Vermont Public Radio
| Broadcast area | Vermont and bordering areas of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Quebec |
|---|---|
| Frequency | See tables below |
| Programming | |
| Format | Main VPR stations: Public Radio and Jazz VPR Classical stations: Classical and Opera |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Vermont Public Radio |
| History | |
First air date | 1977 |
| Technical information | |
| Repeater(s) | See tables below |
| Links | |
| Webcast | VPR Webcast PLS |
| Website | www.vpr.net |
Vermont Public Radio (VPR) is a network of public radio stations covering the state of Vermont. The network is a mix of programming from NPR, Public Radio International, American Public Media with some locally produced programs. VPR also broadcasts classical music on a different set of stations and has some online-only programming, including a 24-hour jazz music service. VPR is headquartered in Colchester, a suburb of Burlington. Other studio facilities are located in Montpelier, Manchester, Norwich and Brattleboro.
History
In 1975, four Vermonters met to make preliminary plans to form a member station for the then-fledgling National Public Radio. Two years later, in 1977, Vermont Public Radio signed on from studios at the historic Windsor House in Windsor. Despite criticism that Vermont was too small and too rural for listener-supported public radio, the network has expanded to 13 full-power stations and 12 low-power translators covering almost all of Vermont as well as parts of New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Quebec.
In terms of market size, VPR is the smallest NPR member station/network in New England and one of the smallest in the nation. However, since the mid-1990s, it has been one of the most listened-to public radio stations per capita in the country, with approximately 194,000 listeners each week and 27,000 members who support VPR with a voluntary financial contribution.
For many years, VPR broadcast a mixed format of news and information programming, classical, jazz, and folk music. In 2004, VPR launched a separate 24/7 classical service, VPR Classical.
In October 2007, all classical and opera music was moved to VPR Classical. VPR News carries news, information, cultural, and entertainment programs throughout the day, with the BBC World Service airing weekday mornings for one hour following NPR's Morning Edition and every night during the post-midnight hours. Weekend evenings feature jazz, rock, and folk music programming.
Controversy
In 2013, VPR confirmed that a listener found lead inside the ink used in VPR's Artist Mugs. The health department found that the outer rim of the 2011 VPR cup contained 3.18 percent lead. That greatly exceeds the level considered safe for children, .01 percent.[1] VPR has since stopped using Artist Mugs as gifts for donors.
VPR News
Vermont Public Radio's news and information service, VPR News carries most of the more popular news and talk programs from NPR, APM, PRI, and the CBC, as well as several local shows.
Local Programs on VPR
- Vermont Edition with Jane Lindholm (daily call-in newsmagazine)
- All the Traditions with Robert Resnik (folk music)
- My Place with Joel Najman (early rock & R&B from the 1950s and 1960s)
- Friday Night Jazz with Reuben Jackson (jazz)
Full-Power Stations
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | ERP W |
Class | Founded | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WBTN-FM | 94.3 FM | Bennington, Vermont | 3,000 | A | August 21, 1978[2] | FCC |
| WRVT | 88.7 FM | Rutland, Vermont | 4,000 | C2 | March 13, 1987[2] | FCC |
| WVBA | 88.9 FM | Brattleboro, Vermont | 8,900 | B1 | 2012 | FCC |
| WVPA | 88.5 FM | St. Johnsbury, Vermont | 850 | C2 | March 19, 1999[2] | FCC |
| WVPR | 89.5 FM | Windsor, Vermont | 1,700 | B | 1975 | FCC |
| WVPS | 107.9 FM | Burlington, Vermont | 48,400 | C | February 25, 1981[2] | FCC |
(Note: WVPS transmits from atop of Mount Mansfield. [3] [4] [5] Due to its signal strength, the station can be heard in parts of New York state, southern Quebec and as far west as eastern Ontario in Canada.)
Low-Power Translators
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | ERP (W) | Class | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W227CA | 93.3 FM | Rupert, Vermont | 10 | D | FMQ |
| W256CW | 99.1 FM | Rutland, Vermont | 130 | D | FMQ |
| W258AW | 99.5 FM | Middlebury, Vermont | 38 | D | FMQ |
| W266AK | 101.1 FM | Rupert, Vermont | 10 | D | FMQ |
W237BF has a construction permit to move to Methuen, MA to rebroadcast WCCM AM 1570.
