KEWU aired its first broadcast in 1950.[4] In the summer of 2023, the university announced it intended to shutter the station.[1] The shutdown was slated for the end of the year, but programming was extended into 2024 with an automated feed supplemented by 10 hours of student-hosted shows during weekday morning drive-times.[5]
In late 2024, EWU's administration reported the station's license would be sold by mid-2025. The propective buyer was not identified. To prepare for the transition, the university donated KEUW's music library to Spokane Public Radio.[6]
History
The university station went on the air on April 7, 1950, as KEWC, a 10-watt AM station. On November 11, 1963, the station moved to the FM Band as KEWU-FM.[1]
In 1986, the station's transmitting power was increased to 10,000 watts, and its format was changed to jazz. Since then, KEWU has featured more than 150 hours of classic and contemporary jazz weekly, while also expanding its offerings to include related genres, such as Big Band, Latin Jazz, and Blues.[4]
Over the years, the station has received recognition for the quality of its programming. In 2005 and 2015, JazzWeek magazine named KEWU the Best Small Market Jazz station in the U.S., while also honoring program director Elizabeth Farriss as the Best Small Market Jazz Programmer in 2005, 2009, and 2015.[4][1]
In 2023, the university announced it would be shutting down KEUW by the end of the year, but the closure was put off into 2024.[1][5] Current plans call for the sale of KEUW's license by the middle of 2025.[6]
