Translator(s) (see article) ERP 68,000 watts Class C City of license Tacoma Area Seattle metropolitan area | First air date 1966 (as KPLU-FM) HAAT 707 meters (2,320 ft) Frequency 88.5 MHz Format Jazz Branding KPLU 88.5 | |
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Broadcast area Seattle metropolitan area Owner Pacific Lutheran University Slogan NPR News and All That Jazz | ||
Knkx jazz24 radio
KNKX (88.5 MHz) is a news and jazz format National Public Radio member community-owned station in Tacoma, Washington, United States. The station is owned by Friends of 88.5 FM, a community based non-profit group, and was established in 1966 by Pacific Lutheran University (PLU). It is one of three full NPR members in the Seattle area, the others being KUOW-FM and KVTI, an outlet of Northwest Public Radio (though KVTI can't be heard in most of Snohomish County, Washington because of interference from KSER).
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KNKX broadcasts in HD.
Founded on November 16, 1966 as KPLU-FM, 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 plays a variety of NPR programs, including All Things Considered, Car Talk, and Morning Edition. The locally produced BirdNote airs every morning. KNKX is known for its jazz programing and regional news coverage. Those who listen online can choose either a regular station feed, or listen to Jazz24, a 24/7 free online jazz station.
On November 12, 2015, PLU announced its intention to sell the station to the University of Washington, which also operates KUOW. The Seattle Times noted that PLU spokeswoman Donna Gibbs denied reports that the sale was motivated by financial problems at PLU, although in September 2015 Standard & Poor's had reduced PLU's bond-rating status from BBB to BBB- with a forecast of "negative." On November 23, the KPLU advisory board voted unanimously to oppose the sale. KPLU was announced to be officially bought by KUOW, but by December, "public outcry" encouraged license owners to negotiate with community based non-profit group Friends of 88.5 to raise $7,000,000. As of May 26, 2016, some 17,000 supporters met the goal; Friends of 88.5 began negotiating with PLU to purchase the station.
On August 12, 2016, it was announced that the station would adopt the new call letters KNKX (pronounced as "connects"). The new call letters went into effect when the station officially changed hands from Pacific Lutheran University to Friends of 88.5 on August 30, 2016
Translators
KNKX is also carried on the following satellite and broadcast translator stations to improve reception of the station:
The West Seattle translator serves portions of Seattle that are shielded from the main KNKX signal.