KNKX

KNKX
City	Tacoma, Washington
Broadcast area	Seattle metropolitan area
Branding	88.5 KNKX
Slogan	Your Connection To Jazz, Blues and NPR News
Translator(s)	(see article)
Format	Jazz/NPR News
ERP	68,000 watts
HAAT	707 meters (2,320 ft)
Class	C
Facility ID	51199
Callsign meaning	"Connects"
Former callsigns	KPLU-FM (1966–2016)
Affiliations	NPR
Owner	Friends of 88.5 FM
Webcast	KNKX Web Player AAC+ PLS; Jazz24 Webstream (HD2)
Website	knkx.org

KNKX (88.5 MHz) is a public radio station in Tacoma, Washington. As a National Public Radio affiliate, it airs a jazz and news format for the Seattle metropolitan area. The station is owned by Friends of 88.5 FM, a community-based non-profit group. KNKX was established in 1966 as KPLU-FM by Pacific Lutheran University (PLU). It is one of three full NPR member stations in the Seattle area, the others being KUOW-FM and KVTI, an outlet of Northwest Public Radio (though KVTI only provides grade B coverage of Seattle and can't be heard at all in most of Snohomish County because of interference from KSER).

KNKX broadcasts in HD.^[1]

KNKX broadcasts from West Tiger Mountain in the Issaquah Alps with a power of 68,000 watts. Studios are located in both Tacoma and Seattle. KNKX runs jazz programs middays, evenings and overnight, and carries a variety of NPR programs in other dayparts, including All Things Considered, Morning Edition, Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! and Fresh Air. The locally produced BirdNote airs every morning. Those who listen online or using an HD radio can choose either the regular station feed, or listen to "Jazz24," a 24/7 free online jazz station.

History[edit]

The station was founded on November 16, 1966 as KPLU-FM.^[2] It was primarily run by university students and played jazz, blues and other music not usually heard on commercial radio stations. Originally, it broadcast from a tower on campus that was only 140 feet tall, so its coverage area was mostly in Tacoma and adjacent suburbs, inaudible in Seattle.^[3] Over time, the station added news programs from NPR to its schedule. It improved its coverage area, both by increasing its power and relocating to a tower that is 2320 feet (707 meters) Height Above Average Terrain. And for listeners outside the Tacoma-Seattle area, it set up eight translators and simulcast stations.

Logo prior to August 31, 2016

On November 12, 2015, Pacific Lutheran University announced its intention to sell the station to the University of Washington, which also operates KUOW-FM.^[4] The planned sale to UW triggered "public outcry" from KPLU's listener base, who feared KPLU's unique programming would be sacrificed if it became a sister station to KUOW-FM. On November 23, the KPLU advisory board voted unanimously to oppose the sale.^[5] The board sought to negotiate with a community-based non-profit group, Friends of 88.5, to raise $7,000,000 to buy the radio station and its network of translators and rebroadcasters from the university, keeping it independent.^[6] By May 26, 2016, some 17,000 supporters met the goal. Friends of 88.5 began negotiating with PLU to purchase the station.^[6]

On August 12, 2016, it was announced that the station would adopt the new call letters KNKX (pronounced as "connects"). The new call sign went into effect when the station officially changed hands from PLU to Friends of 88.5 on August 30, 2016^[7]^[8]

Translators[edit]

KNKX is also carried on the following satellite and broadcast translator stations to improve reception of the station:

KPLK 88.9 FM Sedro-Woolley
KVIX 89.3 FM Port Angeles
KPLI 90.1 FM Olympia
K204BI 88.7 FM Bellingham
K211AP 90.1 FM Centralia
K212AG 90.3 FM Raymond
K221FR 92.1 FM West Seattle
K244EV 96.7 FM Woodland
K265DP 100.9 FM Aberdeen
K284BM 104.7 FM Longview
K288GG 105.5 FM Mount Vernon

The West Seattle translator serves portions of Seattle that are shielded by hilly terrain from the main KNKX signal.

