First air date May 5, 1996 HAAT 427 meters (1,401 ft) Facility ID 6125 Frequency 88.3 MHz Format Public broadcasting Call sign meaning Alabama Public Radio. | ERP 53,000 watts Class C Callsign meaning Alabama Public Radio. City of license Selma Branding Alabama Public Radio Frequency 88.3 MHz | |
Owner University of Alabama, Troy University, Alabama State University | ||
WAPR (88.3 FM) is an American non-commercial educational radio station licensed to serve Selma, Alabama. The station is jointly owned by the University of Alabama, Alabama State University, and Troy University and is operated by UA as part of the Alabama Public Radio network.
Contents
The station's signal reaches the region known colloquially as the Black Belt, about 13 counties in the west central and central parts of Alabama, including the capital city of Montgomery. It serves several areas in the western portion of the Montgomery market that don't get a strong signal from the area's other full NPR member station, Troy University Public Radio flagship WTSU in Troy. It also provides most of the immediate Montgomery area with a second choice for NPR programming. This makes Montgomery one of the smallest markets with two competing NPR stations; indeed, WAPR is the only Alabama Public Radio station that directly competes with another NPR member.
Programming
WAPR airs APR's schedule of news and talk programming, classical music, folk music, jazz, adult album alternative, and nostalgic music programs. The station derives portions of its programming from National Public Radio, American Public Media, and Public Radio International.
History
In January 1991, a cooperative operating as the UA-ASU-TSU Educational Radio Corporation applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a construction permit for a new broadcast radio station. The FCC granted this permit on June 20, 1995, with a scheduled expiration date of December 20, 1996. The new station was assigned call sign "WAPR" on August 11, 1995. After construction and testing were completed in May 1996, the station was granted its broadcast license on August 14, 1996.