 | |
| Broadcast area | Portland metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 103.3MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | K103 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Adult contemporary |
| Subchannels | HD2:Latin pop/AC "Magic" |
| Affiliations | Compass Media Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KEX,KFBW,KKRZ,KLTH,KPOJ,KXJM | |
| History | |
First air date | February 24,1984 |
Former call signs | KTJA (1982–1984, CP) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 68210 |
| Class | C |
| ERP | 100,000watts |
| HAAT | 470 meters (1,540 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 45°31′21″N122°44′45″W / 45.52250°N 122.74583°W /45.52250; -122.74583 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live;Direct stream access (AAC) Listen Live (HD2) |
| Website | k103.iheart.com |
KKCW (103.3FM, "K103") is acommercialradio stationlicensed toBeaverton, Oregon and serving thePortland metropolitan area. It is owned byiHeartMedia and airs anadult contemporaryradio format. From mid-November to December 31 each year, it switches to all-Christmas music. Thestudios and offices are on SW 68th Parkway inTigard, while thetransmitter is located off Northwest Skyline Boulevard inPortland's West Hills, amid the towers for other local FM and TV stations.[2][3] KKCW broadcasts in theHD Radio hybrid format.[4]
In 1984, the Columbia-Willamette Broadcasting Company acquired and built out the license for a new FM station for Portland licensed toBeaverton.[5] It intended tosign on the station with acountry music format, and the "CW" in the station's calls would have held a dual meaning for 'country and western' had it gone to plan.
KUPL (98.7), which had been aneasy listening station on FM, instead had the country format airing on sister station1330 AM KUPL bumped to 98.7 on February 24, 1984. Thus, KKCW instead went on the air with asoft adult contemporary format andde facto traded formats with KUPL. KKCW has never changed its format since sign-on, outside adjustments to fit industry trends.[6]
In 1986, the station was sold to Trumper Communications of Portland.[7]San Antonio-basedClear Channel acquired the station in 1999.[8]
The station currently carries 1HD Radio subchannel besides the HD1 simulcast, though it has had two subchannels in the past.
From August 2007 until 2019, an automatedsmooth jazz format with a resemblance to that ofKIJZ, which switched to oldies after that point, was programmed. It eventually took the automated playlist heard on theiHeartRadio web/app Smooth Jazz channel until its demise. In January 2024, the HD2 signal was reactivated with aLatin pop/AC format known as "Magic".
The channel carried theEducational Media Foundation'sAir1Christian worship music network, which was also relayed onFM translator K224DL (92.7 FM), until November 2019. Air1 then moved toKLVP-HD2 after that station was moved into the Portland market, which is translated by K235CU (94.9).
