WKAR-FM

WKAR-FM

East Lansing, Michigan
Broadcast area	Lansing-East Lansing metropolitan area
Frequency	90.5MHz(HD Radio)
Branding	NPR WKAR
Programming
Format	Public radio;classical music;news and talk
Subchannels	HD2:WKAR (AM)simulcast
Affiliations	National Public Radio Public Radio Exchange American Public Media Classical 24 BBC World Service Emergency Alert System
Ownership
Owner	Michigan State University
Sister stations	WKAR-TV,WKAR (AM)
History
First air date	October 4, 1948(October 4, 1948)
Call signmeaning	call letters are shared with WKAR (AM) (WKAR's call letters were assigned randomly in 1922)
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	41683
Class	B
ERP	85,000watts
HAAT	269.3 meters (884 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	42°42′7″N84°24′48″W
Translator(s)	HD2:102.3W272EM (East Lansing)
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	wkar.org

WKAR-FM(90.5MHz) is anon-commercialpublicradio stationinEast Lansing, Michigan.It is owned byMichigan State University,along withsister stationsWKAR(870 AM) andWKAR-TV(channel 23). They are owned byMichigan State University,withstudiosare in the Communication Arts and Sciences Building, at Wilson and Red Cedar Roads on the MSU campus.

WKAR-FM has aneffective radiated power(ERP) of 85,000watts,grandfatheredas a "Superpower" FM station. It can be heard as far east asFlintand theDetroitsuburbs, and as far west asGrand RapidsandKalamazoo.Thetransmittertoweris off Dobie Road inOkemos,near theRed Cedar River.

Programming

On weekdays, WKAR-FM airsclassical musicin middays and evenings, with news and talk shows heard at other times, includingNational Public RadioprogramsMorning Edition,All Things ConsideredandFresh Air.On weekends, classical music is heard in middays and overnight, withfolk musicin the evening. Weekend NPR shows includeWait Wait... Don't Tell Me,This American Life,Code SwitchandHidden Brain.Overnight, WKAR-FM carriesClassical 24.

Michigan news updates and NPR News are heard at the beginning of most hours. While WKAR-FM concentrates on classical music, WKAR AM has an all news and talk schedule.Morning EditionandAll Things Consideredare heard on both stations. WKAR AM programming is also carried on WKAR-FM'sHD Radiodigital subchannel.

WKAR-FM is the primaryEmergency Alert System(EAS) station for the state of Michigan, relaying emergency messages from theMichigan State Policeto all media outlets in Michigan. It hosts statewide tests twice a year. WKAR-FM is also the secondary EAS station for Lansing and the South Central Michigan region (WFMKis the primary station for the region).

Former logo

History

AfterWorld War II,Michigan State University decided to add an FM station to supplement WKAR (870 AM). WKAR-FMsigned onthe air on October 4, 1948.It was the Lansing area's first FM station, although few people owned radios that could receive FM signals then.

Like most FM stations of the time, itsimulcastits AM sister during itssunrise to sunsetbroadcast hours. When the AM station had to sign off at sunset to protectWWLinNew Orleans,WKAR-FM would then carry its own signature programming which included classical music and other arts-related programs.

The two stations split their broadcasting schedules on March 1, 1965. The FM station most aired fine arts programming, while the AM station concentrated on news and information. The WKAR stations became charter members of NPR. In 1971, they were among the 90 stations carrying the inaugural broadcast ofAll Things Considered.

WKAR-FM is a "Superpower Grandfathered"Class BFMstation, providing a signal 7.6dBstronger than would be granted today under current U.S.Federal Communications Commission(FCC) rules.While most stations in this section of Michigan are limited to 50,000 watts, WKAR-FM is powered at 85,000 watts. WKAR-FM went on the air before theFCCrules on maximum power were established.

In January 2013, WKAR-AM-FM launched the daily news/arts radio magazineCurrent State,an hour-long program of interviews and produced reports devoted to Mid-Michigan and statewide politics, government, business, education, environment, science, technology, health, medicine and the arts. The program was broadcast Monday through Friday at 9 am and 6 pm on 90.5 FM and weekdays at noon on AM 870. It was discontinued several years later.

HD programming

WKAR-FM is licensed by the FCC to broadcast usingHD Radio(hybrid) technology.Until 2017, its HD signal broadcast on three streams.

HD1is a simulcast of the analog FM signal's classical music and NPR format.

HD2is a simulcast ofWKAR(870AM), continuing from local sunset to sunrise when the AM station is not broadcasting. It is also simulcast on a low-powered translator at 102.3 FM giving most of the Lansing area access to a locally focused NPR news and talk station. It originally was a simulcast of theClassical 24music channel. That service airs on the main signal from 7 pm to 5 am.

HD3was a simulcast of WKAR AM; it was also simulcast on a low-powered translator at 105.1 FM. On June 30, 2017, WKAR-FM ended its HD3 subchannel.The Classical 24 stream is available on the WKAR website, along with streams of the Lansing area'sradio reading serviceas well as ajazzchannel. Currently, the HD2 subchannel simulcasts WKAR 870 AM.

External links

• Facility details for Facility ID 41683 (WKAR-FM)in theFCCLicensing and Management System
• WKAR-FMinNielsen Audio's FM station database