KMAS (AM)

KMAS 1030 AM & 103.3 FM is a radio station broadcasting a variety music format licensed to Shelton, Washington, United States.^[2][3]

The station first signed on the air in September 1962.^[4] It was founded by Mason County Broadcasting Co. and originally broadcast on 1280 kHz as a daytime-only station with a power of 1,000 watts.^[5] The call letters KMAS were chosen to represent Mason County, and the station’s first studios were located at the Evergreen Mobile Home Park in Shelton.^[6]

Delilah, a radio host who is now sydnicated across the United States, began her broadcasting career at KMAS in 1974 after being discovered by the station's owners during a local speech contest.^[7] At the age of 14, she provided school news and local reports for the station.^[8]

In 1984, the station underwent a technical change, moving from 1280 kHz to its current frequency of 1030 kHz.^[9] This move allowed KMAS to increase its signal coverage and eventually transition to 24-hour broadcasting, serving as the primary local news and information source for the South Sound region.^[10]

In 2007, the station was acquired by Olympic Broadcasting, and later by iFiber Communications, which integrated the radio station with its local cable news operations.^[11] On January 3, 2012, KMAS changed their format from oldies to news/talk.

On January 12, 2016, KMAS rebranded to iFiberOne NewsRadio as a result of merging with local cable/fiber optic provider iFIBER Communications.^[12]

In 2021, Delilah, acting through her company Big Red Barn Communications, LLC, reached an agreement to purchase KMAS and its FM translator K277AE from iFiber One Network.^[13] The purchase price for the facility was reported to be $75,000.^[14] The acquisition marked a return to her roots in Shelton, and she expressed a desire to maintain the station's commitment to local news and community service.^[15] Under her ownership, the station transitioned to a classic hits and oldies format, often featuring her own syndicated programming during the evening hours.^[16]

The station is best known for its long-standing coverage of Shelton High School Highclimbers athletics. This includes live play-by-play broadcasts of varsity football, basketball, and baseball games.^[17] In addition to Shelton High, the station provides scores and updates for other local schools, including North Mason High School and Mary M. Knight High School.^[18]

Beyond high school sports, KMAS served as a local affiliate for professional regional teams. It has frequently carried Seattle Mariners baseball and Seattle Seahawks football games for listeners in the Shelton and Olympic Peninsula area.^[19]

Following the acquisition by Big Red Barn Communications, the station faced mounting operational costs that led to a reduction in local staff and programming hours.^[20] In early 2025, reports surfaced that the station was seeking new investment or a potential buyer to avoid a permanent shutdown.^[21] Delilah publicly acknowledged the difficulties of maintaining an independent AM station, citing a lack of local advertising support and the rising costs of utilities and licensing.^[22] Despite these setbacks, the station has attempted to stay on the air through automated programming and community fundraising efforts.^[23]

• Facility details for Facility ID 60878 (KMAS) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• KMAS in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
• Facility details for Facility ID 154893 (K277CZ) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• K277CZ at FCCdata.org