Smooth Launch for 89.9 KXIR

After more than a half-dozen years of research, applications, hard work and fund-raising the KSER Foundation launched its second radio station Tuesday evening, November 12, 2013.

KSER is now being simulcast on KXIR at 89.9 FM. The station is licensed to Freeland and the newly-constructed tower is located in Greenbank on Whidbey Island.

The addition of this second frequency allows the non-profit KSER Foundation to increase its reach and do more focused community service broadcasting. We had a standing-room-only crowd in the KSER Community Room Tuesday evening for the KXIR launch celebration

Celebrating the Launch of KXIR 89.9 FM

Former KSER Board President Karen Crowley led a packed room of listeners, volunteers and staff in a KSER on-air countdown to launch of KXIR.  At 6:45 p.m. the first KXIR Station Identification was delivered by founding KSER Board President John Thielke. And longtime KSER News & Public Affairs Director Ed Bremer conducted the very first KXIR on-air interview with current KSER Foundation Board President Brenda Mann Harrison.

At 7 p.m. we were honored to have the first official joint KSER & KXIR Station Identification delivered by Mel Sheldon, Chair of the Tulalip Tribes.

For several months we will continue to simulcast KSER & KXIR while we conduct more community forums and surveys to obtain community feedback on how to best serve the community with two independent public radio stations. We'd welcome your feedback.

Many communities throughout the country don't have even one truly independent community owned radio station. The North Puget Sound now has two.

You can learn more about KXIR, including how to offer your financial support for independent public radio, on our website at KXIR.org.

Listening to History; and Making History

We're having a party! And here's your invitation:

Please join us this evening at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12 to celebrate the first broadcast of 89.9 KXIR-FM, which will expand the reach of commercial-free, community-focused radio to an additional 700,000 residents in the North Puget Sound.

If you can't make it in person, we hope you'll listen on 90.7 FM KSER as we relive history and make some history at the same time.

KSER News & Public Affairs Director Ed Bremer will host a special launch program on KSER starting at 6:30 p.m. This program will include audio excerpts of the very first KSER program from more than 20 years ago and audio from the very first broadcast from when KSER moved to it's current location in Everett.

Then at 6:45 p.m. everyone at the station will take part in a countdown to the very first broadcast on KXIR. We will flip the switch and begin our simulcast, which means you will be able to hear Democracy Now, The Takeaway, all the great music programs and all of our news and public affairs programs on two frequencies: 90.7 & 89.9. Depending on where you live, work or drive, you'll have the option of picking which signal you receive best. The new 1,000 watt signal will reach most of Snohomish County, all of Island County and portions of King County.

KXIR Broadcast Tower on Whidbey Island

You may know that KSER, and now, KXIR are community owned radio stations. Much of what you hear on the air is produced by volunteers. Our community elected Board of Directors are all volunteers.

In this age of growing corporate media consolidation, it's remarkable, and important, that community supporters can compete and keep a locally owned station on the air. It's even more impressive that those same people were able to work hard for a number of years to be able to add a second station.

KXIR wouldn't be happening and KSER wouldn't be here if it wasn't for hard volunteer work, dedication and financial support of people like you.

So, thanks! And if you'd like to learn more about the KSER Foundation and our new station, check out KSER.org.