KNTS (1680

kHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that one h ...

) is an AM

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radi ...

broadcasting a

Spanish language Spanish ( or , Castilian) is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European language family that evolved from colloquial Latin spoken on the Iberian peninsula. Today, it is a world language, global language with more than 500 millio ...

Regional Mexican Regional Mexican is a Latin music radio format encompassing the musical genres from the different parts of rural Mexico and the Southwestern United States. Genres include banda, country en español, Duranguense, grupero, mariachi, New Mex ...

format. Licensed to

Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...

, it serves the

Seattle metropolitan area The Seattle metropolitan area is an urban conglomeration in the U.S. state of Washington that comprises Seattle, its surrounding satellites and suburbs. It contains the three most populous counties in the state—King, Snohomish, and Pierc ...

. The station is currently owned by

Salem Media Group Salem Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SALM; formerly Salem Communications Corporation) is an American Radio broadcasting, radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher formerly based in Camarillo, California (moved mo ...

Programming

KNTS plays

regional Mexican Regional Mexican is a Latin music radio format encompassing the musical genres from the different parts of rural Mexico and the Southwestern United States. Genres include banda, country en español, Duranguense, grupero, mariachi, New Mex ...

music,

cumbia Cumbia refers to a number of musical rhythms and folk dance traditions of Latin America, generally involving musical and cultural elements from American Indigenous peoples, enslaved Africans during colonial times, and Europeans. Examples include: ...

, and Latino favorites like , Banda MS,

Christian Nodal Christian Jesus González Nodal (born January 11, 1999) is a Mexican musician, singer, and songwriter born and raised in Sonora, Mexico. His debut studio album, '' Me Dejé Llevar'' (2017), was met with critical acclaim and success. Nodal has ...

, La Trakalosa de Monterrey, Gerardo Ortiz, La Arrollandora Banda el Limón,

Banda El Recodo Banda Sinaloense El Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga, often referred to simply as Banda El Recodo, is a Mexican banda formed in Mazatlán, Sinaloa in 1938; it has been under the direction of the Lizárraga family. Banda El Recodo has recorded with popu ...

, and

Los Tucanes de Tijuana Los Tucanes De Tijuana (English: ''The Toucans of Tijuana'') are a Mexican norteño band led by Mario Quintero Lara. The band was founded in Tijuana, Baja California in 1987. They, along with Los Tigres del Norte, were pioneers in playing the ...

. The station also addresses issues affecting Latino residents in the

Puget Sound Puget Sound ( ) is a sound of the Pacific Northwest, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and part of the Salish Sea. It is located along the northwestern coast of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected m ...

, such as

Immigration to the United States Immigration has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the United States. In absolute numbers, the United States has a larger immigrant population than any other country in the world, ...

news, health related stories and

physical fitness Physical fitness is a state of health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of sports, occupations and daily activities. Physical fitness is generally achieved through proper nutrition, moderate-vigorous physic ...

, depression,

obesity Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may negatively affect health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person's ...

and more; and news affecting the whole country, like COVID19 and

unemployment Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work during the refer ...

. Featured personalities include "Don Cheto al Aire" (Monday-Saturday, 5-10 a.m.), Jenny "La Diva" (Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.), "El Free-Guey Show con la Bronca" (Monday-Friday, 3-7 p.m.), and "El Pájaro" Ricardo Guerrero (Monday-Friday, 7 p.m.-midnight).

History

KNTS originated as the expanded band "twin" of an existing station on the standard AM band. On March 17, 1997, the

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisd ...

(FCC) announced that eighty-eight stations had been given permission to move to newly available " Expanded Band" transmitting frequencies, ranging from 1610 to 1700 kHz, with

KLFE KLFE (1590 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Catholic radio format in Seattle, Washington. The station is owned by Salem Communications and airs programming from Relevant Radio, a national Catholic network based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The ...

in Seattle authorized to move from 1590 to 1680 kHz."FCC Public Notice: Mass Media Bureau Announces Revised AM Expanded Band Allotment Plan and Filing Window for Eligible Stations"
(FCC DA 97-537), March 17, 1997. This notice lists the station under its earlier call letters of KZOK. A construction permit for the expanded band station was assigned the call letters KAZJ on January 9, 1998. The FCC's initial policy was that both the original station and its expanded band counterpart could operate simultaneously for up to five years, after which owners would have to turn in one of the two licenses, depending on whether they preferred the new assignment or elected to remain on the original frequency. However, this deadline has been extended multiple times, and both stations have remained authorized. The station call letters were changed to KTFH on July 22, 2001, to KDOW on June 16, 2006, and to KNTS on July 1, 2008. On February 11, 2021, KNTS flipped to

as "La Patrona 1680". On August 5, 2022, it was announced that Salem will sell the station to Baaz Broadcasting. The FCC has generally required paired original and expanded band stations to remain under common ownership. However, it was also proposed to sell KNTS's standard band companion,

on AM 1590, to a different company, Reliant Radio, so a waiver request was filed with the FCC to allow an exception to the common ownership requirement. This request listed as one justification the fact that this waiver would support FCC efforts to increase minority radio stations holdings, as Baaz "was 100% controlled by individuals of South Asian descent". In addition, the $225,000 sales price was said to be less than half of KNTS's fair market value, as established by independent appraisal."Form 314: August 2022: Request For Waiver of 47 C.F.R. § 73.1150(c)"
for KLFE(AM) and KNTS(AM), Seattle, Washington.

References

External links

{{coord, 47, 39, 20, N, 122, 31, 05, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title NTS NTS Radio stations established in 1998 Salem Media Group properties 1998 establishments in Washington (state) Regional Mexican radio stations in the United States