Posted by chicagomedia.org on July 20, 2009 at 20:31:15:
WKCC brings public radio to area
07/20/2009, 10:38 am
By Emily Zulz | Daily Journal
Eighteen months ago WKCC, 91.1 FM, emerged to fill the public radio deficiency in the area.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting identified Kankakee and surrounding counties as deficient for public radio broadcasting in 2002.
The 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week station features programming from American Public Media, Public Radio International, The WFMT Radio Network and independent producers, as well as local programming.
And in June, WKCC expanded to also include National Public Radio and 15 other new programs like Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Performance Today and LeShow with Harry Shearer.
The station, which is licensed and overseen by Kankakee Community College, is housed in a small 6-by-8 room in the main building on campus.
Inside is everything needed to run a public radio station, including a broadcast mixing board and two computers to record and play back programs and music. The transmitter for the station is rented from a tower in Bourbonnais.
The station operates on a staff of 2.5 people -- Mike Savage as director, Bev Benge as corporate underwriter and Kyle Buente as part-time operator.
The independent station reaches about 155,000 people in Kankakee, Will, Iroquois and Grundy counties, going as far north as the Chicago suburbs and as far south as Gilman.
WKCC's format is "intelligent talk programming," said Savage, director and general manager, with interview-style news on the hour mixed in with classical music.
The station primarily purchases programs and recasts them with a balance of live and prerecorded material.
NPR, one of the most-listened-to news source in the country, can now be heard on WKCC almost every hour.
"It's too soon to know, but the preliminary reaction has been very positive," Savage said. "(NPR) is so recognizable that we predict it will be nothing but a positive impact."
The station is also known for its one-of-a-kind local programming, which includes a public affairs show on Kankakee County, a local sports show, Friday Night Jazz and Saturday Night Blues.
WKCC also offers frequent local weather and severe weather updates every hour, which it receives from its contracted local meteorologist, Alan Archer.