Yellowstone Public Radio


Yellowstone Public Radio is a public radio regional network based in Billings, Montana with transmitters covering most of Montana, as well as northern Wyoming. It is operated by Montana State University Billings. It airs a mix of programming from National Public Radio, classical music and jazz.

History

The network's first station, KEMC in Billings, signed on in 1972 as a 10-watt station owned by what was then Eastern Montana College. It boosted its power to 24,500 watts in 1978. It gradually transitioned from a college radio station to a more professional operation. This culminated in 1984, when it hired a professional station manager and joined National Public Radio, becoming the state's second NPR member. Over the next decade, it boosted its signal to 100,000 watts, and built a network of translators and repeaters across Montana, and now has one of the largest geographical coverage areas in the entire NPR system. Shortly after EMC merged with the Montana State University System, KEMC rebranded itself Yellowstone Public Radio, reflecting that its coverage area spanned across most of the area around Yellowstone National Park. In the same year, its home since 1983, a three-story house west of campus, was renamed the Joseph L. Sample Studios in honor of the Montana broadcasting pioneer.

Stations

Yellowstone Public Radio is broadcast by twelve full-power stations.
Call signFrequencyCity of licenseFacility IDERP
W
Height
m
ClassTransmitter coordinatesFCC info
KBMC102.1 FMBozeman, Montana4357220,500C2
KEMC91.7 FMBillings, Montana43571100,000C1
KGLZ89.1 FMEast Helena, Montana173818140C3
KPRQ88.1 FMSheridan, Wyoming89885450A
KYPB89.3 FMBig Timber, Montana174918500A
KYPC89.9 FMColstrip, Montana1725683,500C2
KYPF89.5 FMStanford, Montana1725854,000C1
KYPH88.5 FMHelena, Montana1740305,200C1
KYPM89.9 FMLivingston, Montana1725781,900C3
KYPR90.7 FMMiles City, Montana42382500A
KYPW88.3 FMWolf Point, Montana172712730A
KYPX106.5 FMHelena Valley Southeast, Montana1895601,800C2

Translators

The network is also relayed by an additional 27 translators to widen its broadcast area.

Other stations