WNKU
Encyclopedia
WNKU is a radio station
broadcasting an Adult Album Alternative
format. Licensed in Highland Heights, Kentucky
, USA, it serves the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati area. The station is currently owned by Northern Kentucky University
. Its position on the radio dial is at 89.7 FM.
In addition, Northern Kentucky University
has purchased WPAY-FM in Portsmouth, Ohio
and WPFB-FM in Middletown, Ohio
. Those two stations began simulcasting
WNKU on February 1, 2011, more than tripling the station's potential audience and potentially allowing the signal to be heard as far east as Beckley, West Virginia
, roughly 250 miles away.
In addition to their online video distribution, they have also began to branch out to local cable outlets with their program "The WNKU Mixtape", which features many of their in studio performances from live bands, backed up by a host VJ, and content applicable to promotion of the station.
Their summer concert series "Studio 89" is taped for television by a special projects class at Northern Kentucky University, and then edited down to air back on Kentucky Educable, as well as local cable outlets in the Cincinnati area throughout the summer.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
broadcasting an Adult Album Alternative
Adult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
format. Licensed in Highland Heights, Kentucky
Highland Heights, Kentucky
Highland Heights is a city in Campbell County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 6,554 at the 2000 census.Highland Heights is home to Northern Kentucky University...
, USA, it serves the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati area. The station is currently owned by Northern Kentucky University
Northern Kentucky University
|type = Public|president= Dr. James C. Votruba|city = Highland Heights|state = KY|country = U.S.|endowment = $68 million|students = 15,405|undergrad = 13,206|postgrad = 2,199|faculty = 1,159...
. Its position on the radio dial is at 89.7 FM.
Additional Frequencies
Aside from its position at 89.7, WNKU also broadcasts on translator 94.5 in the West Chester and Port Union areas of Northern Cincinnati. WNKU also broadcasts on WNKU 1 in HD, with future plans to inhabit their HD2 channel with similar programming.In addition, Northern Kentucky University
Northern Kentucky University
|type = Public|president= Dr. James C. Votruba|city = Highland Heights|state = KY|country = U.S.|endowment = $68 million|students = 15,405|undergrad = 13,206|postgrad = 2,199|faculty = 1,159...
has purchased WPAY-FM in Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
and WPFB-FM in Middletown, Ohio
Middletown, Ohio
Middletown is an All-America City located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Formerly in Lemon, Turtlecreek, and Franklin townships, Middletown was incorporated by the Ohio General Assembly on February 11, 1833, and became a city in 1886...
. Those two stations began simulcasting
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
WNKU on February 1, 2011, more than tripling the station's potential audience and potentially allowing the signal to be heard as far east as Beckley, West Virginia
Beckley, West Virginia
Beckley is a city in Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States, which was founded on April 4, 1838. The 2008 population was estimated to be 16,832 by the U.S. Census Bureau. Early in its history, the town was known as Beckleyville and Raleigh Court House...
, roughly 250 miles away.
Streaming
WNKU features a stream 24 hours a day through its website. The stream is available in both WMA and MP3 format.Programming
WNKU broadcasts mainly Adult Alternative music which features some anchor bands from the progressive era. WNKU’s morning and afternoon “drive time” programs feature BBC or NPR newsbreaks plus local headlines. NPR’s World Café airs from 6-8 p.m. followed by more locally hosted alternative music programs talk programs into the late night. Late night programming features reruns of World Cafe, and Jazz with Bob Parlocha. Weekend Programming is fairly eclectic with specialty programs that cover everything from progressive rock to bluegrass, celtic, and more. See wnku.org and click on “broadcast schedule” for more information, then click “listen live” to enjoy.Live Disc Jockeys
WNKU is one of the last stations in greater Cincinnati that features a live disc jockey in the studio for most of its programming day. Even during NPR programming there is almost always someone there running underwriters and promotions, as well as operating the board.Live Music
WNKU is one of the only stations in Cincinnati that still features live musical guests in the studio on a regular basis. Nationals to Locals are welcomed in the studio and their performances are placed up either in video or audio form for podcasting. Notable artists in the studio have been those like James Mcmurtry, Chuck Garvey of Moe., Marc Olson of the Jayhawks, Ani Difranco, Brett Dennen, & more, as well as a plethera of local artists from the Cincinnati and surrounding areas.New forms of media
In addition to broadcasting over the airwaves, WNKU has also employed great forms of new media in the way of utilizing sites like YouTube to show its in studio performances. WNKU began featuring performances from artists that come into their studio on their youtube site, and have branched out to the local version "Z-street" which is owned and operated by Cincinnati Bell. WNKU gained some national acclaim when their in studio performance video for Brett Dennen's "She's Mine", became a featured selection on YouTube's front page for a week. WNKU has also branched out to its online audience by featuring pages on Myspace and Facebook, inviting people to become part of their online community.In addition to their online video distribution, they have also began to branch out to local cable outlets with their program "The WNKU Mixtape", which features many of their in studio performances from live bands, backed up by a host VJ, and content applicable to promotion of the station.
Their summer concert series "Studio 89" is taped for television by a special projects class at Northern Kentucky University, and then edited down to air back on Kentucky Educable, as well as local cable outlets in the Cincinnati area throughout the summer.