Mission

The mission of KWSO radio is to provide Warm Springs with quality radio programming that: delivers local news and information; promotes education, cultural knowledge and language preservation; and increases awareness of social, health and safety issues.

History

KWSO 91.9 FM is a Non-Commercial Community radio station owned and operated by The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon (CTWS) and first aired in September 1986. With 4,300 watts of power, and a transmitter atop Eagle Butte on the Warm Springs Reservation, KWSO broadcasts 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. The radio station broadcasts local news and information, cultural programming and music and reaches 50,000 people in all of Jefferson County and into Wasco, Crook and Deschutes Counties with a primary focus on the residents of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.

In 2009 KWSO moved into the Warm Springs Media Center which was funded by the CTWS, Meyer Memorial Trust and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Community Service Grant Program. This eco-friendly building features a 11.4 kilowatt solar panels and also houses the Spilyay Tymoo, a community newspaper published by the CTWS.

KWSO is an affiliate of NPR and Native Voice One.

As part of the National Emergency Alert System, KWSO serves as a critical partner in the dissemination of information to the community in emergency situations.

Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Oregon

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs is a federally recognized Indian Tribe located 104 miles south of Portland and 60 miles north of Bend, just off Highway 26. The Reservation consists of 640,000 acres and is home to three (3) tribes, the Warm Springs, Wasco, and Paiute Tribes.