In May 1958, the station first signed on as KMCS, owned by Market-Casters, Inc. (hence the call sign).[2] It was then locally owned by former executives with Crown Broadcasting (later to be known as the King Broadcasting Company).
KMCS played popular music and had an effective radiated power of 10,500 watts. From the late 1960s into the late 1980s, the station operated a sub-carrier 67kHz subsidiary communications authority (SCA), which transmitted music and point of sale commercials to subscribing restaurants and stores in the Puget Sound area, not available on regular FM receivers. The station switched its call letters to KBBX in 1966.[3]
Easy listening (1972-1983)
KBBX began airing the syndicatedeasy listening "Music Only For A Woman" format in 1972, supplied by TM. The station also increased its power to 35,000 watts, covering Seattle, Tacoma and adjoining communities. The call letters changed to KEZX.[4] The station's slogan was "Oceans of Beautiful Music".
The SCA was part of the reason that Roy H. Park, owner of Park Broadcasting, purchased the station in late 1975.[5] At the time, Park was one of the largest broadcast companies in the U.S., with many of its stations also airing beautiful music, including WPAT-WPAT-FM in the New York metropolitan area. KEZX increased its power to 100,000 watts in early 1977. Prior to Park's ownership, the station was using the Bellevue-based BPI syndicated beautiful music service. Then, in the spring of 1976, Park made an agreement with Darrel Peters of the "FM 100 Plan" from WLOO in Chicago to go with his beautiful music format. Locally originated programming would return in 1980.
KEZX remained as a AAA station until October 15, 1990, when it reverted to soft AC.[7][8]
Smooth jazz (1993-2010)
In August 1993, KEZX became a smooth jazz outlet, a format that was gaining ground in many major US cities. In October 1995, the station's call sign became KWJZ to complement its smooth jazz format, which had achieved positive ratings in the Seattle-Tacoma radio market. In 1996, KWJZ and co-owned AM 1150 (now KKNW) were sold to Sandusky Broadcasting for $26million.[9][10]
With the celebration of the 15th anniversary of KWJZ's format in 2008, the station dropped the "Smooth Jazz" part of its branding and became known simply as "98.9 KWJZ". While smooth jazz still made up the majority of its programming, KWJZ incorporated some chill out music, such as that featured on the syndicated program Chill with Mindi Abair (which aired on Sunday nights on KWJZ), as part of a more broadly defined "smooth music" format.
In the 2000s, KWJZ and other smooth jazz stations began a slow decline in ratings due to changes in Arbitron's measurement system. Portable People Meters (PPM) started being introduced in the Seattle market in late 2008.
Modern adult contemporary (2010-2016)
Logo for Click 98.9, 2010–2014
On December 27, 2010, at 3pm, KWJZ changed its format to a hybrid of AAA and modern AC as "Click 98.9." Click's first song was "Animal" by Neon Trees.[11][12][13][14] On March 15, 2011, KWJZ changed its call letters to KLCK-FM to reflect its brand name.
Following Mediabase's addition of the station on the alternative rock panel, the station switched to alternative rock in November 2011, though it still leaned toward AAA. Unlike other alternative stations, Click also aired some dance music, such as Martin Solveig's "Hello" and Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger." By that December, the station began to include some hot AC material, such as Kelly Clarkson and Daughtry (primarily artists from sister adult contemporary radio station KRWM), but still retained its modern rock direction, reporting to Mediabase's alternative rock panel.
