KRUA
 | |
| City | Anchorage, Alaska |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Anchorage, Alaska |
| Branding | 88.1 FM The Edge |
| Frequency | 88.1 FM (MHz) |
| Format | College Radio |
| ERP | 155 watts |
| HAAT | 254 meters |
| Class | A |
| Facility ID | 69007 |
| Owner | University of Alaska |
| Webcast | Listen Live direct URL |
| Website | kruaradio.org |
KRUA 88.1 FM is the non-commercial educational college radio station in Anchorage, Alaska, broadcasting on the FM band 88.1 and online at kruaradio.org. The station is operated by students at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). It is the only student-run station in Anchorage.
UAA students can tune in to KRUA each day to hear about new opportunities on their campus. From the main studios on UAA's campus to the transmitter in Eagle River, the radio station reaches a significant portion of Alaska’s South Central region.
KRUA retains a large and diverse audience both locally by radio, and globally through online streaming which provides their Sponsors with broad-range exposure. Organizations interested in sponsoring KRUA can learn more here.
KRUA is maintained by a core group of student staff and by volunteers from the greater Anchorage and UAA community. Since 1992, KRUA has provided music and shows to their community while presenting students with a unique creative outlet, and the opportunity to gain skills in radio broadcasting.
History
KRUA began transmitting in the spring of 1987. It was known then not as KRUA, but as KMPS. During this time, they borrowed a small transmitter from Augie Hiebert of Northern Television, Inc. The station worked on a small budget, receiving only $1.50 per student through a student fee.
KMPS was a carrier current station. The signal traveled through telephone lines and could only be heard in specifically targeted places. In this case, KMPS could only be heard in student housing and the campus center. The schedule was sporadic and depended on the school schedules of volunteer DJ’s. The station tried to air from noon to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, but occasionally missed an hour or two.
During the school year of 1989-90, actual proceedings began to create an FM station at UAA. After meetings with the University of Alaska Anchorage journalism and public communications department, local FCC offices, and the Anchorage Associated Broadcasters, Inc., documentation to create a non-commercial, educational station began.
In 1991, KMPS received the approval to move forward with the construction of a tower site for the young station, and 88.1-megahertz was assigned as its frequency. A referendum to increase student fees to $5.25 per student passed by a landslide: this allowed the station to move towards FM status.
On February 14, 1992, at approximately 5 p.m., KRUA’s faint signal was suddenly being heard on the Hillside, in Turnagain and around the Anchorage area. REM’s “It’s the End of the World as We Know It” was the first song Anchorage listeners heard from KRUA. In 2017, KRUA celebrated 25 years of FM broadcasts by hosting a free show with local acts I Like Robots, DJ Spencer Lee, and Lavoy.
As KRUA continues to evolve, one element is constant: KRUA volunteers. Our volunteers continue to make KRUA a great station to listen to, and an excellent place to work and learn.
As part of KRUA's licensing agreement and obligations, the station is available as an educational institution within the department of Journalism and Public Communications at UAA.
Volunteers
KRUA is run by student staff and a body of volunteers who are students and citizens of Anchorage. The show schedule format varies widely, and KRUA has volunteer programs that cover a large range of genres. Such genres include everything from indie-rock and heavy metal to dance and electronic music.
Student Volunteers
Students who wish to be volunteers at KRUA must satisfy a number of requirements before being allowed to host an on-air program. Any student attempting to be involved must currently:
- Be enrolled at UAA with no less than 3 credits per semester.
- Be in good academic and disciplinary standing with UAA.
- Have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 or higher.
All current or returning volunteers must achieve these standards each semester.
Failure to meet these qualifications will result in a student volunteer being released from duties at the station. Student volunteers are required to fulfill a 3-hour-a-week obligation, and may not exceed more than 20 hours per week of volunteer work at the station. On-air volunteer conduct must adhere to all FCC/station policies. Trained student volunteers will be the first in line for open on-air positions.
Community Volunteers
All community volunteers are required to undergo the same on-air training as student volunteers, adhere to the same FCC/station policies and must pay an amount equal to the student media fee taken with UAA tuition. After completion of training, they will be offered on-air positions only after the opportunity has been made available to student volunteers.
Alumni Volunteers
Former employees and volunteers of KRUA who left in good standing can return as alumni at their previous level status after completing on-air training. Alumni volunteers are held to the same FCC standards as all others, but are exempt from paying the student media fee. Alumni will be offered on-air positions only after the opportunity has been made available to student volunteers.
Intern Volunteers
Intern volunteers, those individuals who have been sent to the station to fulfill academic or vocational requirements, are required to complete the same on-air training and follow the same FCC/station guidelines as any other within the station. All interns are required to work 6 hours a week.
Staff
KRUA's student staff make up the entire body of workers at the station. To apply, head over to kruaradio.org.
Positions include:
- Station Manager (manager of station)
- Program Director (coordinates broadcast programs)
- News Director (directs station news room and News, Sports & Public Affairs Director)
- Volunteer Coordinator (assists volunteers with training and orientation)
- Production Manager (produces promos, PSAs, Legal IDs and other broadcast material)
- Music Manager (collects and categorizes music given to station)
- Production Assistant (assists Production Manager in producing station-related material)
- News Reporter (works under News Director to produce 1-2 news stories weekly)
- Marketing & Underwriting Coordinator (representative to community organizations and outlets for financial support)
- Sports Reporter (works under News Director to produce 1-2 sports news stories weekly)
- Public Affairs Producer (produces a weekly news show with news team)
Funding
As KRUA is non-commercial, it is funded through student media fees and donations through underwriting.
What is underwriting? Underwriting is a way that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) permits non-commercial radio stations (such as KRUA) to receive funding through means of community sponsorship. Some other examples of non-commercial, underwritten radio stations are National Public Radio or Public Radio International. Like them, KRUA is a station whose purpose is to be a resource to the community, and not merely entertainment.
Underwriting Guidelines
Due to FCC regulations for non-commercial airwaves, there are several rules we must abide by in any underwriting announcement. The following is a brief description of what can and cannot be used:
| DO’s | DON’T’s |
| Telephone #, email address, web site and location of business or area served. | Qualitative Language: (handcrafted; homemade; great; wonderful) |
| Days and times of operation | Comparative Language: (better; most) |
| A listing of up three (3) products or services | Calls to Action: (call today, come by) |
| Product origin: like “Belgian Waffles” or “French Bread” | Location of business using another business as a reference: (located next to) |
| Intended use of product: “Men’s Suits” or “Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner” | Number of years in business: (serving the community for over 20 years) |
| Product content: “Silk Blouses” or “Leather Shoes” | First person statements: (I urge you…) |
| Form of delivery, or method of preparation: “made from grapes” or “cooked with herbs’’. | Second person statements: (You can stop by…) |
Other Notes on Underwriting with KRUA
Corporate non-promotional slogans may be used in underwriting acknowledgements if they are in well-established use by the business and the wording stays within the spirit of these guidelines and FCC regulations. All underwriting, including corporate slogans, is subject to approval of the Station Manager of KRUA 88.1FM. Financial support does not in any way imply that sponsors may influence program content or programming decisions. If you are interested in donating alone, without promoting your business and/or event, that is also an option.
Media
The station has a news department, consisting of the News Director and reporters of news, sports, and public affairs topics. A show titled "The News Feed" airs every Friday at 4:00pm and showcases the news covered by the department each week. Podcasts of broadcast news programs are available on the station's website.