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KEWU-FM

Cheney, Washington
Broadcast area	Spokane metropolitan area
Frequency	89.5 MHz
Branding	Jazz 89.5
Programming
Format	Jazz
Ownership
Owner	Eastern Washington University
History
First air date	April 7, 1950; 74 years ago (1950-04-07) (on low power AM signal) November 11, 1963 (on 89.5 FM)
Former call signs	KEWC-AM (1950-1963)
Call sign meaning	Eastern Washington University
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	18391
Class	C1
ERP	10,000 watts
HAAT	429 meters (1,407 ft)
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	Official Site

KEWU-FM (89.5 MHz Jazz 89.5) is a public radio station, licensed to Cheney, Washington and serving the Spokane metropolitan area. The station, owned by Eastern Washington University (EWU), has an effective radiated power of 10,000 watts. It broadcasts a format of classic and contemporary jazz.

KEWU aired its first broadcast in 1950. In the summer of 2023, the university announced it intended to shutter the station. The shutdown was slated for the end of the year, but programming was extended into 2024 with an automated feed supplemented by 10 hours of student-hosted shows during weekday morning drive-times.

In late 2024, EWU's administration reported the station's license would be sold by mid-2025. The propective buyer was not identified. To prepare for the transition, the university donated KEUW's music library to Spokane Public Radio.

History

The university station went on the air on April 7, 1950, as KEWC, a 10-watt AM station. On November 11, 1963, the station moved to the FM Band as KEWU-FM.

In 1986, the station's transmitting power was increased to 10,000 watts, and its format was changed to jazz. Since then, KEWU has featured more than 150 hours of classic and contemporary jazz weekly, while also expanding its offerings to include related genres, such as Big Band, Latin Jazz, and Blues.

Over the years, the station has received recognition for the quality of its programming. In 2005 and 2015, JazzWeek magazine named KEWU the Best Small Market Jazz station in the U.S., while also honoring program director Elizabeth Farriss as the Best Small Market Jazz Programmer in 2005, 2009, and 2015.

In 2023, the university announced it would be shutting down KEUW by the end of the year, but the closure was put off into 2024. Current plans call for the sale of KEUW's license by the middle of 2025.

See also

• List of jazz radio stations in the United States

References

1. ^ Meany, David (August 29, 2023). "KEWU to Sign Off at Year's End". ewu.edu. Eastern Washington University. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
2. "Facility Technical Data for KEWU-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
3. "KEWU-FM Technical Details". radio-locator.com. Radio-Locator. 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
4. ^ "KEUW 89.5 FM: About KEUW". ewu.edu. Eastern Washington University. 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
5. ^ "KEWU's Sign Off Extended into 2024". ewu.edu. Eastern Washington University. December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
6. ^ Fortin, Daniel (December 4, 2024). "Eastern Washington University to sell KEWU Jazz 89.5 FM license". khq.com. KHQ-TV. Retrieved December 20, 2024.

External links

• KEWU official website
• Facility details for Facility ID 18391 (KEWU-FM) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• KEWU-FM in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

47°34′41″N 117°17′53″W / 47.578°N 117.298°W / 47.578; -117.298

• Radio stations in Spokane, Washington
• Jazz radio stations in the United States
• College radio stations in Washington (state)
• Radio stations established in 1950
• 1950 establishments in Washington (state)