By March 2012, the station switched to hot adult contemporary per Mediabase reports, joining adult top 40 station KPLZ-FM, though KLCK-FM would shift back towards modern AC by mid-2014. In July 2013, Sandusky announced it would sell its radio holdings in Seattle and Phoenix to Hubbard Broadcasting. The sale was completed that November.[15]
During the latter part of the "Click" years, ratings for the station were continually ranked low, averaging about a high 1 to a low 2 share of the Seattle market, as the station was unable to compete against KPLZ, KNDD, KBKS and KYNW. (In the January 2015 Nielsen PPM ratings report for the market, KLCK was ranked No. 19 with a 1.9 share). In addition, the station consistently tweaked its music direction and had a frequent airstaff turnover.[16]
There were rumors that the station was planning a format change to all sports as "98.9 The Score" or "Sports 98.9." (A Facebook page was even made for the latter branding, as well as one for "98.9 Real Conservative Radio" to throw speculators off the trail, with the pages taken down shortly after.) The station's website was replaced with quotes from historical figures and lyrics from songs such as The Beatles’ "In My Life," Elvis Presley’s "Heartbreak Hotel" and Garth Brooks’ "Unanswered Prayers," as well as floating question mark bubbles which, when clicked on, either played a female computerized voice soundbite stating "Hey, don't touch that," "What is going on?" "This is strange," or "That tickles"; some clicks would also trigger a Rickroll. In addition, Hubbard requested the call sign KVRQ for the station, which was approved on March 15. Program Director Lisa Adams, morning host Jerry Potter, and midday host Megan Lee all exited with the change.[17][18][19]
At Noon on March 16, 2016, the station, now under the KVRQ call letters, officially flipped to mainstream rock as "Rock 98-9", with the first song being Nirvana's "In Bloom," part of a 12,000-song, 30-day commercial-free introductory run.[20][21]
Country (2017-2023)
Logo as "Country 98.9"
On December 4, 2017, at 10:44a.m., KVRQ abruptly dropped the rock format and flipped to country as Country 98-9; the change came after long-time country station KMPS flipped to soft adult contemporary earlier in the morning (after having briefly switched to all-Christmas music upon the completion of CBS Radio's merger with Entercom, the owner of competing country station KKWF).[22] The transition was so abrupt that it was merely the station dropping out in the middle of playing "Otherside" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, before starting "Greatest Love Story" by Lanco, with the introduction of the new format only coming after the song had ended.[23] The call letters were changed to KNUC on February 6, 2018.[24]
On April 3, 2018, the station rebranded as 98-9 The Bull.[25][26][27]
Return to AAA (2023-2024)
On February 8, 2023, country radio news outlet Country Aircheck and fellow radio news outlet RadioInsight both reported the station had filed with the FCC to change call letters to KPNW-FM effective February 14; the change required consent from Bicoastal Media, owner of KPNW in Eugene, Oregon. Hubbard Seattle VP/Market Manager Trip Reeb told Country Aircheck that the change was connected to the rollout of a new "Country for the PNW" tagline; no such liners were used at the time.[28][29]
At 9a.m. on February 14, 2023, after concluding that day's broadcast of The Bobby Bones Show and playing "The Cowboy Rides Away" by George Strait, the station, under the new KPNW-FM callsign, flipped back to an adult album alternative format, with David Bowie's "Changes" as the first song; the change put the station in competition with KEXP-FM and KNDD. KPNW-FM is the first commercial AAA station in Seattle since KMTT dropped the format in 2013.[30][31][32]
Return to Country (2024-present)
On April 1, 2024, at 10 a.m., after playing "It's the End of the World as We Know It" by R.E.M., KPNW abruptly reverted to its previous country music format as "The Bull"; the format relaunched with "Like I Love Country Music" by Kane Brown. The move was claimed by Hubbard to be driven by listener demand; the AAA format proved to be an utter failure during its existence, carrying only a 0.8 share in the January 2024 Nielsen Audio market ratings, and partially triggered a massive increase for those of KKWF, which was second in the ratings with a 7.1 share that month. The flip was also moved up from an unrevealed later date as retaliation to a similar format change on KPLZ just four hours later. With the move, former morning host Fitz, who was with the previous iteration until leaving in 2020, returns to the same timeslot. The station will retain the KPNW callsign, taking on the "Country for the PNW" positioning it claimed it would use before the 2023 flip.[33]
HD Radio
HD1 carries the analog format from the standard 98.9 FM frequency.
WMAL-FM – branded 105.9 FM WMAL – is a radio station licensed to Woodbridge, Virginia, serving the Washington, D.C. Metro area. WMAL-FM airs a talk radio format and is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. The station's studios are located at 4400 Jenifer Street NW in Washington, two blocks from the city's border with Maryland, and the transmitter site is in Falls Church, Virginia, off Lee Highway. WMAL-FM is co-owned with sports radio station WSBN at 630 kHz; the WMAL call sign and talk format originated on that station, and the two stations simulcast from 2011 to 2019.
KXSN is a commercial radio station in San Diego, California, branded as Sunny 98.1. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station airs a classic hits radio format. The studios and offices are located in San Diego's Stonecrest area, off Granite Ridge Drive, across the street from rival station KMYI. The transmitter is off La Jolla Scenic Drive South in La Jolla, amid towers for several other San Diego FM and TV stations.
