KSER (90.7 FM) is a non-commercial

radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting 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 rad ...

and airs a mix of music and news/public affairs. The station, which is owned and operated by the non-profit KSER Foundation, broadcasts at 90.7 MHz with an ERP of 5.8 kW and is licensed to

Everett, Washington Everett (; ) is the county seat and most populous city of Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is north of Seattle and is one of the main cities in the Seattle metropolitan area, metropolitan area and the Puget Sound region. Everett ...

History

KSER's roots trace back to 1962, when KRAB signed on at 107.7 MHz. This

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

radio station, later owned by the ''Jack Straw Memorial Foundation'', provided an eclectic mix of

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

world music "World music" is an English phrase for styles of music from non-English speaking countries, including quasi-traditional, Cross-cultural communication, intercultural, and traditional music. World music's broad nature and elasticity as a musical ...

, Pacifica radio features, and much more. But the station was also dangerously close to insolvency. Its management realized the station could be sold to a commercial broadcaster and an endowment was created, allowing the foundation to broadcast in the non-commercial part of the radio dial, which exists between 88.1 MHz and 91.9 MHz. The owners of KRAB originally applied to share time with KNHC, owned by the

Seattle Public Schools Seattle Public Schools is the largest Public school (government funded), public school district in the state of Washington (state), Washington. The school district serves almost all of Seattle. Additionally it includes sections of Boulevard Par ...

. However, this action was seen by the school district as a hostile take-over bid. Ultimately, the owners got a license for 90.7 MHz in

. The Seattle frequency was sold and became KMGI (now today's

KNDD KNDD (107.7 FM broadcasting, FM, "107.7 The End") is a commercial broadcasting, commercial radio station in Seattle, Seattle, Washington. It is owned by Audacy, Inc. and airs an alternative rock radio format. Its studios are located on Fifth Av ...

). Six years later, on February 9, 1991, KSER signed on from its studios at a small retail space in

Lynnwood, Washington Lynnwood is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The city is part of the Seattle metropolitan area and is located north of Seattle and south of Everett, Washington, Everett, near the junction of Interstate 5 in Washington, ...

. By 1994 the foundation sold the station to its current owners, the KSER Foundation. The station built a new transmitter in western Lake Stevens in 1997 that allowed them to increase power to 5,800 watts and improve coverage to most of Snohomish County. KSER relocated from its Lynnwood studios to a new space in

Downtown Everett Everett (; ) is the county seat and most populous city of Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is north of Seattle and is one of the main cities in the Seattle metropolitan area, metropolitan area and the Puget Sound region. Everett ...

on February 25, 2004, after the acquisition and renovation of a former lawyer's office and dental laboratory. Although its signal also reaches King County, coverage is limited due to signal coverage from KVTI: Tacoma, which broadcasts adjacent at 90.9 MHz. KVTI could not be heard in most of Snohomish County, Washington. In the fall of 2013, the KSER Foundation signed on a second signal: 89.9 KXIR, Freeland. The second tower is located on Whidbey Island in the town of Freeland. At present, KSER and KXIR simulcast programming. As of 2014, KSER has a board of directors, staff, and over 100 volunteers. KSER's programming consists of news, public affairs, talk and diversified music shows and world news from the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

Jack Straw Foundation

The Jack Straw Foundation was founded in 1962 by Lorenzo Wilson Milam, with the goal of starting KRAB-FM. On the first day, its transmitter blew up. The Foundation also started

KBOO KBOO (90.7 MHz) is a non-commercial, listener-supported, community radio station in Portland, Oregon. It airs an eclectic radio format, with a small paid staff and scores of volunteers. The studios are on SE 8th Avenue, in a converted ware ...

and KSER, KTAO and assisted KDNA. KRAB's frequency was sold in 1984. In 1989 Jack Straw moved to Roosevelt Way. The Jack Straw Foundation was named after a leader of the English Peasant Revolt of 1381.

References

External links

KSER
*
KRAB Archive (Audio, program guides, photos, and history)
{{coord, 48.024, N, 122.113, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title SER Everett, Washington Community radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1991 Mass media in Snohomish County, Washington

History

Jack Straw Foundation

See also

References

External links