Vermont Public Radio

Vermont Public Radio (VPR) is a network of public radio stations covering the state of Vermont. The network is a mix of programming from NPR, Public Radio International, American Public Media with some locally produced programs. VPR also broadcasts classical music on a different set of stations and has some online-only programming, including a 24-hour jazz music service. VPR is headquartered in Colchester, a suburb of Burlington. Other studio facilities are located in Montpelier, Manchester, Norwich and Brattleboro.

Vermont Public Radio
Broadcast areaVermont and bordering areas of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Quebec
FrequencySee tables below
Programming
FormatMain VPR stations: Public Radio and Jazz
VPR Classical stations: Classical and Opera
Ownership
OwnerVermont Public Radio
(sale pending to Vermont ETV)
History
First air date
1977
Technical information
Repeater(s)See tables below
Links
WebcastVPR Webcast PLS
Websitewww.vpr.org

History

In 1975, four Vermonters met to make preliminary plans to form a member station for the then-fledgling National Public Radio. Two years later, in 1977, Vermont Public Radio signed on from studios at the historic Windsor House in Windsor. Despite criticism that Vermont was too small and too rural for listener-supported public radio, the network has expanded to 13 full-power stations and 12 low-power translators covering almost all of Vermont as well as parts of New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Quebec.

In terms of market size, VPR is the smallest NPR member station/network in New England and one of the smallest in the nation. However, since the mid-1990s, it has been one of the most listened-to public radio stations per capita in the country, with approximately 194,000 listeners each week and 27,000 members who support VPR with a voluntary financial contribution.

For many years, VPR broadcast a mixed format of news and information programming, classical, jazz, and folk music. In 2004, VPR launched a separate 24/7 classical service, VPR Classical.

In October 2007, all classical and opera music was moved to VPR Classical. VPR News carries news, information, cultural, and entertainment programs throughout the day, with the BBC World Service airing weekday mornings for one hour following NPR's Morning Edition and every night during the post-midnight hours. Weekend evenings feature jazz, rock, and folk music programming.

On September 9, 2020, VPR announced it had agreed to merge with Vermont PBS.[1]

Controversy

In 2013, VPR confirmed that a listener found lead inside the ink used in VPR's Artist Mugs. The health department found that the outer rim of the 2011 VPR cup contained 3.18 percent lead. That greatly exceeds the level considered safe for children, .01 percent.[2] VPR has since stopped using Artist Mugs as gifts for donors.

VPR News

Vermont Public Radio's news and information service, VPR News carries most of the more popular news and talk programs from NPR, APM, PRI, and the CBC, as well as several local shows.

Local Programs on VPR

  • Vermont Edition with Jane Lindholm (daily call-in newsmagazine)
  • All the Traditions with Robert Resnik (folk music)
  • My Place with Joel Najman (early rock & R&B from the 1950s and 1960s)
  • Friday Night Jazz with Ray Vega (jazz)

Full-Power Stations

VPR News
Call sign Frequency City of license ERP
W
Class Founded FCC info
WBTN-FM94.3 FMBennington, Vermont3,000AAugust 21, 1978[3]FCC
WRVT88.7 FMRutland, Vermont4,000C2March 13, 1987[3]FCC
WVBA88.9 FMBrattleboro, Vermont8,900B12012FCC
WVPA88.5 FMSt. Johnsbury, Vermont850C2March 19, 1999[3]FCC
WVPR89.5 FMWindsor, Vermont1,700B1975FCC
WVPS107.9 FMBurlington, Vermont48,400CFebruary 25, 1981[3]FCC

(Note: WVPS transmits from atop of Mount Mansfield.[4][5][6] Due to its signal strength, the station can be heard in parts of New York state, southern Quebec and as far west as eastern Ontario in Canada.)

Low-Power Translators

Broadcast translators of WRVT
Call signFrequency
(MHz)
City of licenseERP
(W)
ClassFCC info
W227CA93.3Rupert, Vermont10DFCC
W256CW99.1Rutland, Vermont130DFCC
W258AW99.5Middlebury, Vermont38DFCC
W266AK101.1Rupert, Vermont10DFCC

W237BF has a construction permit to move to Methuen, MA to rebroadcast WCCM AM 1570.

