WBOI is an FM radio station located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The station operates on the FM radio frequency of 89.1 MHz. It is a National Public Radio member station, owned and operated by Northeast Indiana Public Radio, a non-profit organization. The station has studios and a 600-foot transmitter tower in Fort Wayne's Centennial Park. Effective radiated power is 34,000 watts, covering northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio, and extreme southern Michigan.

History and programming [link]

NIPR broadcast center

WBOI began operating in February 2002. It has assumed some of the programming formerly carried by sister station WBNI, including jazz, folk music, gospel, and news and information programming from National Public Radio.

Some of WBOI's programs, especially the evening jazz programs, are produced by local, volunteer program hosts. The station carries Morning Edition, All Things Considered, A Prairie Home Companion and other nationally broadcast public radio programs. There is a small, local news staff which covers local, state, and regional news.

WBOI is also the home of three popular free-form music programs: "Little Brother Radio" (every Thursday from 9 to midnight), "Saturday Fade" (every Saturday from 9 to midnight) and "The Burnt Toast Show" (every Sunday from 8 to midnight).

The station operates 24 hours a day, utilizing some computer automation during the late night hours. Programs can be heard on the World Wide Web at www.nipr.fm.

On October 13, 2005, WBOI became the first FM station in northeast Indiana to broadcast using the HD Radio format, and the first public radio station in Indiana to offer multicasting on a digital signal^[1]. With an HD Radio tuned to 89.1 FM, three program services are available^[2]:

• WBOI- HD 1 --- WBOI NPR News, Jazz
• WBOI- HD 2 --- WBNI Classical Music
• WBOI- HD 3 --- 24-Hour Jazz

The station is supported entirely by contributions from corporations, businesses, foundations, and listeners. There are pledge drives each year in spring and fall.

WBOI's broadcast studio during a pledge drive

WBOI's operations/programming director is Andrew Anderson. Longtime NIPR program host Doug Gruber is the jazz coordinator for Northeast Indiana Public Radio.^[3]

In 2008, Joan Baumgartner Brown was selected as president and general manager of Northeast Indiana Public Radio (NIPR). The veteran local nonprofit leader oversaw operations at WBOI and WBNI. Brown replaced Bruce Haines beginning August 4, 2008.^[4] Haines became the president and general manager of WFWA, Fort Wayne's PBS television station.^[5]

On January 20, 2009, in a letter to NIPR members, Brown announced that the board had decided to sell WBNI's three analog signals as soon as possible. Financial concerns, caused by the "weak economy," and insufficient contributions from underwriters and members failed to cover the substantial costs of acquiring and upgrading the transmitter towers in Orland and Roanoke. WBNI's programming, however, will continue on WBOI - HD 2 and over the Internet at www.nipr.fm.^[6]

In November 2010, Brown resigned as president and general manager, prompting a search for a new NIPR executive.^[7] On December 10, 2010, NIPR announced that Will Murphy, who has been general manager of WFHB in Bloomington, Indiana, would become NIPR's president and general manager in January 2011.^[8]

References [link]

Sources [link]

• Eyewitness account by Robert E. Nylund
• NIPR website

External sources [link]

• Northeast Indiana Public Radio website
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WBOI
• Radio-Locator information on WBOI
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for WBOI

Coordinates: 41°06′14″N 85°10′44″W / 41.104°N 85.179°W / 41.104; -85.179