BILL GAITHER/The Register-MailMark Imielski, a senior at Knox College, sits at the helm of WVKC 90.7 FM, the college broadcast station, Monday afternoon at Knox. A cooperative agreement between Knox and Western Illinois University will allow WVKC to pick up National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition” weekdays from 5 to 9 a.m. from WIU’s Tr States Public Radio.
WVKC adds NPR 'Morning Edition'
Knox College station picks up public radio program from WIU
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Tuesday, September 18, 2007
GALESBURG - Knox County residents will be able to listen to National Public Radio beginning Monday thanks to a new partnership between Knox College and Western Illinois University.A cooperative agreement between the two colleges will allow Knox's radio station, WVKC 90.7 FM, to pick up NPR's "Morning Edition" weekday mornings from 5 to 9 a.m. from WIU's Tri States Public Radio. "Morning Edition" is public radio's most listened-to program; the program content includes stories and commentaries.
Mark Imielski, WVKC station manager and a senior at Knox, said Galesburg residents and other Knox students had expressed interest in NPR content.
"We've talked about (providing NPR) for a long time," Imielski said. "We recognized there was a gap in our coverage."
Tri States Public Radio at WIU had also been looking for better ways to serve the Knox County area. After two separate engineering studies found building a repeater or translator station wasn't feasible, General Manager Dorie Vallillo approached Knox about having WVKC simulcast Tri States Public Radio for part of the broadcast day.
WIU broadcasts will be sent to WVKC over the Internet, enabling the local radio station to receive the NPR show automatically each weekday. Mark Garrett, assistant director of WIU's technology department, said the program will work as long as the Internet is working at both stations.
WIU President Al Goldfarb said the college was excited about the partnership and the ability to provide a new service to Knox County listeners.
"Since President Goldfarb came to WIU he has advocated collaboration between the institutions," Knox College President Roger Taylor said. "This is another example of that collaboration."
WVKC is a free-form radio station that offers Knox students and members of the Galesburg community the opportunity to create radio programming of their own. The station is student-staffed and run. In the 2007 edition of the Princeton Review, Knox's radio station was ranked 10th in popularity among students.
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On the Air:
National Public Radio on WVKC 90.7 FM
"Morning Edition," Monday through Friday, 5 to 9 a.m.
