KEXP

KEXP (formerly KCMU) is a public radio station based in Seattle, Washington, that specializes in independent and alternative rock programmed by its disk jockeys. Its broadcasting license is owned by the University of Washington, which operates the station in a partnership with Paul Allen's Experience Music Project.

For the majority of its schedule, KEXP broadcasts an eclectic mix of primarily alternative music. The station also features weekly specialty programs dedicated to particular musical genres, including rockabilly, world music, hip hop, electronica, punk, and alternative country. Live, in-studio performances by artists are also regularly featured.

KEXP is broadcast in the Seattle area on 90.3 FM; in the south Puget Sound area on its sister station KXOT 91.7 FM; on the Internet via streaming audio [1] (http://www.kexp.org/); and on PanAmSat's Galaxy 10R satellite [2] (http://www.lyngsat.com/g10r.html).

History

In 1972, KEXP started operations as KCMU, a small album rock station staffed by University of Washington students that broadcast at 90.5 FM to the UW campus. (The "CMU" in its call letters referred to its home in the Communications Building.) In 1975, its signal strength was boosted to 182 watts, up from the initial 10, carrying the signal off campus for the first time.

In 1981, KCMU turned to its listening audience for public funding after the UW's budget was cut. It broke away from rock-only programming in 1985, adding jazz, hip hop, world music and other genres to its lineup.

In 1986, KCMU switched frequencies to 90.3 FM and upped its transmitter signal to 400 watts, increasing its broadcast radius to 15 miles. Throughout the late 1980s, the station tapped into Seattle's burgeoning music scene. Members of local bands Soundgarden and Mudhoney even worked as volunteer DJs. During these years, Billboard Magazine called KCMU "one of the most influential commercial-free stations in the country."

In 1992, KCMU dropped many of its volunteer DJs and elected to run syndicated programming. Some listeners and DJs considered this a betrayal of KCMU's democratic mission, and formed a group called CURSE (Censorship Undermines Radio Station Ethics). A program called World Cafe, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was a particular bone of contention.

CURSE encouraged local KCMU supporters to stop donating money to the station in protest. Volunteer DJs who criticized the station's policies were fired, although a lawsuit from CURSE resulted in that policy being struck down by a United States District Court. World Cafe was dropped from KCMU's lineup in 1993, but none of the fired volunteer staff returned to the station.

KCMU hired its three full-time paid DJs in 1996, a move that cost several volunteer DJs and led to further complaints from some listeners who decried what they perceived as commercialization of the non-commercial radio station.

In 2000, KCMU started streaming uncompressed audio over the Internet. The kexp.org website was nominated for two Webby Awards in 2003, Best Radio Website and the People's Voice Award.

KCMU changed its name to KEXP in 2001. At the same time, it moved to a new studio near downtown Seattle, partnered with the Experience Music Project, and increased its power to 720 watts.

In 2004, KEXP started broadcasting on KXOT 91.7 FM in Tacoma, Washington, which extended the station's broadcast range to Olympia and the south Puget Sound region. Before then, KXOT was known as KBTC, was owned by Bates Technical College, and featured a classic rock format. Bates sold the station to Public Radio Capital for $5 million, and PRC leases it to KEXP.

As of 2005, the station has construction permits to increase the power of KEXP 90.3 FM from 720 watts to 3,300 W effective radiated power, and KXOT from 7,900 W to 39,000 W.

Former DJs

Amanda Wilde

External links

• KEXP home page (http://www.kexp.org/)
• "Radio-free UW: KCMU moves off campus" (http://archives.thedaily.washington.edu/1998/071598/radio.html)
• "Radio Ga-Ga: With Paul Allen's Money at Its Disposal, Does KCMU -- Wai...KEXP Really Need Any More of Your Money?" (http://www.thestranger.com/2001-04-12/feature2.html)