KAOS (FM)


KAOS is a hybrid college-community radio station licensed to The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. It broadcasts at a power of 1,250 watts and also streams via the Internet. The station offers radio broadcasting training to students of The Evergreen State College as well as members of the local community.

History

KAOS was founded by Dean Katz of The Evergreen State College. When he traveled to Seattle to apply for the station license, his official papers had the radio station call letters as KESC However, unbeknownst to his adviser and almost everyone else, Katz substituted the initials of the fictional spy agency in the TV show Get Smart. The license was granted under his surprise application, and broadcasts began January 1, 1973.
The station has been a mainstay in Olympia's local music scene, including a famous early appearance by Nirvana on April 17, 1987 and a Kurt Cobain solo acoustic performance in 1990.

Programming

KAOS's mission is to present voices that are underrepresented in mainstream media. This includes Native American, Women's, Hispanic, alternative news programs, and independent music. KAOS currently broadcasts several syndicated public affairs programs from Pacifica Radio, including Amy Goodman's Democracy Now! and David Barsamian's Alternative Radio, as well as original, locally produced public affairs shows. KAOS also features a wide variety of music, including world music, jazz, blues, metal, folk, experimental, garage, psychedelic, electronic, surf, alt country, prog, free jazz, indie rock, bluegrass, dance, dub, reggae, hip hop, Latino, roots rock, R&B, and more.

Music policy

KAOS instituted an independent music policy in its early years. The policy requires that at least 80% of the music broadcast on the station must be from sources other than the major record labels and their subsidiaries.

Long-running programs

There are a number of programs that have been around for well over ten years and are still on the air, including:
Over the years, the station has had many former DJs go onto larger fame, such as Victoria Hart Glavin hip hop journalist and founder of PileDriving Records, Bruce Pavitt, Chris Scofield, Tobi Vail, Lois Maffeo, Mark Hosler, Arrington de Dionyso, Steve Fisk, Jeff Jacoby, Tom Hood, Calvin Johnson, and John Foster.
KAOS was also the call sign of an unlicensed AM radio station operating in Huntington Beach, CA during the late 1960 on 880 kHz.