KBAI

Radio station in Bellingham, Washington
48°47′52.4″N 122°28′5.6″W / 48.797889°N 122.468222°W / 48.797889; -122.468222LinksWebcastListen LiveWebsitewww.989kbay.com

KBAI (930 AM) was a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format. Licensed to Bellingham, Washington, the station served the Whatcom County area. The station was owned by Saga Communications, and operated as part of its Cascade Radio Group.[1] It went silent on March 22, 2024 (2024-03-22).

KBAI was Class B AM station, powered at 1,000 watts by day and 500 watts at night. It was also heard on FM translator 98.9 K255DC in Bellingham. The translator continues to broadcast the classic hits format, fed from the HD3 digital subchannel of co-owned 92.9 KISM.

History

The station first began broadcasting in 1958 as KENY, a daytime radio station.[2] The call sign was changed to KBFW in 1968;[2] the station would air a country music format for 30 years. The station became KIXT in 1999,[3] when Saga Communications purchased it from Bellingham Broadcasting Corporation. In 2001, the station call sign was again changed to KBAI;[3] after having remained a country station as KIXT, the format was changed first to Westwood One's adult standards programming,[4] then to oldies.

On August 1, 2017, KBAI changed its format from progressive talk to classic hits, branded as "98.9 K-Bay"; the FM frequency was in reference to FM translator station K255DC (98.9 FM).[5] Saga Communications requested the cancellation of the KBAI license on March 22, 2024; the "K-Bay" programming was moved to the third HD Radio channel of KISM while remaining on K255DC.[6]

The Federal Communications Commission cancelled the station’s license on March 28, 2024.[7]

References

  1. ^ "KBAI Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  2. ^ a b "KBFW (KBAI) history cards" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "KBAI Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  4. ^ "Format Changes and Updates". The M Street Journal. August 22, 2001. p. 6.
  5. ^ KBAI Bellingham Drops Liberal Talk For Classic Hits Radioinsight - August 1, 2017
  6. ^ Venta, Lance (March 22, 2024). "Saga Surrenders Bellingham AM". RadioInsight. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  7. ^ "License Cancelled". Federal Communications Commission Licensing and Management System. March 28, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024.

External links

  • FCC History Cards for KBAI
  • KBAI in the FCC AM station database
  • KBAI in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
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Radio stations in Northwest Washington
Bellingham
(Whatcom County)
AM
FM
LPFM
NOAA
HD
Port Angeles
(Clallam County)
AM
FM
NOAA
HD
Island and
San Juan Counties
AM
FM
  • KZNW 103.3
LPFM
Jefferson County
FM
Skagit County
AM
FM
Defunct
Nearby regions –  U.S.
Olympia-Centralia
Seattle-Tacoma
Wenatchee
 Canada
Southwestern British Columbia Mainland
Vancouver
Victoria & Southern Vancouver Island
See also
List of radio stations in Washington
Notes
1. Station has a target audience in Canada.
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