KYCH-FM: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox radio station

| name = KYCH-FM

| logo = KYCH-FM 97.1 Charlie FM logo.png

| logo_size = 175px

| city = [[Portland, Oregon]]

| area = [[Portland metropolitan area]]

| branding = 97.1 Charlie FM

| frequency = {{Frequency|97.1|[[Hertz#SI multiples|MHz]]}} {{HD Radio}}

| airdate = {{start date and age|1946|9|3}}

| language = [[American English|English]]

| format = [[Adult hits]]

| erp = {{val|100000|u=[[watt]]s|fmt=commas}}

| haat = {{convert|386|m|ft|sp=us}}

| class = C

| licensing_authority = [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]

| facility_id = 35034

| coordinates = {{coord|45|29|20|N|122|41|40|W|region:US-OR_type:landmark}}

| callsign_meaning = "Charlie"

| former_callsigns = {{ubl|KPFM (1946–70)|KPAM-FM (1970–80)|KCNR-FM (1980–85)|KKLI (1985–88)|KKSN-FM (1988–2005)}}

| former_frequencies = 94.9 MHz (1946–47)

| owner = [[Audacy, Inc.]]

| licensee = Audacy License, LLC, as Debtor-in-Possession

| sister_stations = {{hlist|[[KFXX (AM)|KFXX]]|[[KGON]]|[[KMTT]]|[[KNRK]]|[[KRSK]]|[[KWJJ-FM]]<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.fccinfo.com/CMDProFacLookup.php?sLicensee=ENTERCOM%20PORTLAND%20LICENSE,%20LLC&tabSearchType=Licensee | title = FCCInfo Facility Search Results: Entercom Portland License, LLC | date = 2009-06-12 | access-date = 2009-06-14 | publisher = Cavell Mertz & Associates, Inc. | location = Manassas, Virginia }}</ref>}}

| webcast = {{Audacy.com|charliefm}}

| website = {{url|https://www.audacy.com/charliefm}}

'''KYCH-FM''' (97.1 [[Hertz|MHz]]) is a [[commercial radio|commercial]] [[radio station]] in [[Portland, Oregon]]. It is owned by [[Audacy, Inc.]] and airs an [[adult hits]] [[radio format]] branded as "97.1 Charlie FM." KYCH-FM plays a fairly wide mix of music, mostly from the rock and pop genres, from the 1960s to today; much of the [[playlist]] is made up of [[modern rock]] and [[classic rock]] from the [[MTV]] [[music video]] era of the 1980s and 1990s. From mid-November through December 25 Charlie plays exclusively Christmas music.<ref>[https://katu.com/news/local/the-christmas-season-is-officially-upon-us-charlie-fm-has-switched-to-holiday-music The Christmas season is officially upon us: Charlie FM has switched to holiday music]</ref> The station does not have [[disc jockey]]s, instead playing amusing or ironic messages after every three or four songs.

KYCH-FM's studios and offices are on SW Bancroft Street in [[Downtown Portland]].<ref>[https://charliefm.radio.com/contact-us CharlieFM.radio.com/contact-us]</ref> The [[transmitter]] is atop [[Tualatin Mountains|Portland's West Hills]], off SW Fairmount Court.<ref>[https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?sr=Y&s=C&call=KYCH&nav= Radio-Locator.com/KYCH-FM]</ref> The [[effective radiated power]] is 97,000 [[watt]]s (100,000 with [[beam tilt]]).<ref>[https://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=&arn=&state=OR&city=Portland&freq=96.9&fre2=97.3&serv=&vac=&facid=&asrn=&class=&list=0&ThisTab=Results+to+This+Page%2FTab&dist=&dlat2=&mlat2=&slat2=&NS=N&dlon2=&mlon2=&slon2=&EW=W&size=9 FCC.gov/KYCH-FM]</ref>

On September 3, 1946, KPFM [[sign-on|signed on]] the air at 94.9&nbsp;MHz.<ref>[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1947/1947-FM-and-TV.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1947 page 235]</ref> KPFM was owned by Broadcasters Oregon, Ltd., and was powered at 1,530 watts. It was a stand-alone FM station, not affiliated with an AM station, and never had any connection to local television station [[KPTV]]. KPFM moved to 97.1&nbsp;MHz on July 31, 1947, broadcasting a [[classical music]] format.

