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Washington KEWU sold to KPKL-FM operator Oldies Preservation Society

dxsphere

dxsphere

KEWU is being sold to the Oldies Preservation Society, who plan to move KPKL's programming to 89.5. KPKL 107.1 is a rimshot licensed to Deer Park, and serves Spokane via a booster. KPKL and its booster don't go out super far from the Spokane area, so with 89.5, KPKL's programming will be expanded to to include the Interstate 90 corridor from Sprague to Lookout Pass.

Once the sale is complete and OPS takes over 89.5, I wonder what will happen to 107.1 - will EMF grab hold of it or someone else. Or perhaps it might not change at all with 89.5 becoming a simulcast of 107.1?

radioinsight.com

Oldies Preservation Society To Acquire KEWU-FM Spokane

Eastern Washington University has announced it has accepted a letter of intent to sell Jazz 89.5 KEWU-FM Spokane WA to
radioinsight.com radioinsight.com
 
I can't figure that one out. NWPB clearly dropped the ball with that potential acquisition. Things must be turbulent with Pullman's management team.
 
The Oldies Preservation Society appears to be a non profit headed by the guy whos the licensee of KPKL
 
107.1 will probably go to K-LOVE and boost power to 50 or even 100KW. Good on KPKL for saving the KEWU license! But I will miss the jazz music in north ID and eastern WA. Thank goodness we have a jazz station in McCall. (KBSK-89.9)
 
crainbebo said:
107.1 will probably go to K-LOVE and boost power to 50 or even 100KW. Good on KPKL for saving the KEWU license! But I will miss the jazz music in north ID and eastern WA. Thank goodness we have a jazz station in McCall. (KBSK-89.9)
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In the short term once OPS takes control of 89.5, I could see the licensee of KPKL flipping it to a satellite feed or keeping it as a simulcast of 89.5 - or perhaps a looped message directing listeners to 89.5. In the long term, I see two potential scenarios for 107.1: it's sold/donated or it is surrendered like what happened to KOLW.

If they decide to sell 107.1, I would agree that EMF is the top contender, but it's not certain. Spokane is one of the largest markets in the country that lacks a K-Love signal, but with Shine and WAY FM dominating, they may have held off bringing K-Love to Spokane. While KPKL is one of the weaker signals in Spokane, it would be an upgrade for WAY and Worship 24/7 should they decide to try for it.

RF101 said:
I can't figure that one out. NWPB clearly dropped the ball with that potential acquisition. Things must be turbulent with Pullman's management team.
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Now that I think about it, I would agree. They could've acquired it to expand KJEM, like they did with KOHO in Wenatchee in 2022.
 
EWU has mentioned they are looking into possibly keeping KEWU's format alive via webcast.

This is a little far fetched, but I have another potential scenario:
So OPS takes control of 89.5, and brings their KOOL format to the stronger signal, while KPKL's licensees sell off the 107.1 signal. I could see OPS entering into an agreement with EWU (or possibly even NWPB) to upgrade the 89.5 signal to HD, with either KEWU's webcast stream or NWPB's Jazz service //KJEM going to HD2.

Yes, not everyone has an HD receiver, but Spokane is a large enough market to where enough people probably do in their vehicles to justify the cost. As of writing there are 11 active HD radio stations in the Spokane market (88.7, 90.3, 91.1, 91.9, 95.3, 96.1, 98.1, 98.9, 102.3, 103.1 and 104.9 in case anyone was wondering).
 
Most people I know that have HD in their car don't understand what it is. On the other hand HD signals are great to feed FM translators, if you have any.
 
Oldies Preservation Society has taken control of KEWU - apparently on October 1, but I noticed it this morning on my way to Spokane.
 
I beleive the OPS is boradcasting on 107.1 on a time brokerage arrangement. SO one would think they will end that at the conclusion of their contract, correct? If so, then the actual owner of 107.1 may sell, or may simply look for another contract with someone else.
 
I'm not familiar with KPKL.

So, to be clear, this Oldies Preservation Society is a different organization than NW Rock N Roll Preservation Society, right ??? The folks at Oldies seem to do things on the up as far as following FCC rules and regs, while the Rock N Roll folks, well.....
 
The New Chico said:
I beleive the OPS is boradcasting on 107.1 on a time brokerage arrangement. SO one would think they will end that at the conclusion of their contract, correct? If so, then the actual owner of 107.1 may sell, or may simply look for another contract with someone else.
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The actual owner of 107.1 is a member of OPS. Per this newsletter, the plan is to flip 107.1 to all-Christmas starting 11/1, continuing through the end of the year. From there, who knows - I could see 107.1 being sold or turned in. We'll probably find out by the end of the year.

KilowattKat said:
I'm not familiar with KPKL.

So, to be clear, this Oldies Preservation Society is a different organization than NW Rock N Roll Preservation Society, right ??? The folks at Oldies seem to do things on the up as far as following FCC rules and regs, while the Rock N Roll folks, well.....
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That would be correct afaik
 
I'm surprised Washington State University (Northwest Public Broadcasting NWPB) didn't take over KEWU 89.5 FM. At least jazz music is broadcast on 90.3 FM.
 
NWPB remains in rough financial shape. They're closing down KWSU-TV ; passing at KEWU and other growth opportunities is a sign of shrinking budgets.
 
As a WSU graduate, I'm sad to see that KWSU-TV is going away. But it makes sense -- when the GOP decided to defund NPR with their big reconciliation bill this summer, it was inevitable that KWSU-TV would be exactly the type of station hit the hardest.
 
The good news about the KEWU/KPKL flip is that jazz music is still alive and well in Spokane since KPBX did the revamp of their stations. KPBZ-90.3 is SPR Jazz (used to be PRX Remix). Problem is their coverage area is significantly smaller than 89.5's (only 550 watts, and gets chewed up by KRFP Moscow and the CSN translator Moses Lake further west). But a majority of the audience is in the Spokane core anyway.
 
crainbebo said:
The good news about the KEWU/KPKL flip is that jazz music is still alive and well in Spokane since KPBX did the revamp of their stations. KPBZ-90.3 is SPR Jazz (used to be PRX Remix). Problem is their coverage area is significantly smaller than 89.5's (only 550 watts, and gets chewed up by KRFP Moscow and the CSN translator Moses Lake further west). But a majority of the audience is in the Spokane core anyway.
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That 90.3 in Moses Lake is full powered now (KXML) and has RDS too! The translator was moved to 91.9, and is now simulcasting KEFX.

KPBZ is also simulcast on the HD3 subchannels of both KPBX and KSFC, and KPBX's HD gets out quite decently (Moses Lake regularly - and as far west as Ellensburg on a good day).

On the Palouse and in Wenatchee, NWPB has its Jazz service on 89.9 KJEM and 101.1 KOHO.
 
KilowattKat said:
I'm not familiar with KPKL.

So, to be clear, this Oldies Preservation Society is a different organization than NW Rock N Roll Preservation Society, right ??? The folks at Oldies seem to do things on the up as far as following FCC rules and regs, while the Rock N Roll folks, well.....
Click to expand...
No "folks" with NW Rock N Roll Preservation Society... non existent... just a guy with a radio fetish. And totally different from what you're discussing
 
Anyone want to take a bet that KPKL will go Classic Country in March? They could easily call it 107.1 the Ranch (like KRCO 95.7 in Prineville).
 


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