KEXP-FM
KEXP-FM (90.3 MHz) is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Seattle, Washington, United States, specializing in alternative and indie rock programmed by its disc jockeys for the Seattle metropolitan area. KEXP's studios are located at Seattle Center, while the transmitter is in the city's Capitol Hill neighborhood. The station is operated by the non-profit entity Friends of KEXP, an affiliate of the University of Washington (UW).
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|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Seattle metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 90.3 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | KEXP |
| Programming | |
| Format | Alternative/indie/eclectic |
| Affiliations | NPR (music licensing) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Friends of KEXP |
| KREV | |
| History | |
First air date | May 10, 1972 |
Former call signs | KCMU (1972–2001) |
Former frequencies | 90.5 MHz (1972–1987) |
Call sign meaning | Experience Music Project, the original name of the Museum of Pop Culture |
| Technical information | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 68668 |
| Class | C3 |
| ERP | 4,700 watts |
| HAAT | 211 meters (692 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 47°36′57.4″N 122°18′32.5″W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | kexp |
In addition to the daily variety mix shows, KEXP hosts weekly programs dedicated to other musical genres, such as hip hop, Afrobeat, punk, ambient, alternative country, Latin music, and world music. The station also regularly schedules live, in-studio performances by artists. Alongside its analog transmission, the station offers an online live stream, a real-time playlist with DJ notes, and an actively-maintained YouTube channel.
Founded in 1972 as KCMU, the student-run station of the University of Washington, KEXP gained recognition for its influence on the regional music scene. It was the first station to air grunge bands like Nirvana and Soundgarden in the late 1980s. After partnering with the Experience Music Project, now the Museum of Pop Culture, in 2001, the station began to grow into one with an international listener base thanks to an early investment in internet streaming and its website. In 2014, the university transferred the FCC license of KEXP-FM to Friends of KEXP in exchange for on-air underwriting spots, granting the station independence in management and programming decisions.