KTDD (104.9 MHz) is an FM radio station licensed to Eatonville, Washington, and serving the southern Puget Sound region including Tacoma. KTDD is owned by 247 Media and carries a Contemporary Worship radio format. The station holds periodic fundraisers to support the on-air ministry.
KTDD has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 17,000 watts. The transmitter is off Alder Cutoff Road East in Eatonville.
History
Adult contemporary (198?-199?) The 104.9 frequency first signed on in the late 1980s as FM translator K285AE that rebroadcast the adult contemporary format of KLTX (now KJEB-FM). The translator went dark in the early 1990s, when KLTX increased its power.
Country (1995-1998) The frequency came back to air in 1995, using call sign KJUN-FM, broadcasting a country music format. The call letters were changed to KKBY-FM sometime in 1996, and shifted to classic country.
Urban (1998-1999) In 1998, KKBY flipped to urban contemporary as "Y 104.9". This format only lasted for a short time.
Rock (1999-2010) On August 16, 1999, the station flipped again to what is known as the frequency's well known format: a grunge rock/metal rock-emphasizing active rock station known as "Funky Monkey 104.9" (or "The Monkey 104.9"). The call letters were changed to KFNK that October 21. The station gained a noticeable presence in the South Puget Sound area as an alternative to commercially owned stations KISW and KNDD, which are both owned by Entercom. Even after Ackerley Communications bought the station from Rock on Radio, Inc. in 2001 (and later, iHeartMedia (as Clear Channel Communications) in 2002), the station still emphasized on listener participation and playing music that may not be heard elsewhere, as well as giving air time to local acts. The station also had a nationwide and worldwide presence, as the station streamed online throughout its history.
The station briefly aired syndicated programming in 2001, such as the "Lex and Terry" morning show, which is based out of Dallas. (The station dropped the show by 2002.) The station would begin airing syndicated programming again in 2010, when the station began carrying Nikki Sixx's "Sixxth Sense" show. The station was somewhat anomalous in that it rarely had disc jockeys hosting segments of airtime, and relied heavily on broadcast automation, which the station capitalized on (as some of their liners included "without the dumb-a** DJs and useless bullsh*t"). There was one full-time disc jockey, and 3 part-time air personalities did one show a week each. Most songs ended with a voice-over identifying the song title and artist, also called a "backsell."
'90s hits (2010-2011) On November 10, 2010, at Noon, the station dropped its 11-year-old active rock format and flipped to a '90s-leaning adult hits format as "GenX 104-9". The final three songs on The Monkey were "Brass Monkey" by the Beastie Boys, "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" by R.E.M., and "Closing Time" by Semisonic, while GenX's first three songs were "Get Ready for This" by 2 Unlimited, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana, and "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-Lot. The call letters were changed to KSGX on November 28. Throughout its life as "GenX", ratings for the station were negative, usually peaking at a 0.3 share, as compared to The Monkey's, which usually hung around the 1 share.
On October 28, 2011, at 5 p.m., the station dropped the "GenX" format and began stunting with Halloween music as "Freddy 104-9". The last three songs on "GenX" were "My Favorite Mistake" by Sheryl Crow, "Anniversary" by Tony! Toni! Toné! and "Hella Good" by No Doubt, while the first song on "Freddy" was "Shout at the Devil" by Mötley Crüe.
Rock (2011-2016) At 12:01 a.m. on November 1, 2011, after playing "More Human than Human" by White Zombie, the station reverted to active rock as "The Brew 104-9". The first song on "The Brew" was "Epic" by Faith No More. On December 6, 2011, KSGX changed call letters to KKBW to match "The Brew" moniker.
The station's second go-around with the format does not have the grunge/metal-lean like their predecessor. The station's playlist consisted of current and well-known hard rock tracks, and some classic hard rock from artists like AC/DC, and Guns N' Roses, which The Monkey rarely played. Some of the station's airstaff was voice-tracked from other Clear Channel stations across the country (similar to iHeartRadio's Rock Nation format that formerly aired on 104.9 HD2), unlike The Monkey.