KINK
KINK (101.9 FM also known as kink.fm) is a commercial radio station in Portland, Oregon. It is owned by Alpha Media and it airs an Adult Album Alternative radio format. KINK's studios and offices are on Southwest 5th Avenue in the PacWest Center. The signal is heard over much of Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington. The transmitter is located off Southwest Barnes Road in the West Hills.[3]
This article is about a radio station. For the airport near Wink, Texas assigned the ICAO code KINK, see Winkler County Airport. For the Dutch radio station, see Kink FM. For the IPsec protocol, see Kerberized Internet Negotiation of Keys. For other uses, see Kink.Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington
101.9 KINK FM
HD2: WE 102.9 (Rhythmic CHR)
- Alpha Media
- (Alpha Media Licensee LLC Debtor in Possession)
K The Underground LINK (former slogan)
53068
C
100,000 watts
501.6 meters (1,646 ft)
Listen live
Listen live (HD2)
KINK.fm
wehiphop.com (HD2)
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]