In 1960, KPFM was bought by Chem-Air, Inc., a [[subsidiary]] of [[Boeing]]. Chem-Air supplied stores and restaurants with background music, via a subscription radio service not available on regular FM radios. KPFM's transmitter was used for the service. Chem-Air also put an AM station on the air, named [[KBNP|KPAM]], at 1410 [[Hertz|kHz]]. KPAM was originally a [[daytimer]], required to [[sign off]] at sunset; for the first several decades, the two stations [[simulcast]] their programming. On December 16, 1961, KPFM became the first station in Oregon to broadcast in [[stereophonic sound|stereo]]. KPAM and KPFM were acquired by Romito, Inc. in 1965.<ref>[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1970/B%20Radio%20All%20BC%20YB%201970%20All-3.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1970 page B-167]</ref>

On February 27, 1970, KPFM changed its [[call sign]] to KPAM-FM. KPAM-AM-FM ran a [[contemporary hit radio|Top 40]] format as "K-Pam." In 1980, Duffy Broadcasting acquired KPAM-AM-FM.<ref>[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1986/B-Radio-All-BC-YB-1986.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1986 page B-233]</ref> In September of that year, KPAM-AM-FM changed to KCNR and KCNR-FM, as the "Center" of the FM dial. The two stations aired an [[adult contemporary]] format.<ref>{{Cite web|title=KCNR FM 97 Commercial (1982)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_6v5jpJOnQ|website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>

Even though most FM stations in larger cities could not fully simulcast after 1968, because AM 1410 was a daytimer, the two were permitted to air the same programming most of the time. In 1985, the two stations were sold to different owners, with KCNR-FM being acquired by Fort Vancouver Broadcasting. On November 14, 1985, KCNR-FM changed call letters to KKLI and rebranded as "K-Lite 97 FM," with a [[soft adult contemporary]] format.

In 1988, Heritage Media acquired KKLI, the owners of [[KMTT|KKSN]] in suburban [[Vancouver, Washington]].<ref>[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1990/B-All-Radio-BC-YB-1990.pdf Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1990 page 257]</ref> On February 5 of that year, KKLI switched its call sign to KKSN-FM, and the following day, changed its format to [[oldies]], simulcasting with the AM, which had been carrying [[classical music]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://feedback.pdxradio.com/forums/topic/this-day-in-portland-radio-history-february-2/|title=Topic: THIS DAY IN PORTLAND RADIO HISTORY (FEBRUARY) - Feedback.pdxradio.com|website=feedback.pdxradio.com|access-date=18 April 2018}}</ref> The two stations called themselves "KISN" as in "Kissin'."

In April 1998, [[Entercom Communications]] acquired KKSN-AM-FM. On April 21, 2005, at 2 p.m., after playing "[[American Pie (song)|American Pie]]" by [[Don McLean]], KKSN-FM flipped to the current [[adult hits]] format as "Charlie FM" (the oldies format moved to exclusively to the AM). The first song on "Charlie" was "[[Start Me Up]]" by [[The Rolling Stones]]. The call letters were changed to KYCH on April 29, 2005.<ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2005/RR-2005-04-29.pdf Information] from ''[[Radio & Records]]'' April 4, 2005</ref>

==HD Radio==

KYCH broadcasts in the [[HD Radio]] format. KYCH-FMHD2 aired a [[dance music]] and classic [[disco]] format branded as "Funkytown".<ref>http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=24 HD Radio Guide for Portland</ref> The HD2 subchannel has since been turned off.

*[[List of radio stations in Washington (state)]]

*{{Official website|https://www.audacy.com/charliefm/}}

[[Category:Audacy, Inc. radio stations]]