KWDK
KWDK is a religious television station licensed to Tacoma, Washington, that broadcasts the Daystar Television Network to viewers in the Seattle area.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KWDK is a full-power religious television station serving the Seattle–Tacoma market in Washington State. Licensed to Tacoma, the station carries programming from the Daystar Television Network, a Christian television service operated within the Word of God Fellowship organization. KWDK is owned by Community Television Educators, Inc., a subsidiary associated with Daystar's parent organization. Its transmitter is located on West Tiger Mountain near Issaquah, positioning the station to reach a broad portion of the Puget Sound region. The station's regulatory history began on July 17, 1992, when the Federal Communications Commission issued a construction permit for channel 56 and assigned the KWDK call letters to Christopher J. Racine. The permit for the station, which had not yet been built, was later transferred to Puget Sound Educational TV, Inc. on October 6, 1999. KWDK began broadcasting on September 6, 2000, initially carrying Daystar programming. Channel 56 had been used for an earlier Tacoma-area television service. From 1960 until 1976, Clover Park School District operated KPEC-TV from Lakewood as a public television station on the allocation. The school district subsequently acquired another Tacoma station, moved its public television operation there, and the channel 56 facility was eventually returned to commercial use. KWDK therefore represents a later use of the same television allocation rather than a continuation of KPEC-TV. KWDK was an early adopter of digital-only operation in the Seattle–Tacoma television market. In April 2005, the station applied to the FCC for permission to end analog broadcasts before the nationwide transition deadline and to operate digitally on UHF channel 42 while retaining virtual channel 56. The FCC approved the request on July 20, 2005. Analog broadcasting appears to have ended in April 2006, and digital transmission on channel 42 was verified later that year. This made KWDK-DT an early digital-only full-power broadcaster in the market, several years before the federal analog shutdown applied to full-power television stations nationwide. The analog signal was formally discontinued on June 12, 2009, as part of the national digital television transition, while the station continued using virtual channel 56.
History
KWDK's history is tied to the development and reassignment of television channel 56 in the Tacoma area. Before KWDK existed, Clover Park School District used the channel allocation for KPEC-TV, a public television station that broadcast from Lakewood between April 1960 and January 1976. The school district later acquired the facilities and license of KTVW on VHF channel 13, moved its public television operation there, and closed the less powerful channel 56 service. The allocation subsequently returned to private commercial broadcasting. On July 17, 1992, the Federal Communications Commission granted a construction permit for a new station on channel 56 and assigned the call letters KWDK to Christopher J. Racine. The authorized station was not immediately built. Its license was transferred to Puget Sound Educational TV, Inc. on October 6, 1999. KWDK eventually launched on September 6, 2000, carrying the programming of the Daystar Television Network. The station was licensed to Tacoma and developed as a local outlet for Daystar's religious television service in the Seattle metropolitan area. KWDK subsequently became notable for adopting digital broadcasting ahead of the national timetable. On April 22, 2005, it submitted an application to the FCC seeking permission to terminate its analog service and operate as a digital-only station before the nationwide analog shutdown. The requested digital operation used UHF channel 42, while the station retained virtual channel 56 for viewer identification. The FCC approved the application on July 20, 2005. KWDK appears to have stopped analog transmission in April 2006, and its digital operation on channel 42 was verified in August of that year. This made KWDK-DT an early digital-only full-power broadcaster in the Seattle–Tacoma market. The station's analog signal was formally shut down on June 12, 2009, when full-power television stations across the United States completed the federally mandated transition from analog to digital broadcasting. KWDK's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 42, with virtual channel 56. The station's transmission facilities are located on West Tiger Mountain near Issaquah, supporting service across the Puget Sound region. KWDK is owned by Community Television Educators, Inc., and operates within the broader Daystar organization, whose parent is Word of God Fellowship. Its principal role is to distribute Daystar's Christian television programming to the Seattle-area audience.
- 2009
Analog service formally ends
[1]KWDK shuts down its analog signal on June 12 in accordance with the United States digital television transition.
- 2006
Digital transmission verified
[1]KWDK's digital-only operation on UHF channel 42 is verified, with virtual channel 56 retained.
- 2005
FCC approves early digital-only operation
[1]The FCC authorizes KWDK to end analog broadcasting ahead of the national transition and operate digitally on channel 42.
- 2000
KWDK signs on
[1]KWDK begins broadcasting on September 6 as a Daystar Television Network affiliate or owned outlet.
- 1999
Unbuilt station license transferred
[1]The license for the unbuilt KWDK station is sold to Puget Sound Educational TV, Inc.
- 1992
KWDK construction permit issued
[1]The FCC issues a construction permit for channel 56 and assigns the KWDK call letters to Christopher J. Racine.
- 1976
KPEC-TV closes on channel 56
[1]The school district moves its public television operation to another Tacoma facility, ending KPEC-TV's use of channel 56.
- 1960
KPEC-TV begins using the channel 56 allocation
[1]Clover Park School District begins operating public television station KPEC-TV from Lakewood on the Tacoma-area channel 56 allocation.
Products and positioning
A local broadcast outlet for Daystar's Christian television programming, using a full-power digital signal to serve viewers in the Seattle–Tacoma region.
Broadcast television station · 2000
KWDK digital television service
KWDK is a full-power digital television station licensed to Tacoma and serving the Seattle–Tacoma market. Its over-the-air transmission uses physical UHF channel 42 and virtual channel 56. The station's transmitter is located on West Tiger Mountain near Issaquah.
Religious television programming · 2000
Daystar Television Network programming
KWDK's principal programming offering is the Christian television content of the Daystar Television Network, distributed locally through the station's digital broadcast signal.
Brand decisions
2005
Early transition to digital-only broadcastingStrategyBackground
KWDK sought to discontinue analog service before the federally mandated end of analog broadcasting in the United States.
Action taken
The station applied to the FCC to surrender its analog channel 56 authorization and operate as a single-channel digital station on UHF channel 42 while retaining virtual channel 56.
Aftermath
The FCC approved the request in July 2005. KWDK's digital operation was verified in 2006, making it an early digital-only broadcaster in the Seattle–Tacoma market.
Recent events
- 2009
KWDK completes its federally required analog shutdown[1]
Regulation · Product generation
KWDK ended its remaining analog transmission on UHF channel 56 as part of the United States nationwide transition to digital television. Its digital signal continued on channel 42 with virtual channel 56.
- 2006
KWDK becomes an early digital-only broadcaster in the Seattle–Tacoma market[1]
Product generation · Other
KWDK's digital transmission on channel 42 was verified after the station ceased analog operation, making it one of the first digital-only full-power television broadcasters in the market.
- 2005
FCC grants KWDK authorization for early digital-only operation[1]
Regulation · Other
The Federal Communications Commission approved KWDK's request to cease analog broadcasting before the end of the national digital television transition and to operate digitally on UHF channel 42 while retaining virtual channel 56.
Sources2 sources
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