 | |
| Broadcast area | North Country, New York and bordering areas of Vermont, Ontario and Quebec |
|---|---|
| Frequency | See § Stations |
| Branding | NCPR |
| Programming | |
| Format | Public radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | St. Lawrence University |
| History | |
First air date | March 7, 1968 [1] |
| Technical information | |
| Translator(s) | See § Translators |
| Links | |
| Webcast | NCPR Webcast (M3U) NCPR Webcast (PLS) |
| Website | www.northcountrypublicradio.org |
North Country Public Radio (NCPR) is a National Public Radio (NPR) member regional radio network headquartered in Canton, New York. The member-supported network is owned by St. Lawrence University (SLU) and is the NPR member for the Adirondack North Country region of northern New York. Its radio studios are in the Noble Medical Building on the SLU campus.
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The flagship station, WSLU in Canton, signed on for the first time on March 7, 1968, on 96.7 MHz. [1] [2] It was a charter member of NPR. [2] It adopted the on-air name North Country Public Radio in 1984. [1] In the same year, WSLU moved to 89.5 MHz, [a] and NCPR built the first of several low-powered FM translators. [1] [2] Much of the surrounding area was among the few places in the Northeastern United States that were still without public radio. Its first full-powered repeaters, WSLO in Malone and WSLL in Saranac Lake, began broadcasting in 1989, with additional stations signing on in the early 1990s. [2]
It now comprises 16 full-power FM transmitters and 17 low-powered translators serving the North Country, parts of western Vermont and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec with regional and national news, public affairs programs, and an eclectic variety of music. [3] [4] Major cities in its coverage area are Watertown, Plattsburgh, and Glens Falls in New York, as well as Burlington, Vermont; Kingston, Ontario; and Cornwall, Ontario. [3]
In May 2011, North Country Public Radio also launched WREM, a radio station in Canton which offers a distinct program schedule sourced from Public Radio Exchange. [5]
In November 2024, NCPR opened up a new FM transmitter at Ellenburg, New York on 88.9 FM with a call sign WELN. The new signal will cover communities along Route 11 between Malone and Plattsburgh, NY which was previously a dead air zone. [6]