References[edit]

^ Falk, Tyler (May 9, 2016). "Future of KPLU's popular jazz stream hinges on fundraising campaign". Current. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
^ "Radio KPLU To Begin Broadcasting". Morning Mast. XLIV (7). Pacific Lutheran University. November 11, 1966. p. 1. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-227
^ KUOW Staff. "PLU Says It Intends To Sell KPLU 88.5 FM To KUOW Public Radio". KUOW. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
^ Kiley, Brendan (November 23, 2015). "'A kick in the teeth': KPLU advisory board opposes sale to KUOW". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
^ ^a ^b "Supporters of Tacoma-based KPLU reach $7 million mark in bid to buy station". The Olympian. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
^ Connelly, Joel (August 12, 2016). "Listener-rescued KPLU public radio dons new call letters—KNKX". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
^ Kiley, Brendan (August 31, 2016). "KPLU officially begins broadcasting as KNKX". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 31, 2016.

External links[edit]

Coordinates: 47°30′14″N 121°58′34″W / 47.504°N 121.976°W / 47.504; -121.976

[1] Falk, Tyler (May 9, 2016). "Future of KPLU's popular jazz stream hinges on fundraising campaign". Current. Retrieved August 31, 2016.

[2] "Radio KPLU To Begin Broadcasting". Morning Mast. XLIV (7). Pacific Lutheran University. November 11, 1966. p. 1. Retrieved August 31, 2016.

[3] Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-227

[4] KUOW Staff. "PLU Says It Intends To Sell KPLU 88.5 FM To KUOW Public Radio". KUOW. Retrieved November 12, 2015.

[kick-5] Kiley, Brendan (November 23, 2015). "'A kick in the teeth': KPLU advisory board opposes sale to KUOW". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 24, 2015.

[Olympian-6] "Supporters of Tacoma-based KPLU reach $7 million mark in bid to buy station". The Olympian. Retrieved June 8, 2016.

[7] Connelly, Joel (August 12, 2016). "Listener-rescued KPLU public radio dons new call letters—KNKX". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved August 31, 2016.

[st-salecomplete-8] Kiley, Brendan (August 31, 2016). "KPLU officially begins broadcasting as KNKX". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 31, 2016.