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|
| W223AV | 92.5 FM | Manchester, Vermont | FMQ |
| W227CA | 93.3 FM | Rupert, Vermont | FMQ |
| W258AZ | 99.5 FM | Newbury, Vermont | FMQ |
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|
| W231BQ | 94.1 FM | Montpelier, Vermont | FMQ |
| W234BD | 94.7 FM | Bolton, Vermont | FMQ |
| W258AW | 99.5 FM | Middlebury, Vermont | FMQ |
| W258BJ | 99.5 FM | Island Pond, Vermont | FMQ |
VPR Classical
Since 2007, VPR has broadcast classical and opera music on a separate network. The main station is WOXR (90.9 FM), which is licensed to Schuyler Falls, New York and serves the Burlington, Vermont/Plattsburgh, New York area.
The former WAVX took the WOXR calls and VPR Classical format at 9:09 AM on August 31, 2007. VPR President Mark Vogelzang, when asked about the new call letters' origin, said that they were an "homage" to New York City classical music station WQXR.[6]
VPR Classical continues to air on its original full-power home station, WNCH (88.1 FM) in Norwich, as well as full-power WVTQ (95.1 FM) in Sunderland and WVTI (106.9 FM) in Brighton. It is also available on VPR HD Radio throughout Northwestern Vermont via WVPS HD-2 (107.9-2 FM).
In April 2014, WOXM moved its signal from 90.1 FM to 89.1 FM.
Local Programs on VPR Classical
- Classical Music with Kari Anderson
- Classical Music with Walter Parker
- Classical Music with Joe Goetz
Full-Power Stations
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | ERP W |
Class | Founded | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WNCH | 88.1 FM | Norwich, Vermont | 1,550 | B | September 4, 2003[2] | FCC |
| WOXM | 89.1 FM | Middlebury, Vermont | 3,100 | A | May 27, 2010 on 90.1; current facility launched April 2014[2] | FCC |
| WOXR | 90.9 FM | Schuyler Falls, New York | 2,700 | C2 | July 8, 2004[2] | FCC |
| WVNK | 91.1 FM | Manchester, Vermont | 115 | A | FCC | |
| WVTI | 106.9 FM | Brighton, Vermont | 1,420 | A | July 4, 2007[2] | FCC |
| WVTQ | 95.1 FM | Sunderland, Vermont | 96 | A | October 3, 1990[2] | FCC |
| WVXR | 102.1 FM | Randolph, Vermont | 11,000 | C3 | October 25, 1982 | FCC |
Low-Power Translators
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|
| W272AU | 102.3 FM | Hanover, New Hampshire | FMQ |
| W280CS | 103.9 FM | Hanover, New Hampshire | FMQ |
| W295AL | 106.9 FM | Woodstock, Vermont | FMQ |
| W295AU | 106.9 FM | Manchester, Vermont | FMQ |
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|
| W233BD | 94.5 FM | Burlington, Vermont | FMQ |
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | ERP (W) | Class | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W266AK | 101.1 FM | Rupert, Vermont | 10 | D | FMQ |
VPR Jazz 24 and other online only programming
In October 2012, VPR launched an online-only 24-hour jazz music service, dubbed "VPR Jazz 24," for jazz-music listeners on its website, www.vpr.net. The station launched the service after George Thomas, its longtime evening jazz host, retired. The station also launched a new weekly jazz program, "Friday Night Jazz," hosted by Reuben Jackson, a music teacher at Burlington High School (Burlington, Vermont).
VPR produces the podcasts But Why and Brave Little State.
See also
- Vermont PBS (Not affiliated with Vermont Public Radio)
References
- ^ Poston, Pamela (October 1, 2013). "Cream, Sugar and ... Lead? VPR Tests Its Artists Mugs". Seven Days. Burlington, Vt.: Da Capo Publishing. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ a b c d e f g h i Exact dates reflect the date on which the FCC issued a license for the station. The station will normally have been operating under program test authority for some months prior.
- ^ Mount Mansfield, Vermont, Scott Fybush/fybush.com, August 14-21, 2002
- ^ mpf. "WVPS transmitter site and studios". www.necrat.us.
- ^ "History". vpr.net.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (2007-08-27). "NorthEast Radio Watch by Scott Fybush". FybushMedia.com. Retrieved 2007-08-27. [dead link]
