website sacredheartradio.org

KBLE (1050 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a religious radio format in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is owned by Sacred Heart Radio and is the key station in a regional network broadcasting Catholic radio programming in much of Washington state as well as Kodiak, Alaska. Sacred Heart Radio maintains studios and offices in Kirkland, while KBLE is broadcast from a transmitter site in southwest Seattle. In part of the coverage area, primarily encompassing Seattle's northern suburbs, KBLE is broadcast on FM translator K262CX (100.3 MHz).

Contents

KBLE has been on the air since 1948. It was established in Kirkland but moved to Seattle in 1963, the same year it adopted its present call sign and daytime power of 5,000 watts. For almost all of its history, the station has been associated primarily with religious broadcasting,

History

Early years

F. L. Thornhill, trading as the East Side Broadcasting Company, applied for a construction permit to build a new 250-watt, daytime-only radio station in Kirkland on October 8, 1946. Originally specifying 860 kHz, the application was amended to 1050 kHz before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted it on June 3, 1947. [2] The station went on the air on February 24, 1948, under the call sign KRKL, [3] and in 1950, the station was sold to Lamar N. Ostrander and W. A. Chamness. [2]

In 1954, KRKL was approved to increase its power from 250 to 1,000 watts, remaining a daytime-only station. [2] After the power increase, the station changed its call sign from KRKL to KNBX on December 1, 1954 (beginning to use them on the air on December 13); the renamed station's programming continued to consist of "quality music, weather reports and the broadcast of leading gospel programs". [4] Wilson replaced Chamness as owner in two transactions between 1958 and 1959. [2]

Meanwhile, in 1956, KRKL filed to move from Kirkland to Seattle proper. [2] The FCC approved of the change more than six years later, on January 23, 1963, and on December 16, the call letters were changed from KNBX to KBLE, [2] marking its move into Seattle and an increase to 5,000 watts of power from the present southwest Seattle transmitter site. The studios were located at 114 Lakeside Avenue, near one end of a piece of Seattle's transit history. Until 1940, a cable car system—the last in Seattle to remain open—operated along Yesler Way and terminated near the studios, connecting Colman Dock to what once was a major ferry terminal serving Lake Washington. [5] Wilson, a resident of Mercer Island, often rode the cable car en route to the ferry to the island. As a result, the owners chose what Wilson called "a significant and nostalgic bit of Seattle history" in their new call sign. [6] Meanwhile, Ostrander and Wilson were busy expanding. With a third investor, they had started KARI at Blaine, Washington, which when it started in 1960 brought religious broadcasting to Vancouver for the first time, and FM stations in Seattle (KBLE-FM 93.3, today KJR-FM) and Bellingham (KERI-FM 104.3, today KAFE at 104.1) followed in 1964. [6] KBLE-FM initially provided a complementary service to the AM station by broadcasting specialty foreign-language programs. [7]

While KBLE continued to be dominated by Christian religious programming for the next 36 years, it also aired several brokered-time programs that were not religious in nature. In 1980, [8] a Seattle radio fixture, the weekend Scandinavian Hour, landed at KBLE, airing its 2,000th episode in 1998. [9] Broadcasting was also extended to nighttime at 440 watts on October 1, 1986, after a relaxation of rules governing clear-channel frequencies like 1050 kHz. [10]

Sacred Heart Radio

In 2000, Ostrander and Wilson sold KBLE to HHH Broadcasting for $2.85 million. [11] HHH turned around and sold the station just two months later to Sacred Heart Radio as its first station. [12] The ownership change displaced all of the existing programming on the station, including the Scandinavian Hour. [8]

Catholic radio programming from Sacred Heart Radio began in 2001. The ministry has since expanded its reach with AM stations and FM translators serving Tacoma (KLAY (1180 AM)), Olympia (KBUP (1240 AM)), Spokane (KTTO (970 AM)), Yakima, Washington (KYTR (88.1 FM)), and Kodiak, Alaska (KBKO (88.3 FM)). Ten hours a day of Sacred Heart's output is live, mixing local and EWTN programs. [13]

Related Research Articles

KFIO is an AM radio station licensed to Dishman, Washington and serves the greater Spokane media market. The station is owned by Thomas R. Read, through licensee Liberty Broadcasting System, LLC.

KBUP is a radio station licensed to Olympia, Washington. Owned and operated by Sacred Heart Radio, Inc., it relays the Catholic religious programming originating at KBLE 1050 AM Seattle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WOKV (AM)</span> Sports radio station in Jacksonville, Florida, United States

WOKV is a commercial AM radio station licensed to the Jacksonville, Florida, United States. WOKV is owned by Cox Media Group and broadcasts a sports format from studios in Jacksonville's Southside district and transmitters in Orange Park and Baldwin.

WTAR is a commercial radio station licensed to Norfolk, Virginia, and serving the Hampton Roads radio market. WTAR is owned and operated by Sinclair Telecable, Inc. It broadcasts an adult album alternative format as "96.5 The Coast". WTAR's studios and offices are on Waterside Drive in Norfolk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFLF (AM)</span> Radio station in Pine Hills, Florida

WFLF is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Pine Hills, Florida, and serving Greater Orlando. It is owned by iHeartMedia and airs a news/talk format. The studios and offices are in the iHeart Orlando complex in Maitland.

