KNPR
 | |
| Broadcast area | Las Vegas metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 88.9 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | News 88.9 KNPR |
| Programming | |
| Format | Public Radio - News - Talk |
| Subchannels | HD2: Classical (KCNV simulcast) HD3: Jazz (KUNV simulcast) |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Nevada Public Radio |
| KCNV, KBGZ, KLNR, KTPH, KVNV, KWPR | |
| History | |
First air date | March 24, 1980 (at 89.5) |
Former frequencies | 89.5 MHz (1980–2003) |
Call sign meaning | Nevada Public Radio or National Public Radio |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 79047 |
| Class | C |
| ERP | 22,000 watts |
| HAAT | 1,190 meters (3,900 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 35°57′55″N 115°30′02″W / 35.9652°N 115.5005°W |
| Translator(s) | See § Translators |
| Repeater(s) | See § Repeaters |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | knpr |
KNPR (88.9 MHz, "News 88.9") is a non-commercial, listener-supported, public radio station in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned by Nevada Public Radio and it airs news and talk programming from National Public Radio and other public radio networks. The station is located in the Donald W. Reynolds Broadcast Center on the campus of the College of Southern Nevada.
KNPR is a Class C station with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 22,000 watts. It's transmitter is on Potosi Mountain in Blue Diamond. Programming is simulcast on a network of repeater stations and FM translators throughout Nevada. KNPR broadcasts using HD Radio technology. Its HD2 subchannel carries classical music from co-owned KCNV 89.7 FM and its HD3 subchannel carries jazz and other music from KUNV 91.5 FM, owned by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and broadcast from its School of Journalism.
Programming
[edit]KNPR carries a news and information format with most shows provided by NPR and other public radio networks. Weekday programs include Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Fresh Air, Here and Now, The World and Marketplace. The BBC World Service runs overnight and for one hour at midday. KNPR produces a local hour of interviews and talk, State of Nevada, hosted by Joe Schoenmann. It is broadcast live at 9 a.m. and is repeated at 7 p.m.
On weekends, KNPR airs one-hour specialty shows, including This American Life, Reveal, Bullseye with Jesse Thorn, Travel with Rick Steves, Live Wire, Latino USA, It's Been A Minute, Snap Judgment, Radiolab, The Moth Radio Hour, Hidden Brain, The TED Radio Hour, On The Media, Sound Opinions and Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. KNPR also publishes a magazine about Nevada living, Desert Companion.
History
[edit]A group of Las Vegas-area residents started Nevada Public Radio in 1975 as a non-profit organization. The group wanted to bring public radio to the state. It sought a construction permit from the Federal Communications Commission to build a station.[2]
KNPR signed on the air on March 24, 1980.[3] It was founded by Lamar Marchese.[2] KNPR was the first NPR member station in Nevada. (KUNR in Reno signed on in 1963 but didn't join NPR until 1981.)[4]
In its early years, KNPR carried a mix of NPR news programs along with classical music. At first it broadcast at 89.5 MHz. The studios were located along Boulder Highway on the property of Sam Boyd Stadium. The station was powered at 7,500 watts, one-third of its current output.[5]
By the early 2000s, Nevada Public Radio wanted to have two stations to serve both audiences, those who wanted to hear news and information and those who preferred classical music. In 2003, KNPR moved to 88.9 and switched to a full time news and talk format. Classical music moved to a new sister station, KCNV at 89.7.[6] In 2005, Nevada Public Radio acquired an additional transmitter, KSGU at St. George, Utah,[7] but later sold it to the Educational Media Foundation in 2020.[8]
Repeaters
[edit]| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KLKR | 89.3 FM | Elko, Nevada | 174342 | LMS |
| KWPR | 88.7 FM | Lund, Nevada | 90472 | LMS |
| KLNR | 91.7 FM | Panaca, Nevada | 48350 | LMS |
| KVNV | 89.1 FM | Sun Valley, Nevada | 172600 | LMS |
| KTPH | 91.7 FM | Tonopah, Nevada | 48356 | LMS |
Translators
[edit]| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K219LM | 91.7 FM | Lake Havasu City, Arizona | 48355 | LMS |
| K201AD | 88.1 FM | China Lake, Etc., California | 28593 | LMS |
| K219AV | 91.7 FM | Beatty, Nevada | 49873 | LMS |
| K208BB | 89.5 FM | Laughlin, Etc., Nevada | 48353 | LMS |
| K201HX | 88.1 FM | Mesquite, Nevada | 48357 | LMS |
| K210ET | 89.9 FM | Moapa, Etc., Nevada | 48352 | LMS |
| K207CY | 89.3 FM | Round Mountain, Nevada | 92879 | LMS |
| K201BF | 88.1 FM | Scotty's Junction, Nevada | 49874 | LMS |
References
[edit]- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KNPR". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ a b Lamar and Patricia Marchese Papers, 1959-2015. MS-00884. (2023). Las Vegas: Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Archived from the original on April 8, 2025.
- ^ "Nevada Radio" (PDF). Broadcasting and Cablecasting Yearbook: A Directory of Radio and Cable Stations in the United States and Canada. 1984. pp. B-161. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 8, 2021.
- ^ Van Hoozer, Natalie (November 15, 2023). "KUNR FAQ: Answers to community questions about the station". KUNR. Archived from the original on October 10, 2024.
- ^ Morrison, Jane Ann (April 2, 2007). "KNPR Pioneer was One Man in Las Vegas Who Wasn't Full of Hot Air". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on June 4, 2017.
- ^ Baird, Kirk (October 20, 2003). "Station to Station: News, Classical Music Lovers Benefit from KNPR/KCEV Move on Oct. 31". Las Vegas Sun. Archived from the original on April 5, 2025.
- ^ Baird, Kirk (March 23, 2005). "Open to the Public". Las Vegas Sun. Archived from the original on July 24, 2025.
- ^ Jacobson, Adam (April 3, 2020). "An NPR Sale In Southern Utah Home". Radio + Television Business Report. Archived from the original on April 7, 2020.
External links
[edit]- Facility details for Facility ID 79047 (KNPR) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- KNPR in Nielsen Audio's FM station database