WKSU-FM

WKSU-FM (89.7 FM) – branded 89.7 WKSU – is a non-commercial educational radio station licensed to Kent, Ohio, primarily serving the Akron metro area. WKSU-FM also reaches much of Greater Cleveland, and extends its signal throughout Northeast Ohio by using two translators and four full-power repeaters. Owned by Kent State University, WKSU-FM broadcasts a mix of public radio and classical music, and serves as the local affiliate for NPR, American Public Media, and Public Radio International. Besides a standard analog transmission, WKSU-FM broadcasts over four HD Radio channels, and is available online. The WKSU-FM studios are located on the campus of Kent State, while station transmitter is located in Copley.

History

The origins of WKSU-FM started in 1941 with the Kent State University Radio Workshop, which presented 40 different programs over several local commercial stations. In 1949, The Kent State University Board of Trustees began to take notice of the station’s modest broadcasts, and soon gave KSU President George Bowman the go-ahead to apply for a 10-watt educational station. In April 1950, the FCC gave the station permission to build a small transmitter attached to the roof of Kent Hall, and on October 2, 1950, WKSU-FM was born. The signal was transmitted only within the confines of the campus. By November of that year, WKSU-FM was broadcasting five hours a day, five days a week.