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Communication - How Are The Call Letters Beginning With "K" Or "W" Assigned To Radio Stations?
How are the call letters beginning with "K" or "W" assigned to radio stations?
Beginning call letters of radio stations in the United States are assigned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on a geographical basis. The call letters of the majority of radio stations located east of the Mississippi River begin with the letter "W." The call letters of stations west of the Mississippi begin with the letter "K."
However, there are exceptions to this rule. Stations founded before this licensing practice went into effect kept their old letters. KDKA in Pittsburgh, for instance, has retained the first letter "K"; likewise some pioneer western stations have retained the first letter "W."
Source: Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook 1995, vol. 1, p. xiv.
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