Jefferson Public Radio

Jefferson Public Radio
Type	Public Radio Network
Country	United States
Broadcast area	Oregon; California
Programming
Affiliations	National Public Radio; Public Radio Exchange; American Public Media
Ownership
Owner	Southern Oregon University
History
Launch date	1969
Links
Website	www.ijpr.org

Jefferson Public Radio (JPR) is a regional public radio broadcasting network serving over a million potential listeners in Southern Oregon and the Shasta Cascade region of northern California. Owned by Southern Oregon University, the network is headquartered on the SOU campus in Ashland, near Medford. It is named after the proposed State of Jefferson, an area which roughly corresponds to its vast and mostly mountainous coverage area of 60,000 square miles (160,000 km²).^[1]^[2]

JPR's flagship station, KSOR in Ashland, signed on in April 1969 as a 10-watt station operated by students at what was then Southern Oregon College. It began moving away from its college radio roots during the 1970s, becoming a full NPR member by the end of the decade. In the early 1980s, it began building a massive system of translators covering large portions of Oregon and California, and now claims one of the largest translator network of any public radio station in the country.^[3]

At first, KSOR was not familiar with the history of Jefferson. However, by the time KSOR began to build full-power satellites later in the decade, it realized that its service area was virtually coextensive with the State of Jefferson. It rebranded itself as "Jefferson Public Radio" in 1989, feeling that name was more than appropriate for its growing network and the area it served.^[3]

Programming

The network broadcasts local programming as well as programs from National Public Radio, Public Radio Exchange, American Public Media, and the BBC World Service among other sources.

Its programming is organized into three broadcasting services. Most listeners in the JPR service area can choose between all three services, giving them a programming choice comparable to those in far larger markets.^[4]

Classics & News

"Classics & News" was KSOR/JPR's original radio service and can be heard throughout the JPR broadcast area. The service has the most translators and the most powerful signals. On weekdays the service plays NPR's news programs Morning Edition, and All Things Considered, and local classical music programming during the midday. In the evenings, the service runs WFMT's Beethoven Network hosted by Peter van de Graff, branded as State Farm Music Hall. For many years, it signed off from 2-5 a.m., but now airs 24 hours a day.^[5]

Ten FM stations and 28 translators make up JPR's "Classics & News Service". Outside the JPR area, C & N broadcasts in Mendocino on a translator.

Call sign	Frequency	City of license	State	Class	ERP (W)	Height (m (ft))	FCC info
KHEC	91.1 FM	Crescent City	California	A	125	54 m (177 ft)	FCC
KLDD	91.9 FM	McCloud	California	C3	1,100	447 m (1,467 ft)	FCC
KWCA	101.1 FM	Palo Cedro	California	C2	4,900	450 m (1,480 ft)	FCC
KNHT	102.5 FM	Rio Dell	California	C1	4,500	509 m (1,670 ft)	FCC
KNYR	91.3 FM	Yreka	California	C2	400	721 m (2,365 ft)	FCC
KSOR	90.1 FM	Ashland	Oregon	C	38,000	810 m (2,660 ft)	FCC
KSRG	88.3 FM	Ashland	Oregon	A	230	410 m (1,350 ft)	FCC
KZBY	90.5 FM	Coos Bay	Oregon	A	880	150 m (490 ft)	FCC
KLMF	88.5 FM	Klamath Falls	Oregon	A	95	659 m (2,162 ft)	FCC
KOOZ	94.1 FM	Myrtle Point	Oregon	C1	9,000	451 m (1,480 ft)	FCC
KSRS	91.5 FM	Roseburg	Oregon	A	2,000	93 m (305 ft)	FCC

Rhythm & News

"Rhythm & News" is JPR's second oldest service, designed to complement C&N while running Morning Edition and All Things Considered for a longer period. During the middle of the day, local hosts program a show called "Open Air" that features a unique blend of indie rock/pop, AAA, and Americana music. The evening features adult album alternative programming from World Cafe and "UnderCurrents". Like "Classics & News", "Rhythm & News" also signed off the air from 2-5 a.m. for many years before adopting a 24-hour schedule.^[6]

There are five FM stations and six translators broadcasting the "Rhythm & News" service.

Call sign	Frequency	City of license	State	Class	ERP (W)	Height (m (ft))	FCC info
KNCA	89.7 FM	Burney	California	C0	30,000	629 m (2,064 ft)	FCC
KNSQ	88.1 FM	Mount Shasta	California	C2	1,200	475.6 m (1,560 ft)	FCC
KSMF	89.1 FM	Ashland	Oregon	C2	2,300	412 m (1,352 ft)	FCC
KSBA	88.5 FM	Coos Bay	Oregon	C3	2,700	184 m (604 ft)	FCC
KSKF	90.9 FM	Klamath Falls	Oregon	C1	6,500 horizontal 2,000 vertical	687 m (2,254 ft)	FCC

News & Information

"News & Information" is JPR's extended news service offering JPR's only local talk show, The Jefferson Exchange,^[7] as well as the NPR talk shows 1A, Here & Now and Fresh Air. It airs the BBC World Service overnights.^[8]

Eight AM stations and three FM stations carry the "News & Information Service".

Call sign	Frequency	City of license	State	Power (W)	ERP (W)
KNHM	91.5 FM	Eureka	California	—	500
KPMO	1300 AM	Mendocino	California	5,000 day 77 night	—
KMJC	620 AM	Mount Shasta	California	1,000 day 29 night	—
KJPR	1330 AM	Shasta Lake City	California	1,000	—
KHWA	102.3 FM	Weed	California	—	15,500
KSYC-FM	103.9 FM	Yreka	California	—	10,000
KRVM	1280 AM	Eugene	Oregon	5,000 day 1,500 night	—
KAGI	930 AM	Grants Pass	Oregon	5,000 day 123 night	—
KTBR	950 AM	Roseburg	Oregon	3,400 day 20 night	—
KSJK	1230 AM	Talent	Oregon	1,000	—

Expansion

In 2004, as a response to a perceived lack of public radio programming in other cities, Jefferson Public Radio began expanding its service outside of the traditional State of Jefferson. Stations in Eugene and Mendocino were purchased for the news and information format, and the news and information station in Eureka was purchased by JPR from an owner who had programmed it with the BBC World Service 24 hours a day. The purchase of the station in Eureka was particularly controversial as it was thought that it would compete directly with Humboldt State University's KHSU.^[9]