KCWT


KCWT channel 27 was a religious television station in Wenatchee, Washington. It signed on the air in 1984. The station was independent, but became a charter affiliate of the Fox network as a satellite of KAYU from 1986–1989.

History

KCWT went on the air as an Independent station in 1984 as the "First Television Station in North Central Washington", airing a mix of off-network sitcoms, movies, dramas, and classic cartoons. A newscast was added at 5 and 10 pm weeknights to compete with the stations in Seattle and Spokane, to better reflect the views of the Wenatchee area that felt neglected by the two larger markets. They also carried a weeknight Bingo game to get people to tune to the station.
In the fall of 1984, the station started running a 1-hour anime block in the afternoons. A year later, they briefly found success when it became one of the first stations in the United States to air the Robotech saga. The show was so popular, that when it was pulled from the schedule after its initial run, a letter writing campaign began to bring it back. They reran it for another year.
KCWT became a satellite of KAYU in 1986, mostly simulcasting its entire schedule. Along with the Fox affiliation and new branding as "Fox 27", the quality of programming improved, with first-run syndicated shows as the Disney Afternoon block and .
In 1989, KCWT dropped its Fox affiliation, and became an independent once again, filling out their programming schedule from the Channel America service. A year later, after new ownership took over, the station became an affiliate of Trinity Broadcasting Network.
In 1993, KCWT was forced off the air after its transmitter malfunctioned. It was never repaired.

By then the station ceased operations and returned its license back to the FCC. Metropolitan Wenatchee became part of the Seattle DMA afterward.
KCWT's offices later housed Columbia River Broadcasting's radio cluster of KYVF, KSSY and KKRT til they relocated in 2008, after KPQ's acquisition by Cherry Creek Radio. The building is now owned by Icicle River Broadcasting, owners of KOHO and KZAL.