BY J. MICHAEL KENYON (Seattle P-I) You remember them. Over in Tacoma. The 850 sound that’s jammed in between KXA and KIXI on the left side of your radio dial. And you already know, doncha?
Yes, indeed, it’s the “new look” KTAC these days, compliments of Tom Connors, the rock music refugee who comes to you from 6 to 10 each morning and doubles as station program director. That business about the numbers is one of Connors’ ideas. In fact, it was a contest that sent somebody packing to Hawaii for correctly identifying the phone number that was broadcast as their very own. And while Connors admits you can’t be all things to all men, there is a lot of room to try. So KTAC comes to you on a 24-hour basis these days, replete with contests, conversation, public service, marine weathercasts, stock market reports, news, sports, and music, music, music.
“For the first time,” Connors relates, “Tacoma has a radio station it can call its own. Always before, about 80 per cent of the people here were tuned into Seattle stations. “We’re trying to change all that and, while we’re still in the experimental stage, the reception has been very, very good. ”Those who think radio types, or “on-the-air personalities” as they are known in the trade, don’t have a home may substantiate their argument with Connors. After five years with KXLY in Spokane, he wound up in the noon to 3 slot at KOL in Seattle. After a year of that, he segued to Everett and its rock counterpart, KRKO, before landing at KTAC in January.
Now that KTAC has become a combination Top 40, padded with old Sinatra recordings for flavor, good music, public service and personality outlet, his biggest trouble is to refrain from screaming, the modus operandi in the world of pure rock radio.
“Coming on at 6 in the morning helps,” he adds. “It’s hard to scream at that hour.” Let alone wake up, he might have added. Still, he and a band of other lively types are getting involved with Tacoma, which is how they want it. In the area of conversation, he says, “we’re not going on and on like Hardwick (KVI, Seattle) might. We’re just trying to get it all together so it sounds good.”
Who goes First
Hobo • September 4, 2026
Some large markets have been losing long time AM radio stations, i.e.
San Francisco saw 560khz turned off and Vancouver BC has lost 5 dominate AM
radio stations in the last few years ( 650, 980, 1040, 1130, and 1410 all turned off;
and 690 wanted to turn off but the Canadian feds said no but let them reduce power by 50%.)
So who is first to go in the Seattle market and how many more will follow?
Some might like certain stations to go off but large owners with $$$ in mind make the decisions.
850 maybe one to go as well as 880 1090 1150 1300 and 1590, who knows?
Also; if I where 570 and 1360 I would be looking to move (or shut down) as the salt water
rising will not be good for them.
850
Jason Remington • September 4, 2026
850 is not being used to its full potential. Reason: finances. I doubt anyone would mourn the loss of 850. Times are changing. If no one is listening there is no reason to keep the lights on.