KSER began regular broadcasting on February 9th, 1991 at 1000 watts with the studio and transmitter located in Lynnwood, Washington. KSER came on the air licensed to the non-profit Jack Straw Foundation based in Seattle. The station claimed, at 90.7 FM, the last broadcast frequency available in the Puget Sound region.
The Jack Straw Foundation had a long history with community radio, having started KRAB in Seattle nearly 40 years ago. KRAB, established in 1963 by Public Radio Pioneer Lorenzo Milam (see the book Sex and Broadcasting by Lorenzo Milam), was the second non-commercial, community-supported radio station on the air in the United States. It operated in the commercial band at 107.7 FM for nearly 20 years, broadcasting from such diverse 'homes' as an old donut shop and an old firehouse on Capital Hill. KRAB went off the air in the early 1980's and its frequency was sold to a company interested in operating a commercial radio station. Eventually, the money from the sale of KRAB was used to establish and operate both the non-profit Jack Straw Production facility in Seattle, and KSER-FM.
KSER was operated by the Jack Straw Foundation until 1994. In 1994, the Jack Straw Foundation decided to divest itself of KSER. The Jack Straw Foundation invited a group of listeners to take over the radio station operations. In late 1994, this group created the non-profit KSER Foundation to operate the station. The Foundation accepted the property and assets of KSER from the Jack Straw Foundation. The Federal Communications Commission gave final approval for the transfer of the broadcast license in early 1995.
When the station signed on in 1991 it was understood that its power of 1000 watts was not sufficient to adequately serve the people of Snohomish County. In fact, the location of the transmitter, coupled with the terrain and the low power effectively kept the signal from being heard in Everett, the station's city of license. In late 1996 efforts began to secure funding for and permission to move the transmitter to a location north east of Everett and to raise the power. In mid-1997 authorization from the Federal Communications Commission was secured to raise KSER's power to 5800 watts and move the transmitter to a site near Lake Stevens on Soper Hill. This change allowed KSER to be heard clearly for the first time in Everett and regions north. On April 19, 1998, KSER began broadcasting from its new location, at its new power and started a new chapter in its history. Funding for the new transmitter and relocation was made possible by a federal Public Telecommunications Facilities Program grant, and generous support of the Seiko Corporation and Motorola Antenna Site Services Company.
KSER is the only independent community radio station in Western Washington and one of only three such stations in the entire state. As an independent radio station, the license and assets are held by the KSER Foundation. As a non-commercial radio station, KSER relies on its listeners and the communities it serves for support. This support comes from memberships, underwriting for the programming, and off-air fund-raising benefits. KSER also receives rent from commercial paging and cell phone companies who rent space on KSER's broadcast tower.
Operation of KSER is made possible by the dedication and efforts of over 100 volunteers who provide the programming, do the filing and bookkeeping, handle the cleaning, and perform all the other support needed to keep a radio station on the air. KSER's volunteers contribute over 25,000 hours annually to make their communities a better place to live and work.
KSER's programming is unique. Our focus is on serving Everett and the other communities of Snohomish, and North Puget Sound counties. Our news, public affairs programming and public service announcements emphasize the North Puget Sound region. Our use of volunteers to create the programming, results in a radio station that is both fascinating and challenging for a casual listener. KSER's music emphasizes world and traditional sounds that are unique for this area. We are different and adventurous, by design.