On April 5, 1927 KGW was one of 7 pacific coast stations to broadcast the inaugural program by the Orange Network of the National Broadcasting Co. NBC was the first Network in the West. The stations of the Orange chain were:
KFI Los Angeles
KPO San Francisco (switched to NBC-Gold chain 1931, now KNBR)
KGO Oakland (now San Francisco)
KGW Portland
KOMO Seattle
KFOA Seattle (switched to Don Lee chain 1929 as KOL)
KHQ Spokane

The 3 hour program started at 8PM from NBC Studios in San Francisco. The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra entertained with solos from Jeane Gordon & Lambert Murphy.

The 2nd hour, KFI Studios in Los Angeles took control. The Los Angeles Caballeros entertained with music from south of the border. Then vocals from the Duncan Sisters, followed by the Hollywood String Quartet & Moseby's Dixieland Blue Blowers.

In the 3rd hour, it was back to San Francisco with the Frank Ellis Orchestra from the St. Francis Hotel. Thereafter the NBC Pacific Coast Network chain (PCN) originated programs from San Francisco. Orange was rarely used as it's network name after this point.

There seems to be no date when KGW switched to the NBC-Red Network. The earliest reference is July 3, 1936.

On June 15, 1945 the NBC-Red Network name was shortened to NBC, when RCA sold the NBC-Blue Network to Edward J. Noble, to meet requirements of antitrust laws. The Blue Network then became ABC on this date.

Previous to NBC, KGW had it's own "chain" of stations broadcasting it's popular variety show The Hoot Owls (with Mel Blanc) Friday Nights 10:30 to Midnight. The chain included:
KFOA Seattle (aka KOL)
KHQ Spokane
KMO Tacoma

The St Francis Hotel was later home to KKHI AM-FM.

That must of been in the late 1940's with an FM.

I was there in the late seventies. They may have been there for the duration of the station. The FM was simulcast.

WOW! That late! I think you'll find Part 2 very interesting next week. I did. It's history lost in time for the most part.

The first part was very interesting. I look forward to part 2.