KPQ (AM)

Last updated
KPQ
Broadcast area Central Washington
Frequency 560 kHz
BrandingNewsradio 560 KPQ
Programming
Format News/talk
Affiliations ABC News Radio
NBC News Radio
Compass Media Networks
Premiere Networks
Westwood One
Seattle Seahawks Radio Network
Washington State-Learfield Sports Network (Football)
Wenatchee Wild
Ownership
Owner
KAPL-FM, KKWN, KPQ-FM, KWNC, KWWW-FM, KYSN, KYSP
History
First air date
 1926 (as KGCL Seattle)
December 28, 1929 (in Wenatchee)
Former call signs
KGCL (1926–1928)
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 71715
Class B
Power 5,000 watts
Transmitter coordinates
 47°27′12″N120°19′43″W / 47.45333°N 120.32861°W / 47.45333; -120.32861
Translator(s) 101.7 K269HC (Wenatchee)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen Live
Website kpq.com

KPQ (560 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station, licensed to Wenatchee, Washington, and serving the North Central Washington region. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts a news/talk radio format. The radio studios and offices are on North Wenatchee Avenue. [2]

Contents

KPQ transmits 5,000 watts. By day, its signal is non-directional, but to protect other stations on 560 AM, at night it uses a directional antenna. [3] Programming is also heard on 250 watt FM translator K269HC at 101.7 MHz.

Programming

KPQ has three news blocks on weekdays, in morning drive time, at noon and at 5 p.m. Much of the rest of the weekday schedule is nationally syndicated talk shows: "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show," "The Lars Larson Northwest Show," "The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey," "Coast to Coast AM with George Noory" and "America in The Morning." A Pacific Northwest Agriculture hour is heard just before sunrise. The station provides regional news for Central Washington and has the largest radio News/Ag Department in the region.

Weekends feature shows on health, money, home repair, the outdoors, technology, law, travel, cars and RVs. Syndicated weekend hosts include Leo Laporte, Bill Handel and Rudy Maxa. Don West provides sports reports and the station carries Seattle Seahawks and Washington State Cougars football broadcasts. Most hours begin with a news update from ABC News Radio.

History

Former logo. Kpqlogo.jpg
Former logo.

KPQ was first licensed in Seattle, with the sequentially assigned call sign KGCL, on September 3, 1926, to Louis Wasmer. [4] Local radio engineer Francis J. Brott built KGCL's original 15 watt transmitter, which began broadcasting from the Brott Radio Laboratories building. The station's initial schedule was a single one-hour weekly program on Wednesday nights from 8 to 9 o'clock, announced by Brott and sponsored by the Hopper Kelly Music Company. [5]

Louis Wasmer, who had put station KHQ on the air in Seattle in early 1922, [6] moved it to Spokane in the summer of 1925. [7] Although he now lived in Spokane, Wasmer took on Archie Taft as a local partner for this new Seattle station. [8] In December 1926, station operations were transferred to the Piper & Taft building, site of a sporting goods store that had expanded into retail radio receiver sales. Beginning in June 1927 KGCL was assigned to 1300 kHz, sharing this frequency with KPCB (now KIRO), owned by the Pacific Coast Biscuit Company. [9]

In 1928, KGCL's call sign was changed to KPQ. [10] The station continued to be operated by Piper & Taft and to share time with KPCB. At the time of its debut as KPQ, the schedule was announced as Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons starting at 4:30 p.m. [11] On November 11, 1928, under the provisions of the Federal Radio Commission's General Order 40, KPQ and KPCB were reassigned to share 1210 kHz. [12]

In late 1929, it was announced that the recently formed Wescoast Broadcasting Company had purchased both KPCB and KPQ, [13] as part of a plan to form a regional radio network along with KVOS in Bellingham and KXRO in Aberdeen. Included with the purchase were plans to relocate KPQ from Seattle to the Cascadian Hotel in Wenatchee. [14] [15] KPQ's first broadcast from Wenatchee occurred on December 28, 1929. [16]

In early 1930, KPCB and KPQ were reassigned to 1500 kHz, [17] although shortly thereafter KPCB moved to another frequency, giving KPQ unlimited broadcasting hours. In March 1941, as part of the implementation of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement, most stations on 1500 kHz, including KPQ, were moved to 1490 kHz. [18] On April 1, 1942, KPQ moved to 560 kHz, [19] where it has been located ever since.

