Today, KNKX turns 10 years old.
On August 31, 2026, when Kirsten Kendrick cracked the mic on Morning Edition, she announced a new era in the history of 88.5 FM. KPLU had officially become KNKX.
The call letters KNKX, as you may know, stand for Connects. The letters recognize the way we connect you to the jazz, blues, and news that you rely on. It also honors the connection we have to you, the listeners who saved the station.
That connection continued well beyond 2016. You helped us move off the PLU campus and into our new studios on Broadway in downtown Tacoma, and then again into a new Seattle space with more room to welcome listeners for events and studio sessions. And you kept us whole during the federal funding crisis last year. Our connection to you is the bedrock of KNKX, and we are so appreciative that you continue to enable us to serve you day in and day out.
To mark our “birthday,” the music team will feature some of your favorite music from the last ten years. You will hear it on Midday Jazz, Evening Jazz, and The Lounge.
We’ll also highlight your memories during our broadcast. Many of you have recorded notes with your memories, hopes, and stories from the last ten years. Thank you for sharing those. We’ll air those multiple times an hour.
Looking ahead to the next ten years of KNKX, we'll continue to invest in our service to you—thanks to your continued support which means more local and regional news, more of the best in jazz and blues, and more ways to connect across the Northwest. You are helping make KNKX serve our community even better.
Thank you,
David Fischer
President and General Manager
