Radio has been a time-honored tradition of connecting local communities with a shared global consciousness, and stations in Whatcom County are no exception. We receive music, news, talk, and community stations that keep us tuned into the Pacific Northwest’s cultural frequencies and the wider world.
Since the internet and smart devices have emerged, many radio stations have survived by converting their broadcasts to online streams and podcasts. Whether accompanying your car ride or activities at work and home, our local stations have kept Whatcom County’s culture vibrant.
Whatcom County Music Stations
Bellingham has originated several music stations for FM radio.
Classic Rock 92.9 KISM by Pacific Northwest Media Group has been a local favorite since 1960, having gained its current call sign as a Top 40 station in 1973. Now a throwback, the station plays mainly rock hits of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Regular segments include the “Brad & John” morning talk, “5 O’Clock Free Ride” for listener requests, and prize contests. The website includes a podcast option to listen online in real time and a form or 360-733-KISM number for requests.
KAFE 104.1 is another Pacific Northwest Media Group station, specializing in adult contemporary music. The station started in 1965 for country music and gained its current call sign and genre in 1989. KAFE features its own morning talk segment called “KAFE This Morning”, prize contests, and online streaming. The station plays Christmas music during November and December.
The Northwest Public Broadcasting station KZAZ (91.7 FM) by Washington State University is licensed to Bellingham, playing classical music and NPR News. The station started in 1991 under Northern Sound Public Radio, which merged with WSU in 1997. The NWPB website streams classical, jazz, and news stations.
News, Talk and Sports in Whatcom County
Bellingham receives a variety of news, talk, and sports radio stations on both FM and AM frequencies.
The NPR member station KUOW, hosted in Seattle under the University of Washington at 94.9 FM, has a Bellingham repeater at 90.3 FM. KUOW covers national news and local stories across the Puget Sound region. Their journalism concerns the economy, environment, politics, education, health, and culture. The website features news articles, streaming, and podcasts such as Seattle Now, KUOW Newscast, Week In Review, and many more.
The news organization My Bellingham Now broadcasts KGMI at 790 AM and 96.5 FM through Pacific Northwest Media Group. The station covers community events, Northwest sports, environmental stories, and other local news. On their website, listeners can review news articles, streams, and recordings.
1170 KPUG-AM is a Pacific Northwest Media Group station featuring all the latest in sports since 1948. KPUG airs coverage of sports locally in Whatcom County, regionally in Seattle and the wider Northwest, and nationally. The afternoon talk segment “The Zone with Allan Fee” covers the Seattle Seahawks and Mariners, plus teams by local high schools, WWU, clubs such as the Bellingham Bells, and the Lummi Nation. The website includes streaming and sports news articles.
Whatcom County’s Community Radio
Whatcom County’s culture shines through its community radio stations, which are independent, volunteer-run, and locally-minded.
Western Washington University broadcasts KUGS 89.3 FM through student volunteers at their Viking Union station. Since 1974, this college radio station has hosted music of eclectic genres and staff reporting on local and campus news, athletics, and other interests. Listeners across Bellingham can tune into KUGS through their Sehome Hill transmitter towering over campus.
KMRE Radio at 88.3 FM has been broadcasting since 2005. The station started as a project of SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention before changing ownership to Kulshan Community Media in 2018. They have moved from a Bellingham National Bank studio and Bellingham Herald transmitter to a Whatcom Community College studio at Cascade Hall and King Mountain transmitter. KMRE’s volunteer-run programming includes local and regional news, local and Americana music, and online streaming and articles.
KZAX 94.9 Radio is a low-power station hosted by Make.Shift Art Space to spotlight local musicians and talk radio programs. Listeners within about 3 miles of their downtown Bellingham station and online can enjoy music of diverse genres, wide-ranging talk programs, and Make.Shift’s stated commitment to “prioritize marginalized and underrepresented creatives.”
Outside Bellingham, KAVZ-LP 102.5 FM Community Radio broadcasts in Van Zandt out of the restored Community Hall. Volunteers at Van Zandt Stewards have run this low-power station since 2004, transmitting from Deming and reaching just the South Fork Valley area. They host variety music and community reporting on local interests.
Out-of-County Stations
Although many are out of range, dozens of regional stations can come in clearly from as far away as Seattle and Tacoma so that they impact Whatcom County listeners as well. Seattle’s KNKX (88.5 FM) has been a renowned source of “jazz, blues, and NPR news” since it started as “KPLU-FM” and avoided a controversial proposed sale in 2016.
Available radio stations even cross national boundaries. Music stations in Vancouver and surrounding British Columbia areas include 100.3 The Q! FM and Rock 101 at 101.1 FM in classic rock, 102.7 The Peak FM and 104.7 The Lizard FM in alternative and mainstream rock and Move 103.5 FM in adult contemporary. AM stations include CBU (690 AM) in CBC News, News Talk 730 CKNW, and CFAX 1070 in Victoria news.
Across all borderlines, radio can close the distance between its listeners who all share an experience at once when we tune in together.
