Bellevue public radio station 91.3 KBCS picks up “The Thom Hartmann Program”

91.3 KBCS, a public service of Bellevue College, will become the new Seattle/Bellevue home of the popular progressive talk radio show “The Thom Hartmann Program.” With an estimated 2.75 million listeners nationwide, the program bills itself as the number one progressive radio show in the country, and will air from noon to 3 p.m. weekdays, beginning Jan 2.

The program, hosted by The New York Times best-selling author and former “Air America” host Thom Hartmann, is a national news/talk show featuring civil debate and opinion on important issues of the day. It covers a range of topics, including politics, the environment and personal development, with guests offering perspectives from across the political spectrum. It was previously carried by AM1090, a local station that will switch from progressive talk to sports talk. More information about the show can be found on the KBCS website: http://kbcs.fm/site/PageServer?pagename=Thom_Hartmann_FAQ.

“We decided to pick up the show based on information we gathered from listener surveys, audience data and feedback from our supporters,” said General Manager Steve Ramsey. “We always try to serve our listeners in the best possible way, and we believe ‘The Thom Hartmann Program’ will provide a substantial service to listeners. There is a proven demand for the program, and it aligns with our mission of connecting communities with a diverse range of ideas.”

Following Hartmann’s show will be the 91.3 KBCS-produced program, “Music + Ideas,” hosted by the station’s News and Public Affairs Director Sonya Green “We feel our listeners will really enjoy this lineup, and we’re confident that more people will tune into 91.3 KBCS to discover what we’re about. We make it a priority to continually improve, to try new things, in ways that are accessible, and to provide an outlet for underserved voices in our community,” Green said.

An eclectic source for music and news, 91.3 KBCS is a public radio station serving the Puget Sound region. With only a small paid staff, the bulk of its programming is created by volunteer DJs, journalists and producers with a passion for providing an essential community media service.

The station’s commitment to a diversity of music and ideas has deep roots, going back to 1972 when a handful of determined Bellevue (Community) College students staged a sit-in in the college president’s office to demand a radio station. 91.3 KBCS has steadily grown, building a professional management staff in the mid-1980s, and reaching well beyond the confines of the campus to serve Bellevue and other Eastside communities, with a devoted listener base in Seattle. 91.3 KBCS transmits at 8,000 watts to about 30,000 listeners in an average week. Over two-thirds of its operating budget comes from listener donations, with the balance made up of support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and sponsorships from local businesses and organizations. KBCS is poised to increase its range by 40 percent in early 2013 by relocating its broadcast tower and antennae.