KHHO

KHHO (850 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Tacoma, Washington, United States, the station serves the Tacoma portion of the Seattle-Tacoma radio market. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc.

KHHO
CityTacoma, Washington
Frequency850 kHz AM (HD Radio)
First air dateAugust 1942 (1942-08) (as 1490 KTBI)
Formatstunting
Power10,000 watts day
1,000 watts night
ClassB
Facility ID18523
Transmitter coordinates47°13′56″N 122°23′22″W
Call sign meaningformer branding "K-H
2O", the scientific property of water
Former call signsKTBI (1942-1954)
KTAC (1954–1992)
KMTT (1992–1996)
AffiliationsPremiere Networks
Fox News Radio
OwneriHeartMedia, Inc.
(Citicasters Licenses, Inc.)
Sister stationsKBKS-FM, KFNQ, KJAQ, KJR, KJR-FM, KUBE, KZOK-FM

The studios are in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood northwest of downtown. KHHO operates at 10,000 watts by day. But because AM 850 is a clear channel frequency reserved for Class A KOA in Denver, KHHO must reduce power at night to 1,000 watts. It uses a directional antenna at all times. The transmitter is located off 30th Avenue East in Tacoma.[1]

Programming

KHHO has a weekday line-up of nationally syndicated talk shows: Glenn Beck, Armstrong & Getty, Todd Schnitt, Buck Sexton, Clyde Lewis and Beyond Reality Radio.

The station carries play-by-play of the Tacoma Rainiers Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team. It was previously Tacoma's network affiliate for the Washington State Cougars IMG College network.

History
Logo as "Fox Sports Radio 850"

KTBI

The station went on the air as KTBI in August 1942.[2] The call sign stood for Tacoma Broadcasters Incorporated, the company that owned the station. It was originally on AM 1490, powered at only 250 watts.

KTBI later switched to AM 810.[3] That was coupled with a power increase to 1,000 watts but the station became a daytimer, required to sign off at sunset to avoid interfering with 50,000 watt KGO in San Francisco. In 1950, it made its move to AM 850, still powered at 1,000 watts but allowed to broadcast around the clock.

KTAC

It became KTAC in 1954. It moved its studios and offices to the Winthrop Hotel.

"85 KTAC" was a Top 40 competitor to 950 KJR, 1090 KING and 1300 KOL throughout the 1970s. Don Wade, Robert O'Smith, John Williams, Ron Erak, Bruce Cannon, Bob Case and Ric Hansen were among the air personalities during its Top 40 dominance of the south Puget Sound area.

KMTT and KHHO

The call letters changed to KMTT on June 19, 1992, simulcasting with then-sister station KMTT-FM. Entercom sold the station to Southwave Wireless, LLC (Steve West and Dan Walker) in 1996.

On March 11, 1996, the station changed its call sign to the current KHHO.[4] It launched a news/talk format (K-H-2-O, The Voice of the South Sound) featuring Manda Factor, Jeff Walker and Bruce Cannon.

Sports and Talk

In 1998, the station was acquired by The Ackerley Group and adopted an all-sports format, featuring programming from ESPN Radio, then CBS Sports Radio and later NBC Sports Radio. For a time, it simulcast 1090 KFNQ in Seattle.

In 2002, it was acquired by iHeartMedia, Inc.[5] KHHO changed from sports radio to a conservative talk format on February 8, 2018.[6]

On June 29, 2020, 15 stations owned by iHeart, including KHHO, began stunting with with speeches targeting African American audiences. The stations, all in markets with large African American populations, are promoting “Our Voices Will Be Heard” and an announcement to take place on Tuesday, June 30 at Noon. At that time, the stations are expected to launch a nationwide news/talk network to be deemed the "Black Information Network", as several domains with that branding were registered by iHeart the previous Friday, the 26th.[7]

References
  1. Radio-Locator.com/KHHO
  2. Broadcasting Yearbook 1943 page 152
  3. Broadcasting Yearbook 1950 page 317
  4. "KHHO Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  5. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2005 page D-552
  6. Venta, Lance (February 8, 2018). "iHeart Launches 1090 KJR and South Sound Talk 850 Seattle". RadioInsight. Retrieved February 8, 2018.
  7. Fifteen iHeartMedia Stations Stunting Ahead Of New Network Launch
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