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v t e Radio stations in the Seattle–Tacoma market
by AM frequency	530¹ 570 630 710 770 820 850 880 950 1000 1050 1090 1150 1180 1210 1230 1250 1300 1330 1360 1380 1400 1420 1450 1460 1480 1490 1520 1540 1560 1590 1620 1680
by FM frequency	88.1 88.5 88.9 89.1 (Issaquah) 89.1 (Bremerton) 89.3 (Sumner/Lake Tapps) 89.3 (Gig Harbor) 89.5 89.7 (Roy) 89.7 (Olympia) 89.9 (Bellevue) 89.9 (Auburn) 89.9 (Gig Harbor) 89.9 (Freeland) 90.1 (Tacoma) 90.1 (Olympia) 90.3 90.7 90.9 91.3 91.5 91.7 92.1 (West Seattle) 92.1 (Tacoma) 92.5 92.9 93.3 94.1 94.5 94.9 95.3 (Kent) 95.3 (Everett) 95.7 96.1 96.5 97.3 97.7 98.1 98.5 98.9 99.3 99.9 100.3 (Tacoma) 100.3 (Seattle) 100.3 (Shoreline) 100.3 (Kent) 100.7 101.1 (Seattle) 101.1 (Snohomish) 101.5 101.9 (Bellevue) 101.9 (Vashon) 101.9 (Mukilteo) 102.1 (Auburn) 102.1 (Seattle) 102.5 102.9 103.3 103.7 104.1 (Seattle) 104.1 (Olympia) 104.1 (Bellingham) 104.1 (Lakewood) 104.5 104.9 104.9 105.3 105.7 (Gig Harbor) 105.7 (Orting) 105.7 (Seattle) 106.1 106.5 (Granite Falls) 106.5 (SeaTac) 106.9 107.3 (Greenwater) 107.3 (High Rock) 107.7
NOAA Weather Radio frequency	162.425 162.475 162.55
by Digital radio	88.5-1 88.5-2 89.5-1 90.3-1 91.3-1 92.5-1 92.5-3 93.3-1 93.3-2 94.1-1 94.1-2 94.9-1 95.7-1 95.7-2 96.5-1 96.5-2 96.5-3 97.3-1 97.3-2 97.3-3 98.1-1 98.1-2 98.1-3 98.9-1 98.9-3 99.9-1 99.9-2 100.7-1 100.7-2 102.5-1 102.5-2 102.9-1 103.7-1 103.7-2 104.1-1 105.3-1 105.3-2 105.3-3 106.1-1 106.1-2 106.9-1 106.9-2 107.7-1 107.7-2
by callsign	K201EN K205DF K206CJ K206DM K207AP K207AZ K209FO K209FQ K211FH K221FJ K221FR K233BU K237GN K249DX K253CG K262CI K263BJ K266CJ K271BS K277AE K281AD K281CI K281CQ K289AK K289BZ K293AY K297BD K300CU KAPY-LP KARR KASB KBCS KBKS-FM KBLE KBRO KCIS KCMS KCSC-LP KDDS-FM KEXP-FM KFNQ KFNY KGHP KGNW KGRG KGRG-FM KHB60 KHHO KHTP KHUH-LP KING-FM KIRO KIRO-FM KISW KITZ KNCL518 KLFE KIXI KJAQ KJR KJR-FM KKDZ KKMO KKNW KKOL KKWF KKXA KLAY KLSW KMIA KMIH KNDD KNHC KNKX KNLI-LP KNTB KNTS KNUC KOMO KOMO-FM KPLI KPLZ-FM KQES-LP KQMV KQWZ-LP KRIZ KRKO KRWM KSER KSUH KSWD KTDD KTTH KUBE KUCP-LP KUOW-FM KUPS KVI KVRU-LP KVSH-LP KVTI KWJZ-LP KWYZ KXPA KXSU-LP KXXO KYFQ KYIZ KZIZ KZOK-FM WWG24 WXM62
defunct	KFC
¹ Travelers' information station for WSDOT Satellite radio local traffic/weather XM Channel 221 Sirius Channel 156 Nearby radio markets Northwest Washington Olympia-Centralia Portland Vancouver, BC Victoria & Mid Island Wenatchee Yakima See also List of radio stations in Washington

v t e Radio stations in Olympia, Washington and adjoining areas
By AM frequency	680 920 1030 1240 1280 1340
By FM frequency	88.1 89.3 89.7 90.1 92.1 92.9 93.7 94.5 95.3 96.1 96.9 97.7 98.5 99.3 100.3 101.1 101.9 102.9 103.3 104.1 104.7 106.5 107.3
Digital radio	96.9-1 96.9-2 102.9-1
Defunct	KOLP-LP (100.3 FM)
Nearby radio markets Seattle Portland Yakima Victoria Bellingham

v t e NPR member stations and other Public radio stations in the state of Washington
Northwest Public Radio	Bellingham KZAZ Clarkston KNWV Ellensburg KNWR Moses Lake KLWS Mount Vernon KMWS Omak KQWS Port Angeles KNWP Pullman KWSU/KRFA Richland KFAE Tacoma KVTI Walla Walla KWWS Yakima KNWY
Friends of 88.5	Olympia KPLI Seattle/Tacoma KNKX Port Angeles KVIX
Affiliated with University of Washington	Seattle KEXP Seattle KUOW
Spokane Public Radio	Spokane KPBX Spokane KPBZ Spokane KSFC
Other stations	Seattle KING
See also List of NPR stations
See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in Washington

KNKX

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