Broadcast translators of WVPR
Call signFrequency
(MHz)
City of licenseFCC info
W223AV92.5Manchester, VermontFCC
W227CA93.3Rupert, VermontFCC
W258AZ99.5Newbury, VermontFCC
Broadcast translators of WVPS
Call signFrequency
(MHz)
City of licenseFCC info
W231BQ94.1Montpelier, VermontFCC
W234BD94.7Bolton, VermontFCC
W258AW99.5Middlebury, VermontFCC
W258BJ99.5Island Pond, VermontFCC

VPR Classical

Since 2007, VPR has broadcast classical and opera music on a separate network. The main station is WOXR (90.9 FM), which is licensed to Schuyler Falls, New York and serves the Burlington, Vermont/Plattsburgh, New York area.

The former WAVX took the WOXR calls and VPR Classical format at 9:09 AM on August 31, 2007. VPR President Mark Vogelzang, when asked about the new call letters' origin, said that they were an "homage" to New York City classical music station WQXR.[7]

VPR Classical continues to air on its original full-power home station, WNCH (88.1 FM) in Norwich, as well as full-power WVTQ (95.1 FM) in Sunderland and WVTI (106.9 FM) in Brighton. It is also available on VPR HD Radio throughout Northwestern Vermont via WVPS HD-2 (107.9-2 FM).

On April 4, 2014, WOXM moved its signal from 90.1 FM to 89.1 FM;[8] interference with the Vermont Electric Power Company's emergency response radio system led VPR to reverse the move on October 12, 2015.[9]

Local Programs on VPR Classical

  • Classical Music with Helen Lyons
  • Classical Music with Walter Parker
  • Classical Music with James Stewart

Full-Power Stations

VPR Classical
Call sign Frequency City of license ERP
W
Class Founded FCC info
WNCH88.1 FMNorwich, Vermont1,550BSeptember 4, 2003[3]FCC
WOXM90.1 FMMiddlebury, Vermont1,200AMay 27, 2010[3]FCC
WOXR90.9 FMSchuyler Falls, New York2,700C2July 8, 2004[3]FCC
WVNK91.1 FMManchester, Vermont115AFCC
WVTI106.9 FMBrighton, Vermont1,420AJuly 4, 2007[3]FCC
WVTQ95.1 FMSunderland, Vermont96AOctober 3, 1990[3]FCC
WVXR102.1 FMRandolph, Vermont11,000C3October 25, 1982FCC

Low-Power Translators

Broadcast translators of WNCH
Call signFrequency
(MHz)
City of licenseFCC info
W272AU102.3Hanover, New HampshireFCC
W280CS103.9Hanover, New HampshireFCC
W295AL106.9Woodstock, VermontFCC
W295AU106.9Manchester, VermontFCC
Broadcast translators of WOXR
Call signFrequency
(MHz)
City of licenseFCC info
W233BD94.5Burlington, VermontFCC
Broadcast translators of WVTQ
Call signFrequency
(MHz)
City of licenseERP
(W)
ClassFCC info
W266AK101.1Rupert, Vermont10DFCC

Podcasts

VPR produces the podcasts The Frequency, But Why?, Brave Little State and Timeline.

See also

References

  1. "Vermont Public Radio, Vermont PBS To Merge". All Access. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  2. Poston, Pamela (October 1, 2013). "Cream, Sugar and ... Lead? VPR Tests Its Artists Mugs". Seven Days. Burlington, Vt.: Da Capo Publishing. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  3. Exact dates reflect the date on which the FCC issued a license for the station. The station will normally have been operating under program test authority for some months prior.
  4. Mount Mansfield, Vermont, Scott Fybush/fybush.com, August 14–21, 2002
  5. mpf. "WVPS transmitter site and studios". www.necrat.us.
  6. "History". vpr.org.
  7. Fybush, Scott (2007-08-27). "NorthEast Radio Watch by Scott Fybush". FybushMedia.com. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
  8. Owens, Michelle (March 31, 2014). "VPR Classical In Middlebury Moves From 90.1 to 89.1, Doubles Reach". Vermont Public Radio. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  9. Mathews, Sarah (October 8, 2015). "VPR Classical In Middlebury Moving To 90.1 FM". Vermont Public Radio. Retrieved July 21, 2019.

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