In 2007 Wescoast Broadcasting, which had been KPQ's licensee for 78 years, was sold to Cherry Creek Radio, and KPQ's studios were moved from Mission Street to Wenatchee Avenue. [20]

In August 2021, KPQ started a simulcast on K269HC 101.7 FM for those with radio tuners with no AM dials.

Effective June 17, 2022, Cherry Creek Radio sold KPQ as part of a 42 station/21 translator package to Townsquare Media for $18.75 million.

Related Research Articles

KXLY is a commercial AM radio station in Spokane, Washington. It broadcasts a news/talk radio format with the branding "920 News Now". The station is owned by QueenB Radio, with its license held by Morgan Murphy Media, and its studios and offices are on West Boone Avenue in Spokane.

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

KQNT is a commercial radio station licensed to Spokane, Washington. It is one of the oldest radio stations in Washington, going on the air in 1922 in Seattle. KQNT offers a news/talk format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios and offices are on East Sprague Street in Spokane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KGNC (AM)</span> Radio station in Amarillo, Texas

KGNC is an AM radio broadcast station in Amarillo, Texas, United States with a news/talk format. The station is owned by Alpha Media LLC. Studios for KGNC and its partners are located in southwest Amarillo near the former Western Plaza shopping center. KGNC's programming is also broadcast on 97.5 FM by translator K248DE in Amarillo.

WHJJ is a commercial radio station in Providence, Rhode Island. It carries a talk radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. Its studios and offices are on Oxford Street in Providence.

KKOL is an AM radio station in Seattle, Washington. It is owned by Salem Media Group. It airs a conservative talk radio format, branded as "1300 The Answer," featuring nationally syndicated Salem Radio Network hosts including Dennis Prager, Mike Gallagher, Sebastian Gorka, Hugh Hewitt, Brandon Tatum and Charlie Kirk. The radio studios and offices are on Fifth Avenue South. KKOL is the oldest radio station in Seattle, first licensed on May 23, 1922.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KTRH</span> News/talk radio station in Houston

KTRH is a commercial radio station licensed to Houston, Texas. It airs a news/talk radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. Its studios are along the West Loop Freeway (I-610) in the city's Uptown district. The transmitter site, a four-tower array, is in unincorporated Liberty County, off Cox Road in Dayton. KTRH is one of the oldest radio stations in the United States, first licensed to Austin on April 22, 1922. Programming is also heard on co-owned KODA's HD 2 subchannel at 99.1MHz, and on the iHeartRadio platform. KTRH is Southeast Texas' primary entry point station for the Emergency Alert System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSAI</span> Radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio

WSAI is a Cincinnati, Ohio commercial radio station. Owned and operated by iHeartMedia, its studios, as well as those of iHeartMedia's other Cincinnati stations, are in the Towers of Kenwood building next to I-71 in the Kenwood section of Sycamore Township, and its transmitter site is in Mount Healthy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WHP (AM)</span> Radio station in Pennsylvania, United States

WHP is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, serving the Harrisburg metropolitan area of South Central Pennsylvania. It broadcasts a talk radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios are on Corporate Circle in Harrisburg, off North Progress Avenue.

WKAR is an non-commercial public AM radio station, licensed to the trustees of Michigan State University (MSU) at East Lansing, Michigan. It is part of MSU's Broadcasting Services Division, along with WKAR-FM and WKAR-TV. Studios and offices are in the Communication Arts and Sciences Building, at the southeast corner of Wilson and Red Cedar Roads on the MSU campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KIDO</span> Radio station in Nampa–Boise, Idaho

KIDO is a commercial radio station, owned and operated by Townsquare Media, which broadcasts a news/talk format. Licensed to Nampa, Idaho, it serves the Boise metropolitan area.

KMJ is a commercial AM radio station in Fresno, California. It airs a news/talk radio format, and simulcasts with sister station KMJ-FM. Owned by Cumulus Media, the studios and offices are located at the Radio City building on Shaw Avenue in North Fresno.

WCAO is a commercial radio station in Baltimore, Maryland. It broadcasts an urban gospel radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. It also airs some Christian talk and teaching programs. The studios and offices are located at The Rotunda shopping center in Baltimore.

