WUKY
Encyclopedia
WUKY is the flagship National Public Radio station in Lexington, Kentucky
. Owned by the University of Kentucky
, it is an Adult Album Alternative
(Indie Rock) station that airs over 100 hours of music a week, in addition to programming from NPR, Public Radio International
, the BBC
, and American Public Media
.
. However, it has always been owned by UK. It was the first university-owned FM radio station in the United States, as well as the first public radio station in Kentucky. In 1945, the operation moved to Lexington. The station was a charter member of NPR, and was one of the original stations that carried All Things Considered
when it debuted in 1971. In 1989, WBKY changed its call letters to WUKY to better reflect its affiliation with UK.
Longtime All Things Considered
host Noah Adams
began his career at WBKY.
WUKY is supported by its listeners, who give regularly to the station. It also receives funding from the University of Kentucky
, as well as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
, and its underwriters.
In 2006, WUKY moved its antenna to a tower at Clays Ferry on the Kentucky River. The station also installed a digital transmitter there, and became the first HD Radio
station in Lexington, and the first to multi-cast. It now streams 3 digital channels. In 2007, WUKY debuted its online-only arts and music magazine, tonic. It, along with all three digital streams, can be heard at the station's website, wuky.org.
, and Fresh Air
. The station is well-known for its eclectic music mix, "Rock & Roots," which airs from 9-4 weekdays, as well as late nights and Saturday afternoons. WUKY also airs A Prairie Home Companion
and other syndicated shows, and diverse, locally-produced programs for fans of Blues, female rock, Americana and World music. The combination of news programming and Indie Rock is expressed in the station's slogan: "NPR Rocks @ 91.3."
The station reports its music airplay to Friday Morning Quarterback's Triple A panel and to TripleARadio.com.
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
. Owned by the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
, it is an Adult Album Alternative
Adult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
(Indie Rock) station that airs over 100 hours of music a week, in addition to programming from NPR, Public Radio International
Public Radio International
Public Radio International is a Minneapolis-based American public radio organization, with locations in Boston, New York, London and Beijing. PRI's tagline is "Hear a different voice." PRI is a major public media content creator and also distributes programs from many sources...
, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, and American Public Media
American Public Media
American Public Media is the second largest producer of public radio programs in the United States of America after NPR. Its non-profit parent, American Public Media Group, also owns and operates radio stations in Minnesota, California, and Florida. Its station brands are Minnesota Public Radio,...
.
History
WUKY began broadcasting on October 17, 1940 as WBKY, a 100-watt station in BeattyvilleBeattyville, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,193 people, 509 households, and 294 families residing in the city. The population density was 599.6 people per square mile . There were 561 housing units at an average density of 282.0 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 98.99% White, 0.42%...
. However, it has always been owned by UK. It was the first university-owned FM radio station in the United States, as well as the first public radio station in Kentucky. In 1945, the operation moved to Lexington. The station was a charter member of NPR, and was one of the original stations that carried All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
when it debuted in 1971. In 1989, WBKY changed its call letters to WUKY to better reflect its affiliation with UK.
Longtime All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
host Noah Adams
Noah Adams
Noah Adams is an American broadcast journalist and author, known primarily for his more than thirty years of experience on National Public Radio. A former co-host of the daily All Things Considered program, he is currently the senior correspondent at the network's National Desk...
began his career at WBKY.
WUKY is supported by its listeners, who give regularly to the station. It also receives funding from the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
, as well as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a non-profit corporation created by an act of the United States Congress, funded by the United States’ federal government to promote public broadcasting...
, and its underwriters.
In 2006, WUKY moved its antenna to a tower at Clays Ferry on the Kentucky River. The station also installed a digital transmitter there, and became the first HD Radio
HD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
station in Lexington, and the first to multi-cast. It now streams 3 digital channels. In 2007, WUKY debuted its online-only arts and music magazine, tonic. It, along with all three digital streams, can be heard at the station's website, wuky.org.
Programming
WUKY carries shows from NPR, including All Things Considered, Morning EditionMorning Edition
Morning Edition is an American radio news program produced and distributed by National Public Radio . It airs weekday mornings and runs for two hours, and many stations repeat one or both hours. The show feeds live from 05:00 to 09:00 ET, with feeds and updates as required until noon...
, and Fresh Air
Fresh Air
Fresh Air is an American radio talk show broadcast on National Public Radio stations across the United States. The show is produced by WHYY-FM in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its longtime host is Terry Gross. , the show was syndicated to 450 stations and claimed 4.5 million listeners. The show...
. The station is well-known for its eclectic music mix, "Rock & Roots," which airs from 9-4 weekdays, as well as late nights and Saturday afternoons. WUKY also airs A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion is a live radio variety show created and hosted by Garrison Keillor. The show runs on Saturdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Central Time, and usually originates from the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul, Minnesota, although it is frequently taken on the road...
and other syndicated shows, and diverse, locally-produced programs for fans of Blues, female rock, Americana and World music. The combination of news programming and Indie Rock is expressed in the station's slogan: "NPR Rocks @ 91.3."
The station reports its music airplay to Friday Morning Quarterback's Triple A panel and to TripleARadio.com.