| Broadcast area | Portland metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 96.3MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Worship 24/7 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Contemporary worship music |
| Subchannels |
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| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| Operator | 247 Media Ministries |
| History | |
First air date | January 18, 1986; 39 years ago (January 18, 1986) |
Former call signs |
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Former frequencies |
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Call sign meaning | WAY-FM (previous format) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 13581 |
| Class | C3 |
| ERP | 1,350 watts |
| HAAT | 386 meters (1,266 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 45°29′20″N122°41′40″W / 45.48889°N 122.69444°W /45.48889; -122.69444[2] |
| Translator(s) | HD4: 104.5 K283BL (Portland) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast |
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| Website | |
KKWA (96.3FM) is a listener-supported radio stationlicensed toWest Linn, Oregon, and broadcasting to thePortland metropolitan area. KKWA airs acontemporary worship musicformat branded as "Worship 24/7".[3] It is provided by theWAY-FM Network.
KKWA is aClass C3 station. The station'stransmitter is off Southwest Fairmount Boulevard, amid other Portland-area FM and TVtowers.[4] KKWA broadcasts at only 1,350 watts while many Portland-area FM stations operate at 100,000 watts. Because the tower is 386 meters (1266 feet) inheight above average terrain (HAAT), a bit less than theEmpire State Building, the station's signal extends over Portland and its nearby suburbs in Oregon andWashington. KKWA broadcasts usingHD Radio technology. It has severalsubchannels ofChristian radio programming.
On January 18, 1986, the stationsigned on the air, based inWarm Springs, Oregon and was heard at 96.5 FM. Its originalcall sign was KWSI and it aired anadult contemporary music format. Warm Springs is a community inJefferson County, in the north-central part of Oregon, with about 2400 residents. In 1991, KWSI changed its call letters to KTWI andsimulcast theclassic rock format ofKTWS 98.3 FM inBend, Oregon, as "The Twins 98-3 & 96-5". In 1995, KTWI became "Warm 96" with a mix ofsoft adult contemporary andcountry music. In 1996, the station began a simulcast with KIJK, branded as "More Country 95/96-5".
In 1998, the station changed its call letters to KWEG and returned to a hot adult contemporary format as "The Eagle". In 2000, the station changed its call letters to KWPK and rebranded as "The Peak". In 2001, the station became KRCO-FM with acountry music format.
On July 24, 2002, the station changed call letters to KWLZ-FM and switched to anactive rock format, branded as "Lazer 96-5". On December 13, 2004, KWLZ-FM shifted its format to classic rock, still under the "Lazer 96-5" branding. On August 22, 2008, KWLZ-FM switched to a simulcast oftalk-formattedKBNW 1340 AM Bend, Oregon, branded as "News Radio Central Oregon".
On September 8, 2015, KWLZ-FM's 96.5 FM transmitter in Warm Springs wentsilent, ending its simulcast with KBNW. The station owner, 3 Horizons, had asked theFederal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to move to 96.3 FM in the Portland radio market, using West Linn as its newcity of license. The move would increase the value of the station and allow it to sell advertising in the Portland area, a market of more than 2.3 million residents.
On September 18, 2015, KWLZ-FM's 96.3 Portland-area signal signed on the air with arock-leaningclassic hits format, branded as "96.3 KWLZ".[5] KWLZ-FM's license was granted for its West Linn facilities on September 24.
On August 1, 2016, at 5 pm, Alpha Media began operating KWLZ-FM under alocal marketing agreement (LMA) with 3 Horizons. It flipped the station's format toRhythmic Contemporary, branded as "WE 96-3".[6] The station changed its call sign to KWEE on August 12, 2016.
On June 4, 2019, 3 Horizons LLC announced that it would sell KWEE to theWAY-FM Network, whoseChristian AC programming was also heard on K283BL viaiHeartMedia'sKFBW-HD2. The sale also ended its LMA with Alpha Media. WAY-FM moved the Christian AC format to KWEE 96.3 upon the closing of the sale.[7] On September 16, 2019, Alpha transitioned KWEE's format to translatorK275CH (102.9 FM), replacingKXTG's Sports simulcast. The translator was relaunched as "WE 102.9". The sale was completed on October 2, at which point 96.3 adopted the WAY-FM format under new call sign KKWA.[8]
On October 30, 2023, KKWA changed from contemporary Christian toworship music, branded as "Worship 24/7".[9] It uses asyndicated format from theWAY-FM Network, with operations inColorado Springs, Colorado, andFranklin, Tennessee. The previous WAY-FM contemporary Christian format heard on the main signal moved to the station'sHD2subchannel.