KWSU is a non-commercial AM radio station licensed to Pullman, Washington. It is owned by Washington State University, and is the flagship station of Northwest Public Broadcasting's National Public Radio News network. It airs a news and talk radio format, using programming from NPR, American Public Media and Public Radio International, as well as locally produced offerings. It airs periodic fundraisers and seeks donations on its website.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KFXD</span> Radio station in Idaho. United States

KFXD is a commercial radio station, owned by Townsquare Media, which airs a rhythmic contemporary format branded as "Power 105.5". The station is licensed to serve Boise, Idaho.

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

KUJ is a radio station licensed to Walla Walla, Washington, United States. The station is currently owned by Alexandra Communications. It features a news/talk format. The station has obtained a construction permit from the FCC for a power increase to 10,000 watts during the day.

KFIZ is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The station is owned by Randy Hopper's Mountain Dog Media and the license is held by RBH Enterprises, Inc. KFIZ airs a news/talk radio format. The station's studios and offices are on the southeast corner of Main and Cotton Streets in downtown Fond du Lac. KFIZ is among Wisconsin's oldest commercial radio stations, beginning experimental broadcasts in 1922.

WCAZ was formerly a commercial radio station, whose operating license was cancelled by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on April 21, 2017. First licensed in May 1922, WCAZ had been one of the oldest radio stations in the United States. At the time of its deletion the station was licensed to the Ralla Broadcasting Company in Carthage, Illinois, and featured a talk/personality format.

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

WSOY is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a Talk radio format. Licensed to Decatur, Illinois, the station is owned by Neuhoff Corp., through licensee Neuhoff Media Decatur, LLC. Neuhoff owns four other local radio stations, WCZQ, WDZ, WDZQ and WSOY-FM. Studios and offices are located on North Water Street and the transmitter site is near St. Louis Bridge Road, sharing the same tower as WDZ.

WJAZ was the call sign used from 1922 to 1931 by a series of four separate, but closely related, broadcasting stations located in Chicago, Illinois and operated by the Chicago Radio Laboratory/Zenith Radio Corporations.

KFKX was an AM radio station, first licensed in 1923 to the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company for operation in Hastings, Nebraska. It was initially used to test the practicality of linking together a national radio network using shortwave transmissions. This approach proved to be inferior to networking using specially prepared telephone lines, and the shortwave project was terminated in late 1926.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for KPQ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ KPQ.com/contact
  3. ↑ Radio-Locator.com/KPQ-AM
  4. ↑ "New Stations", Radio Service Bulletin, August 31, 1926, page 3.
  5. ↑ "F. J. Brott Is Radio Pioneer", Seattle Daily Times, October 3, 1926, page 1.
  6. ↑ John F. Schneider, Seattle Radio (Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Press, 2013), p. 11.
  7. ↑ "Around the Radio Dial," Seattle Daily Times, August 5, 1925, p. 10.
  8. ↑ "Alterations and Corrections", Radio Service Bulletin, December 31, 1926, page 8.
  9. ↑ "Broadcasting Stations" (Effective June 15, 1927), Radio Service Bulletin, May 31, 1927, page 9.
  10. ↑ "Alterations and Corrections", Radio Service Bulletin, May 31, 1928, page 7.
  11. ↑ "KPQ, New Radio Station, To Begin Operation Today", Seattle Daily Times, March 19, 1928, page 10.
  12. ↑ "Broadcasting Stations, By Wavelengths" (effective November 11, 1928), Commercial and Government Radio Stations of the United States (June 30, 1928 edition), page 174.
  13. ↑ "Alterations and Corrections", Radio Service Bulletin, October 31, 1929, page 9.
  14. ↑ "Radio", Seattle Daily Times, November 8, 1929, page 15.
  15. ↑ "Alterations and Corrections", Radio Service Bulletin, January 31, 1930, page 9.
  16. ↑ "History of KPQ" by Wescoast Broadcasting, 1999.
  17. ↑ "Alterations and Corrections", Radio Service Bulletin, February 28, 1930, page 23.
  18. ↑ List of Radio Broadcast Stations, Alphabetically by Call Letters as of March 29, 1941, page 26.
  19. ↑ Notice (untitled), Broadcasting, April 6, 1942, page 16.
  20. ↑ "Changes afoot at KPQ with new ownership" by Travis Hay, Wenatchee World, October 20, 2007.
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.