WMUZ-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Detroit, Michigan. It is owned by Crawford Broadcasting and is known as The Light. Most hours, WMUZ-FM has a Contemporary Christian music format. In late mornings and during the evening, WMUZ-FM carries Christian talk and teaching shows from religious leaders including Jim Daly, Joyce Meyer, James Dobson, J. Vernon McGee and John MacArthur.

KRKS is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Denver, Colorado. The station is owned and operated by Salem Media Group and it airs a Christian talk and teaching radio format. Its studios and offices are located on South Vaughn Way in Aurora, with the AM transmitter located on East 56th Avenue in North Washington. KRKS with co-owned KRKS-FM; together, are known as "The Word," but carry most programs at different times of the day.

KASA was a commercial radio station broadcasting a classic regional Mexican radio format. It was licensed to Phoenix, Arizona, and was owned by Kasa Radio Hogar, Inc. The studios are on West Baseline Road in Phoenix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WREC</span> Radio station in Memphis, Tennessee

WREC is a commercial AM radio station in Memphis, Tennessee. It broadcasts a news/talk format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios and offices are on Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Memphis. WREC is West Tennessee's primary entry point station for the Emergency Alert System.

KFIA is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a Christian talk and teaching format. Licensed to Carmichael, California, the station serves the Sacramento metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by New Inspiration Broadcasting Company, Inc. which is a part of Salem Media Group.

WFTD is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Marietta, Georgia, United States and serving the Atlanta metropolitan area. The station is owned by Prieto Broadcasting, Inc. and airs a Regional Mexican format. Programming is also heard on FM translator W243DQ at 96.5 MHz.

KCBX is a non-commercial radio station that is licensed to San Luis Obispo, California. The public radio station is a member station of NPR and airs a wide variety of programming, including All Things Considered, Democracy Now!, and jazz and classical music.

KRKO is a commercial radio station licensed to Everett, Washington. The station broadcasts a classic hits radio format to the Seattle metropolitan area. The station was established in 1922, and is currently owned by S-R Broadcasting Co., Inc., a locally-based company.

WORL is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Orlando, Florida, United States. It serves Central Florida, including the Greater Orlando radio market. It airs a conservative talk radio format and is known as "AM 950 and FM 94.9 The Answer." WORL is owned by the Salem Media Group with studios and offices on Lake View Drive in Altamonte Springs.

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

KPDQ is a commercial AM radio station in Portland, Oregon. It is owned by Salem Media Group and serves the Portland metropolitan area, with a Christian talk and teaching radio format known as "True Talk 800." The studios and offices are on SE Lake Road in Portland. KPDQ is co-owned with KPDQ-FM, also a Christian talk and teaching station. Each station runs its own schedule.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KELA (AM)</span> Radio station in Centralia-Chehalis, Washington

KELA is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a talk/sports format, co-licensed to Centralia and Chehalis, Washington, United States. The station is currently owned by Bicoastal Media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KARI (AM)</span> Christian radio station in Blaine, Washington

KARI is a commercial AM radio station in Blaine, Washington, United States, and serving Vancouver, British Columbia, and Northwest Washington state. It broadcasts a Christian talk and teaching radio format and is owned by Multicultural Broadcasting.

KBKW is a radio station licensed to Aberdeen, Washington, and serving the area around Grays Harbor. The station is owned by Sacred Heart Radio, Inc. a non-profit organization. It airs a Catholic radio format, simulcast with flagship station KBLE Seattle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBIG (AM)</span> Radio station in Aurora, Illinois

WBIG is an AM radio station broadcasting a mixed-format of talk, home shopping, and sports. Licensed to Aurora, Illinois, it serves the Fox Valley. The station is currently owned by Auril Broadcasting LLC.

KKOR is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Astoria, Oregon. The station, which began broadcasting in 1950, is currently owned by the Ohana Media Group and the broadcast license is held by OMG FCC Licenses, LLC.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for KBLE". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 FCC History Cards for KBLE
  3. ↑ "KRKL on Air Next Week". East Side Journal . February 12, 1948. p. 1.
  4. ↑ "Kirkland Radio Station Changes Call Letters". Seattle Post-Intelligencer . December 12, 1954. p. V:2.
  5. ↑ Banel, Feliks (August 5, 2020). "Unwinding the history of the old Yesler Cable Car". MyNorthwest.com. Archived from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  6. 1 2 "KBLE, Former Kirkland Station, Becomes Seattle's New 'Cable Line'". Seattle Post-Intelligencer . January 19, 1964. p. Television 15.
  7. ↑ "KBLE—Seattle's 'International' FM Station". The Seattle Times . November 29, 1964. p. TV 14.
  8. 1 2 Virgin, Bill (October 12, 2000). "'Scandinavian Hour' moving". Seattle Post-Intelligencer . p. E4.
  9. ↑ Virgin, Bill (June 18, 1998). "Like its hosts, 'Scandinavian Hour' just keeps on". Seattle Post-Intelligencer . p. D2.
  10. ↑ Stredicke, Victor (September 21, 1986). "Classical-music folk kick up their heels". The Seattle Times . p. Arts & Entertainment 2.
  11. ↑ "Transactions" (PDF). Radio & Records . September 15, 2000. p. 6. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2022– via World Radio History.
  12. ↑ "Sacred Heart Radio Buys Its First Station" (PDF). Radio & Records . December 8, 2000. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2022– via World Radio History.
  13. ↑ Whalen, Nathan (April 1, 2020). "'People are tuning in for Mass': Sacred Heart Radio adds 10th station". Northwest Catholic. Archived from the original on May 15, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.