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LAWRENCE -- Listeners in Junction City, Manhattan and Abilene, as well as their surrounding areas, now can tune their radios to KANV 91.3-FM in Olsburg, for Kansas Public Radio's award-winning mix of National Public Radio programs, classical music, jazz, bluegrass, and state news and information.
Since Jan. 7, north-central Kansas listeners have been part of Kansas Public Radio's coverage area. Kansas Public Radio is a consortium of stations that blankets the state with news, music programming and services such as Audio-Reader, a closed-circuit broadcast that reads books, magazines and newspapers to blind and visually impaired listeners.
"We're excited to bring public radio to north-central Kansans," said Janet Campbell, KPR general manager. "I hope to hear from listeners who are enjoying our unique programming. We think they will like what they hear."
Now available to new KPR listeners is the up-to-date news of "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered," the mirth and music of "A Prairie Home Companion," the humor and entertainment of "Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?" the automotive insight and hilarity of "Car Talk" and KPR's own unique programming, which has earned the station its seventh consecutive award as Kansas Non-Commercial Station of the Year.
KPR is able to broadcast thanks to a recently installed 6,000-watt transmitter in Junction City, broadcasting as 91.3 FM. The project cost more than $150,000, and Campbell feels listeners in the area are well worth the investment.
"I have had many, many calls and e-mails from folks in this area asking for public radio, so I know the desire is there," Campbell said. "I can only hope that new listeners will become members of KPR and let us know that the service is important to them."
Kansas Public Radio, licensed to the University of Kansas, has greatly expanded its reach this year. KPR put a 3,000-watt transmitter in Emporia in spring 2002. Combined with the main 100,000-watt transmitter in Lawrence and a small repeater in Atchison, the new transmitters give KPR a coverage area of almost all of northeast and north-central Kansas, the Kansas City, Mo., area and parts of northwestern Missouri.
KPR serves about 76,000 listeners every week, and that number should increase with the service to the Manhattan, Junction City, Abilene and Salina areas.
The new KPR transmitter also carries the Audio-Reader signal.
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