Summary:
Valley Public Radio (also known as FM89) is a public radio organization in Fresno, California. It airs programming from National Public Radio (NPR) and other public radio producers and distributors, as well as locally produced news, music, talk, and public affairs programs. It consists of two FM stations--KVPR in Fresno (89.3 mHz) and satellite station KPRX in Bakersfield (89.1 mHz).
Despite having no translators, the two stations' combined signal covers most of California's San Joaquin Valley, including the cities of Fresno, Bakersfield, Visalia, Madera, Tulare, Clovis, Merced, and Hanford, California.
History:
In 1975, Richard Mays, Von Johnson and Randall (Jan) van Oosten formed White Ash Broadcasting in order to bring a public radio station to the Central Valley.
Initial operating funds for White Ash Broadcasting came from a 'seed' grant of $25,000 provided through a competitive grant award from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). In 1976, the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare awarded White Ash Broadcasting a "matching grant" of $125,000 to cover the cost of studio and transmission equipment. To earn the full grant award, the program required White Ash to raise $40,000 from local sources.
White Ash Broadcasting successfully petitioned the FCC for a construction permit in the fall of 1976, and received a full license two years later. KVPR's first broadcast plant was located at 1515 Van Ness Avenue at the site of the former KMJ-AM/FM studios. KVPR began regular broadcast services on October 15, 1978 and re-located to its current site on Shaw Avenue in the mid 1980s. The original site has been demolished.
Valley Public Radio's initial programming mix was music, news and public affairs. Nearly 75% of KVPR's original program schedule was locally produced, and included portions of jazz, folk and classical music in addition to select programming from National Public Radio. Over time, KVPR would opt to focus on a combination of mostly NPR programming and classical music.
KPRX signed on in February 1987 as a full satellite of KVPR. Prior to then, Bakersfield was one of the largest cities in the country with no NPR stations whatsoever.
Programs:
A Moment In Time
All Things Considered
Car Talk
Chef's Table
Clearly Classical (classical music)
Earth & Sky
Family Health
Footlight Parade
Fresh Air Weekend
In The Mode
Jazz at Lincoln Center
Justice Talking
Left, Right & Center
Live! At The Concertgebouw
Morning Edition
Nature Watch
New York Philharmonic This Week
Our Ocean World
Overture
Quality Of Life
San Francisco Symphony
Star Date
Sunday Baroque
Talk of the Nation
The California Report
The Cleveland Orchestra
The Intersection: Where Jazz Meets The Classics
The Oasis
The Thistle & Shamrock
The Thomas Jefferson Hour
The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Travel With Rick Steves
Valley Writers Read
Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
Weekend Classics (classical music)
Weekend Edition
Word For The Wise
World Muse
Young Artists Spotlight
External links:
http://www.kvpr.org/ (Valley Public Radio official website)
