What does the K in KQED stand for?

Given my recent success with the translation of cryptic notes found in a leather jacket, I thought I give this another try and ask my readers a question that has bugged me for the longest time.

So all those radio- and TV-stations start with a “K” in their abbreviation. As in KQED, KNME, KRON, etc. I’ve asked a number of people already what the “K” stands for, but nobody could give me an answer. I would research it on wikipedia, but I have no idea how to phrase a question that would lead me to the right answer.

Anybody out there knows what it is supposed to mean? Thanks in advance …

5 Responses to “ What does the K in KQED stand for? ”

  1. Mitch
    March 1st, 2007 | 2:21 pm

    I don’t think anybody still living knows:

    http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010504.html

  2. March 1st, 2007 | 4:04 pm

    K and W were the international call signs assigned to the U.S. It’s C in Canada and X in Mexico. Generally, in the U.S. stations west of the Mississippi River were assigned K, those east of it W. There were some exceptions in the early years (WOAI in San Antonio is one).

  3. March 1st, 2007 | 5:11 pm

    I actually remembered that bit of trivia from some point in my past. I worked at the radio station in college, maybe I learned it there? Anyway, looked up my footnote before I saw the asnswer above.

    http://www.oldradio.com/archives/general/kwtrivia.htm

    http://nelson.oldradio.com/origins.html

  4. Richard Albury
    March 1st, 2007 | 5:29 pm

    More info here:

    http://www.oldradio.com/archives/general/kwtrivia.htm

    Found by googling “radio call letters” and digging around a bit.

    Next, I suppose you’ll want to know why there are 360 degrees in a circle… ;-)

  5. March 2nd, 2007 | 8:43 am

    Wow - that’s a lot of good information in no time. Thanks to all of you who provided comments to solve this puzzle. Appreciate it!

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