Katana VentraIP

Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington

101.9 KINK FM

HD2: WE 102.9 (Rhythmic CHR)

  • Alpha Media
  • (Alpha Media Licensee LLC Debtor in Possession)

December 25, 1968[1]

K The Underground LINK (former slogan)

FCC

53068

C

100,000 watts

501.6 meters (1,646 ft)

HD2: 102.9 K275CH (Gresham)

Although KINK's format has evolved over the years, its sound, philosophy, target audience, marketing, and community involvement have remained fundamentally consistent over its 50+ year history, a rarity in commercial broadcasting. Many of KINK's DJs have been associated with the station for decades. In the vernacular of commercial radio, KINK is known as a "heritage" radio station.[4]

History[edit]

The station began broadcasting Christmas Day, 1968, as "KINK – The Underground Link". It was a sister station to KGW (now KPOJ) and KGW-TV. The stations were owned by Seattle-based King Broadcasting.[5] KINK aired a Freeform/Progressive Rock format, where the DJs chose the music they would play. Over time, the format evolved to adult album alternative.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] In 1998, KINK was sold to CBS Radio.[17]


The station is a prior employer of screenwriter Mike Rich (Nativity Story, Finding Forrester), who worked there as the morning newsman and co-host early in his career.[18] In August 2009, CBS Radio sold its Portland cluster (including KINK) to Alpha Media, in an effort to focus on major market stations.


From its first broadcast in 1968 until August 2010, the studios and offices were co-located with KGW-TV on Southwest Jefferson Street, west of Downtown Portland.[1] In August 2010, Alpha Broadcasting moved the station to the PacWest Center, in downtown.[4]

HD Radio[edit]

On December 17, 2014 KINK began broadcasting digitally in HD Radio, with a simulcast of co-owned sports radio KXTG 750 AM ("750 The Game") on its HD2 sub channel.[19] KINK's HD2 programming is also heard on a 99-watt FM translator, 102.9 K275CH in Gresham.[20] On September 16, 2019 KINK-HD2/K275CH dropped the sports simulcast with KXTG and changed their format to rhythmic CHR, branded as "WE 102.9".[21]

KINK.fm official website

KINK Listen Live

Alpha Media website

in the FCC FM station database

KINK

in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

KINK

in the FCC FM station database

K275CH

at FCCdata.org

K275CH