WKU Public Radio
WKU Public Radio is the public radio service of Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It is a division of the Department of Information Technology at WKU. The network consists of four FM radio stations and one FM translator. Combined, the stations cover most of Western Kentucky and parts of Indiana and Tennessee, reaching into the northern suburbs of Nashville.
 | |
| City | Bowling Green, Kentucky |
|---|---|
| Frequency | WKYU-FM: 88.9 MHz, Bowling Green |
| Branding | WKU Public Radio |
| Programming | |
| Format | Public radio (News, Information, Classical Music) |
| Affiliations | American Public Media, National Public Radio, Public Radio International, Kentucky Public Radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Western Kentucky University |
| Sister stations | WKYU-TV |
| Technical information | |
| Repeater(s) | WKPB 89.5, Henderson WDCL-FM 89.7, Somerset WKUE-FM 90.9, Elizabethtown W277AA-FM 103.3, Somerset |
| Links | |
| Website | wkyufm.org |
Programming
WKUE airs news and informational programming on weekdays, with classical music heard at night. Weekends feature informational shows by day, with jazz on Saturday nights and specialty music programs Sunday evenings. Saturdays and Sundays at noon, Erika Brady hosts the "Barren River Breakdown" show. WKUE is an affiliate of National Public Radio, with shows from American Public Media and the Public Radio Exchange also heard.
Stations
The network consists of four full-power stations and an FM translator, all located in Kentucky and simulcasting the same programming at all times:
| Location | Callsign | Frequency | Class | Sign on date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green | WKYU-FM | 88.9 FM | C1 | January 14, 1980 | Flagship station of WKU Public Radio; also serves north-central Tennessee |
| Elizabethtown | WKUE | 90.9 FM | C3 | October 15, 1990 | Grade B coverage available in Louisville |
| Henderson / Owensboro | WKPB | 89.5 FM | C2 | April 1, 1990 | Also serves southwest Indiana and southeast Illinois, including Evansville and Carmi |
| Somerset | WDCL-FM | 89.7 | C1 | July 1985 | |
| W277AA | 103.3 FM | D | 1993 | Translator of WDCL-FM | |
Together, the five stations reach 65% of Kentucky, including the fringes of the Louisville and Lexington areas. The stations also serve portions of Indiana, Illinois and Tennessee. Much of this area is composed of rural areas and small towns; Evansville is by far the largest city in the region.
History
WKYU-FM signed on for the first time on January 14, 1980. WDCL followed on February 22, 1983; WKPB on April 20, 1989, WKUE on June 1, 1990, and W277AA in 1993.
Until August 2009, the network was known as Western's Public Radio, airing mostly classical music during the day. However, on August 31, it rebranded itself as WKU Public Radio, and began airing mostly news and talk during the day. Prior to Western Public Radio's sign-on, the only portion of the coverage area that had a clear signal from an NPR station was Henderson and Owensboro, which received NPR programming from WNIN-FM in Evansville.
In 2016, WKYU-FM signed on a new service on a new FM translator station, W248CF. That translator airs classical music 24 hours a day. Since its signal does not reach too far outside of Warren County, it is repeated on WKYU-FM's second HD channel, and also streams live on the Internet.