KUBE (FM)

This article is about the Seattle radio station. For the student-run radio station in England, see Kube Radio. For other uses, see KUBE.
KUBE
Broadcast area Seattle/Tacoma
Branding KUBE 93
Slogan Plays the Hits
Frequency 93.3 MHz FM (also on HD Radio) 93.3-2 FM-"Wild"
First air date 1964
Format Rhythmic Contemporary
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 387 meters
Class C0
Facility ID 48387
Callsign meaning Play on the word Cube with a K in it
Owner iHeartMedia, Inc.
Sister stations KBKS, KHHO, KJR, KJR-FM, KYNW, KKBW
Webcast Listen Live
Website kube93.com

KUBE is a rhythmic contemporary radio station licensed in Seattle. KUBE offers a mix of personality-driven DJs and current-based hit driven R&B/Hip-Hop fare. It broadcasts at 93.3 MHz on the FM dial with an ERP of 100,000 watts, with its transmitter at Cougar Mountain, and operates from its studios in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood northwest of downtown.

History

The station signed on the air in 1964 as KBLE and aired a country music format. On March 17, 1981, the station flipped to an automated Top 40 format as "The New 93." The station's first song was "Use ta Be My Girl" by the O'Jays. On July 8 of that year, the station added a live and local airstaff. On April 2, 1982, KBLE changed their call letters to KUBE, and became known as "KUBE 93." In 1992, the station shifted to a rhythmic contemporary hits direction that is still programmed today. The station instantly gained Top 10 status in the Arbitron ratings among teens and young adults, their primary audience. When the station began with the Rhythmic format, it capitalized on the "gangster rap" tracks that were the popular sound of hip-hop at the time.

In 1994, likely due to the public outcry of a "gangland-style" drive by shooting of a Ballard High School student, and Ackerley (the station's then-owners) not wanting to associate the station with that music, KUBE briefly flipped to an alternative rock format, albeit with some rhythmic material. The station had the slogans "KUBE 93" and much in the style of the average modern rock station at the time. The station's playlist consisted of grunge rock then-current national Alternative chart-toppers, and aforementioned rhythmic tracks, as well as songs from artists that modern rock station KNDD wouldn't play, such as Sonic Youth, The Meat Puppets, Stereolab, and The Jesus and Mary Chain. However, the station's ratings were not impressive, with the station dropping out of the Top 10. A year later, the station flipped back to a full-blown Rhythmic format. The station's second time with the format capitalized on dance music, and largely ignored songs with violent and misogynistic lyrics. The station quickly jumped back in the Top 10, usually peaking at #1 in several books.

For many years, KUBE marketed themselves as "Seattle's #1 Hit Music Station, KUBE 93". Clear Channel purchased KUBE, along with sister stations KJR-AM-FM, KFNK and outdoor advertiser AK Media, from Ackerley Communications in 2001.

Clear Channel's acquisition of former rival station KBKS (a top 40 station) from CBS Radio on April 1, 2009 caused KUBE to compete only against rhythmic contemporary station KQMV (Movin' 92.5), owned by Sandusky. The station also changed slogans to "More Non-Stop Music", and then to "Hits & Hip-Hop". As of 2010, KQMV is now contemporary hit radio.

The station was famous for being the flagship station of "The T-Man Show" morning show, which aired from 1995 to 2009, when "The T-Man" retired to become a professional poker player (he is now on Fox Sports Radio as their night show host). The show featured Robert "The T-Man" Tepper, who was known for never showing his face to audiences, as well as co-hosts Pasty Dave (who was the show's producer), Hot Shot Scott, Vinnie The Pooh and Tari. The show was also briefly syndicated through Premiere Radio Networks, and was heard on KKRZ, KYLD, KHHK, and KYWL (now KBBD).

Shellie Hart, longtime midday DJ and music director for the station, was let go in November 2011 due to budget cuts issued by Clear Channel. Hart has been with the station since 1991, except for a brief 3-year period between 1996 and 1999, when Hart programmed modern rock station KEDJ/Phoenix. Hart is currently at KRWM.

KUBE-HD2

On January 30, 2006, KUBE launched a HD2 subchannel that offered commercial-free, jockless non-stop hip-hop music known as "KUBE2". In 2010, it shifted to a broad-based Rhythmic format known as "WiLD". The "WiLD" format is patterned after most Clear Channel owned Rhythmic Top 40 stations by playing Mainstream Rhythmic Pop/Dance tracks and very few Hip Hop/R&B tracks.

External links

Coordinates: 47°32′39″N 122°06′31″W / 47.5443°N 122.1085°W