“Knockout” That’s what KAYO originally stood for. KAYO in Seattle began its broadcasting journey in 1953. It was a top 40 station. Jessica Longston owned the station at the time. She gave it the call letters KAYO. Her son said it was “for knockout”.
Now, let’s step back in time to fully appreciate KAYO’s story. Imagine Seattle in the early 1950s. Rock ‘n’ roll was emerging. Radios were the primary source of entertainment and information. KAYO quickly became a major player. It rivaled other stations with its energetic music and engaging personalities.
However, KAYO’s journey was not without its twists and turns. In 1961, the station shifted its format. It moved away from top 40. In 1962, KAYO briefly returned to top 40 for 60 days. Following that, it switched to a long-running country music format. It competed with KMPS and KQIN.
Fast forward to 1979. Obie Communications acquired KAYO. The format changed to news/talk. The KAYO call letters were then picked up by a broadcaster in Aberdeen, WA. In 1982, the station shifted again. It became KSPL with an adult contemporary format.
A significant change occurred on December 31, 1986. KGNW moved to 820 AM. The 1150 AM frequency was sold to Park Communications. It began simulcasting KEZX-FM’s adult album alternative format as KEZX.
On April 20, 1987, KEZX dropped the FM simulcast. It flipped to new-age/classical music. This would later give way to another simulcast with KEZX-FM on April 1, 1988. In 1989, KEZX became “Business Radio 1150”. It aired business talk programming. Sandusky Radio bought the station in 1996.
On January 13, 1999, the station flipped to classic R&B as KSRB. The programming was mostly satellite-fed via ABC Radio’s The Touch Network. This was another shift in KAYO’s evolving identity.
The story takes another turn on June 1, 2001. The station flipped to all-news as “NewsChannel 1150”. It changed its call letters to KKNW. The station carried the audio portion of CNN Headline News. In the mid-2000s, the programming shifted to an “alternative talk” format with mostly local shows.
In July 2013, Sandusky announced the sale of its Seattle radio holdings to Hubbard Broadcasting. The sale was completed that November. KKNW became co-owned with four other Hubbard stations. Those stations included KIXI, KQMV, KPNW-FM, and KRWM.
Today, KKNW operates as an alternative talk station. Its studios are located in the Newport Corporate Center in Bellevue. KKNW offers a diverse range of shows. They include personal growth, health, psychology, and pet care. Additionally, KKNW airs shows in Chinese, Italian, and Russian. Nationally syndicated hosts are also featured. These hosts include Clark Howard and Stephanie Miller. KKNW is also the home of Washington Huskies women’s basketball.
So, the next time you tune into KKNW, remember the station’s long and varied history. From its early days as KAYO, a top 40 station, to its current format as an alternative talk station, this Seattle radio station has constantly evolved to meet the needs of its listeners. It truly has been a “knockout” in the Seattle broadcasting landscape.