CIDR-FM is a commercial radio station in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, targeting the Detroit–Windsor metropolitan area, with fringe reception into Toledo and Cedar Point/Sandusky in Ohio. It is owned and operated by Bell Media and airs a Top 40/CHR format. The studios and offices are located on Ouellette Avenue in Windsor.
KYOT is a commercial adult hits music radio station located in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. Owned and operated by iHeartMedia, its studios are located in Phoenix near Sky Harbor Airport and its transmitter is in South Mountain Park.
KDKB is a commercial FM radio station broadcasting to the Phoenix metropolitan area with its city of license in Mesa, Arizona. It is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. with the license held by Phoenix FCC License Sub, LLC. It airs an Alternative Rock radio format. Its studios are located in Phoenix, while its transmitter is in South Mountain Park.
WREW is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Fairfield, Ohio, and serving the Cincinnati metropolitan area. The station broadcasts an adult contemporary radio format and is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting. The studios and offices are on Kennedy Avenue, in the Oakley neighborhood of Cincinnati where they have been since August of 2021.
WDZH is a commercial radio station licensed to Detroit, Michigan and serving the Metropolitan Detroit radio market in Southeastern Michigan. It is owned by Audacy, Inc. and airs an alternative rock radio format.
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.
KBKS-FM – branded as Hits 106.1 – is a commercial radio station licensed to Tacoma, Washington, and serving the Seattle metropolitan area. Owned by iHeartMedia, it broadcasts a top 40 (CHR) format. The studios and offices are located on Elliott Avenue West in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle. The transmitter is on Tiger Mountain, in Issaquah.
KPLZ-FM is a commercial radio station in Seattle, Washington. It is owned and operated by Lotus Communications and it airs a classic country 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.
KSWD is an FM radio station in Seattle, Washington. Owned by Audacy, Inc., it broadcasts a soft adult contemporary format. KSWD's studios are located on Fifth Avenue in Downtown Seattle; the station broadcasts from two transmitters located near Issaquah on Tiger Mountain, with its main transmitter operating at 73 kW effective radiated power (ERP) and its auxiliary transmitter operating at an ERP of 53 kW.
KQMV is a commercial radio station licensed to Bellevue, Washington, and serving the Seattle-Tacoma-Puget Sound radio market. The Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. outlet airs a Top 40 (CHR) radio 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.
KRWM is a commercial radio station licensed to Bremerton, Washington, serving the Seattle/Puget Sound region. It is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, and airs an adult contemporary radio format. The station switches to all-Christmas music from mid-November to December 25.
WMIA-FM is a Latin pop and adult contemporary radio station that is licensed to Miami Beach, Florida. The station is owned and operated by iHeartMedia. Its studios are located in Pembroke Pines, and the transmitter site is in Miami Gardens.
KXNO-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Ankeny, Iowa, and serving the Des Moines radio market. It airs a sports radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia. The station's studios are located on Grand Avenue in Des Moines, and its transmitter is located on Northeast 66th Avenue in Ankeny.
KKNW is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Seattle, Washington. The station is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc., and features a talk radio format. KKNW mostly airs call-in and discussion shows where the host pays the station for the air time, known in the radio industry as "brokered time". Shows range from personal growth, health, psychology and pet care to Chinese, Italian and Russian language shows. Nationally syndicated hosts are heard overnight, including family financial adviser Clark Howard and progressive talk host Stephanie Miller. Many hours begin with national news from NBC News Radio. It is also the home of Washington Huskies women's basketball.
KGNW is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Burien, Washington, and serving the Seattle metropolitan area. It airs a Christian talk and teaching radio format and is owned by the Salem Media Group. The radio studios and offices are on 5th Avenue South in downtown Seattle.
WCHI-FM (95.5 MHz) is a mainstream rock formatted radio station located in Chicago, Illinois, owned and operated by iHeartMedia. WCHI-FM has studios located at the Illinois Center complex on Michigan Avenue in Downtown Chicago, and it broadcasts from a 5.3 kW transmitter based atop John Hancock Center.
WINU is a commercial radio station licensed to Altamont and serving New York's Capital District. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting and airs a classic country radio format.
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