KKCW


KKCW is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Beaverton, Oregon and serving the Portland metropolitan area. It is owned by iHeartMedia and airs an Adult Contemporary radio format. From mid-November to the 31st of December each year, it switches to all-Christmas music. The studios and offices are on SW 68th Parkway in Tigard., while the transmitter is located off Northwest Skyline Boulevard in Portland's west hills, amid the towers for other local FM and TV stations. KKCW broadcasts in the HD Radio hybrid format.

History

In 1984, the Columbia-Williamette Broadcasting Company was constructing a new FM radio station for the Portland media market. It intended to sign on with a country music format. The C and W in the requested call sign would stand for Country and Western, as the country format was once known. But competing radio station 98.7 KUPL beat KKCW to the punch. So on February 24, 1984, KKCW went on the air with a soft adult contemporary sound.
In 1986, the station was sold to Trumper Communications of Portland. Trumper kept the Soft AC format in place. San Antonio-based Clear Channel Communications acquired KKCW in 1999. Clear Channel, which later became iHeartMedia, also kept the station's AC format intact.

HD Programming

KKCW-HD2

KKCW-HD2 had been programming a smooth jazz format that resembled former sister station KIJZ, once heard on 105.9 FM until August 2007. The HD2 station's motto was, "KKCW -- For easy listening through tough times." This station went off the air in August 2019 but its music can still be heard on the iHeartRadio Smooth Jazz channel.

KKCW-HD3

KKCW-HD3 had been programming the Educational Media Foundation's Air 1 Christian worship music format. It was also relayed on FM translator K224DL at 92.7 FM. KKCW's HD3 subchannel broadcast until November 2019, when it was turned off. Air 1 is now heard on 97.9 KLVP's HD2 subchannel.