KRRC
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| KRRC | |
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| City of license | Portland, Oregon |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Southeast Portland |
| Frequency | 97.9 MHz |
| Format | Variety |
| ERP | 8 watts |
| HAAT | 4 meters |
| Class | D |
| Facility ID | 66303 |
| Transmitter Coordinates | |
| Owner | The Reed Institute |
| Website | KRRC Website |
KRRC (97.9 FM) is the student-run radio station of Reed College in Portland, Oregon, United States. It broadcasts in a Variety format, with various students hosting shows in different formats. It is on the air from 10:00 PM to 4:00 AM daily.[1] The station is owned by the Reed Institute.
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[edit] History
The Reed Radio Club was organized in 1954 by a group of students with the goal of pursuing “the technical and programming aspects of radio broadcasting.” The club was one of the most popular on campus, and launched KRCB-AM in October 1955, at 660 AM.[2]
Reed students financed the station, and physics students built some of the equipment, including a 40-watt transmitter. The station used a system that transmitted the signal through area power lines, eliminating the need for antennae.[2] The station carried programming atypical of radio in the area from its earliest days, as well as programming tied in with classes and campus activities.[2]
The station moved to 89.3 FM on May 14, 1958, and became KRRC. When classes began the next fall, the station's inaugural broadcast featured messages from U.S. Senator Wayne Morse and other prominent Oregonians.
KRRC has encountered numerous technical problems over the years, often dropping off the air, and many have doubted its continued existence. In 1981 it moved to 104.1 FM. The station's signal is barely audible outside the Reed campus.[2]
In the 1980s and '90s, college radio stations across the country had a heavy influence on the music industry, promoting "alternative rock" bands like R.E.M. and The Pixies; but KRRC took a more maverick approach, playing a wider variety of music.[3]
In 1992 the station petitioned the Federal Communications Commission for permission to locate its transmitter on the KGON tower in the West Hills, to get a better range from its weak signal, but the request was declined.[3] As of 1994, the station was using a 10 watt transmitter, and its operating budget for one semester was $6,000.[3]
[edit] KRRC today
In the early 2000s, a Christian radio station from Tillamook moved to Portland and took over the 104.1 frequency.[2] Today, the station broadcasts at 97.9 FM.[4] A network stream of programming is available for those on the campus network.[5]
Like the Quest, the school newspaper, KRRC is run entirely by students,[5] although its early days involved cooperation among students, faculty, and staff.[2]
[edit] Alumni
Dr. Demento, a famous radio personality, got his start in radio as a deejay and station manager at KRRC.[6] Other alumni of the station have gone on to careers in radio. Their numbers include one of the first female radio technicians, a DJ at Oregon Public Broadcasting, and a senior producer of NPR's On the Media.[7] Tim Moreau, a Reed student famously murdered by a night club owner,[8] got his start in the Portland music scene through his involvement with KRRC.[9]
[edit] References
- ^ Arbitron listing for KRRC
- ^ a b c d e f MacRae, Patti (August 2002). "KRRC: The (barely audible) voice of Reed College", Reed Magazine.
- ^ a b c Martin, Fiona (January 9, 1994). "Underground sound", The Oregonian.
- ^ Radio-Locator: KRRC-FM: Radio Station Information Page
- ^ a b Reed College: Student media
- ^ Price, Giselle (February 21, 1990). "Radio's Dr. Demento operates successfully with looney tunes", Rocky Mountain News, Associated Press.
- ^ Schwartz, Todd (August 2002). "By accident, by luck and sometimes even by design, Reedies have launched their careers on the radio waves", Reed Magazine.
- ^ Roberts, Michelle (December 11, 2001). "Killer to pay victim's family", The Oregonian.
- ^ Hughley, Marty (May 28, 1990). "Man's disappearance tale of unanswered questions", The Oregonian.
[edit] External links
- Query the FCC's FM station database for KRRC
- Radio Locator information on KRRC
- Query Arbitron's FM station database for KRRC
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