About Classical KING
Our Mission
Classical KING will actively grow, diversify, and enrich the love of classical music in our community.
Our Vision
Expand our diverse community of listeners, performers, and supporters who understand and benefit from the powerful impact of classical music and the arts in our region.
Our Values
- Classical music should be accessible to all
- The arts are a critical component of every vibrant city
- K-12 arts education is necessary to develop creativity, innovation, and lifelong appreciation of the arts
- Fiscally-responsible planning is necessary to achieve our vision
About Classical KING
Classical KING serves a diverse audience of classical music lovers in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. In addition, the station services as a catalyst for the entire arts community as the primary resource for attracting and developing new audiences for classical music. The station has a profound reach:
- 250,000 weekly radio listeners
- Ranks in the top 5 most popular radio stations in the Seattle/Tacoma market
- 100,000 regularly stream Classical KING
- 50+ broadcasts of local concerts from performing partners each year
- 40+ live studio performances annually
- 98% locally created content
Classical KING delivers a distinctive, community‑centered classical music service through three continuous channels: Classical KING, Classical Calm, and Classical Christmas. Everything the station offers is available free of charge on 98.1 FM radio which reaches all of the Puget Sound region as well as most of Western Washington and lower British Columbia. Streaming is available anywhere, anytime online through apps, smart speakers, and numerous digital platforms – this digital audience is growing exponentially.
The station’s programming is deeply rooted in the Pacific Northwest, built through longstanding partnerships with local arts organizations, musicians, and cultural institutions. Classical KING shines a light on local artists and live music experiences through its curated playlist, thematic shows like “Local Lunch,” broadcast concerts, and robust promotion of arts activities throughout the region. Guided by its commitment to diversity, the station’s programming amplifies underrepresented voices, reaches audiences often excluded from traditional arts spaces, and works diligently to reflect and serve the full breadth of the community.
In addition to creating programming that offers everyone in the region an opportunity to make classical music and the arts a part of daily life, Classical KING partners with arts and culture organizations of all size and scope in the region. We offer broadcast performances of local concerts as well as an opportunity for local musicians to perform on our signature Friday evening program Northwest Focus LIVE. The Northwest Focus Concert Calendar offers listeners the opportunity to learn more about concerts and events to encourage them to deepen their involvement with classical music and the arts by attending and supporting the excellent performing organizations the region boasts.
We are proud of the rich history of the station, which was founded by broadcasting pioneer Dorothy Stimson Bullitt in 1948. After Dorothy’s death, her daughters Patsy Bullitt Collins and Harriet Bullitt donated the station to a nonprofit to ensure the station continued to serve the region. Their concept was that the community would support the station going forward. Classical KING operated as a commercial classical station until 2011 when it became a classical public radio station.
The station is an independent nonprofit, and its operations are entirely supported by listener supporters, local foundation and government grants, and sponsors. Classical KING is co-located with Seattle Opera at Seattle Center, the cultural heart of the Pacific Northwest. With the largest reach, the most diverse audience, and the fewest barriers to access, Classical KING is a singular community asset.
The Classical KING Commitment to Diversity
Classical KING recognizes that the music we refer to as “classical” comes from a predominantly white Western music tradition and was written for the church or commissioned by wealthy, white patrons. Despite the brilliant work of composers and performers of color, classical music remains predominantly white, as a result of its history and structural racism. There is still much work toward change for all of us in the field to undertake.
Often, people think the way to diversify classical music is to include World music or other genres. Many other cultures have their own forms of classical music. We recognize and respect these traditions, which listeners can explore on World music stations and streams. Radio, as a medium, works best when stations have focused formats. Listeners, even those with eclectic tastes, want consistency, so they know where to turn for the specific music or news they are seeking. Part of our specific focus is to make the Western classical music tradition we program meaningful to anyone who listens. There are documented physiological and psychological benefits to listening to classical music, and we want to make those benefits accessible to everyone. Our goal is to make our station a warm, welcoming place for people of all backgrounds and cultures to explore music with us.
In recognition of the lack of diversity in our field and within our own organization, Classical KING commits to an action agenda for change, including, but not limited to:
- Ensuring diversity in the recordings we present on air. We are limited by music rights agreements of the existing recorded repertoire. The classical recording industry has not been focused on diversity; therefore, we also commit to advocating within the industry for the needed diversity in available recordings.
- Committing to build pipelines for diversity in both our station staff and our board of directors
- Bringing diverse perspectives into our organization and including diverse voices through community partnerships as we work on these changes
- Collaborating with music educators in our region to provide access to music education for all children. Access to music education begins in school for many children. In order to have diversity in the field as a whole, we need to give all children the opportunity to fall in love with classical music and the arts.
Classical KING commits to real and lasting change. To reach our short- and long-term goals, we will hold ourselves accountable over time by making diversity, equity, and inclusion a key strategic priority, developing an action plan to move us forward, and finding metrics to measure our progress. Our work will be driven and monitored by The Social Action Committee of the Classical 98.1 Board of Directors, although this work is the responsibility of everyone involved in the organization.