WPKN

Last updated

WPKN
Broadcast areaConnecticut:New York:
Frequency 89.5 MHz
Programming
Language(s) English
Format Freeform variety
Affiliations Pacifica Radio Network
Ownership
OwnerWPKN, Inc.
History
First air date
1963;61 years ago (1963)
Call sign meaning
Purple Knights Network
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID 73886
Class B
ERP 10,000 watts
HAAT 169 meters (554 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
41°16′44″N73°11′06″W / 41.279°N 73.185°W / 41.279; -73.185
Translator(s) 102.5 MHz W273EB (Westport)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website wpkn.org

WPKN (89.5 FM) is a non-commercial radio station licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to Bridgeport, Connecticut. WPKN is a free-form radio station, staffed by volunteer programmers presenting a wide variety of music and public affairs programming. [2] The syndicated weekly radio newsmagazine Between the Lines, a weekly show, was first produced in 1991 with Scott Harris, Denise Manzari, Bob Nixon, environmental journalist Jim Motavalli and many others at WPKN. Since 1993, Harris has been Between The Lines' executive producer.

Contents

History

Logo prior to May 2020 WPKN radio logo May 2020.png
Logo prior to May 2020

WPKN was founded in 1963 as the college radio station of the University of Bridgeport, but became independent of the university in 1989. [3] Its call letters originally stood for "Purple Knights Network," named after the university's sports teams.

Many stations below the 92 MHz FM band receive funds from commercial entities despite being part of the non-commercial radio band. This is thought by some to present the potential for conflicts of interest. WPKN only takes funds from private donors with no stipulations for their expenditure attached. This allows the music and news programmers complete freedom to produce their own shows with no outside pressure.

WPKN also had a carrier current on 540 AM.

In a 2021 article for The New Yorker, David Owen labeled WPKN "the greatest radio station in the world", praising its human-made playlists in comparison to "corporate algorithms" on other radio stations. [2]

See also

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References

  1. "Facility Technical Data for WPKN". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. 1 2 Owen, David (August 13, 2021). "On Air with the Greatest Radio Station in the World". The New Yorker. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  3. Rierden, Andi (October 27, 1991). "Radio Station Offers Everything But Consistency". The New York Times . Section CN. pp. 1, 12. Retrieved February 26, 2010.