Kansas Public Radio - Serving You Since 1952
By: J. Schafer, News Director
Using a donated FM transmitter that a commercial radio station was throwing out, Kansas Public Radio (KPR) began its life as KANU FM 91.5 in 1952. The commercial station didn’t think FM radio would catch on.
We've come a long way since then. KANU has grown into a collection of FM transmitters and translators scattered across the eastern third of Kansas (KANU-Lawrence, KANH-Emporia, KANV-Junction City and KANQ-Chanute + various translators in Manhattan, Lawrence and Atchison). Because we now have so many call letters, we collectively refer to ourselves as Kansas Public Radio or KPR.
Fun Factoid: KANU was the nation's first non-commercial radio station to broadcast in FM stereo - and we have a letter from the FCC to prove it!
From our first day of broadcasting, KPR has been committed to presenting high-quality news, weather and entertainment to listeners. We also share live and recorded classical music, jazz and Americana (folk, singer-songwriter & Bluegrass). We even have a live performance studio showcasing top-shelf talent from many genres of music.
Along the way, we opened up a Kansas Statehouse Bureau (one of the few stations in Kansas to do so). We also earned a Peabody Award and countless other accolades for our programming.
One of our unique music shows, the Retro Cocktail Hour, is syndicated on more than 100 radio stations around the world. We also raised private funds to build a world class radio station. We host Live Music Days, where our recording engineers go out into the community to conduct live remote broadcasts featuring area musicians.
Our listeners seem to love it. And those listeners now provide our single largest source of financial support (more than 84%). With help from listeners, our on-air fund drives don’t just raise money. We often partner with local food banks, homeless shelters and area humane societies to raise money and awareness for their efforts as well.
Kansas Public Radio has also been recognized by our peers, winning the Kansas Association of Broadcasters’ Station of the Year Award a record 22 times since it was first created in 1996. That’s more than any other radio or TV station in the state.
Of course, awards and recognition are just one way to measure success. The real satisfaction for us comes from providing news, severe weather bulletins and entertainment to listeners on-air, online and in the communities we serve.
For the past seven decades, KPR has been serving listeners with a single focus: to provide the highest quality arts and information programming. Programming that inspires, enlightens and entertains an increasing number of listeners. Not bad for a station that began with a hand-me-down transmitter.
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