KURE

88.5 KURE
City Ames, Iowa
Broadcast area Ames, Iowa
Branding Iowa State's Student-Run Radio Station
Slogan Ames Alternative
Frequency 88.5 MHz
Format College Radio
ERP 630 watts
HAAT 22.0 meters
Class A
Facility ID 55777
Transmitter coordinates 42°1′47.00″N 93°38′51.00″W / 42.0297222°N 93.6475000°W / 42.0297222; -93.6475000
Former callsigns KMRA (1949-1950), KMRI (1950-1961), KISU (1961-1970), KPGY (1970-1983), KUSR (1983-1996)
Affiliations Iowa State University
Owner Community Media Broadcasting
(Community Media Broadcasting)
Webcast KURE Webcast
Website Official website

KURE (88.5 FM) is a radio station licensed to Community Media Broadcasting in Ames, Iowa, United States. The station serves the Iowa State community, Ames, and surrounding areas. The broadcast license is currently owned by Community Media Broadcasting.[1][2] The station has been led by its general manager Miranda Cheers since spring 2017.[3]

The station features a variety of programming, including most genres of music, talk shows, and coverage of ISU sporting events. Hip-hop, electronica, rock, americana, classical, and jazz are just a few of the music genres played by KURE's constantly rotating staff of student DJ's. Music played at KURE is selected by DJs with some influence from a board of student music reviewers. Sections of non-primetime schedule that are not covered by a dedicated DJ are filled by an automated music system, which staff have nicknamed "Ottobot". The station also provides coverage of Iowa State University football, basketball, and wrestling.[4] Additionally, this station provides occasional news and talk style programming.

Kaleidoquiz

KURE annually produces Kaleidoquiz,[5] a 26-hour team competition that involves trivia questions read over the air every six minutes, scavenger hunts, traveling questions, and other contests interspersed throughout the 26 hours. Kaleidoquiz is conducted by KURE DJ's over the air waves and online. In recent years, the use of the internet has made this competition more accessible and the questions more difficult. In previous years, Kaleidoquiz has sent teams as far away as Toronto, Canada and required teams to do everything from pulling a bus to bringing "Your mom in a wedding dress" in as a scavenger hunt item.

In 2017, Kaleidoquiz celebrated its 50th year in existence by joking about doing 50 hours of Kaleidoquiz.[6]

KURE Fest

KURE annually hosts KURE Fest a free music festival bringing in touring and local artists to perform in the Memorial Union of Iowa State. It has brought artists such as Dan Deacon and Neon Indian to Iowa State previously.[7][8]

History

Previously using the call letters KMRA, KMRI, KISU, KPGY, and KUSR; KURE was established in the mid-1990s. In addition to being student-managed and student-produced, KURE is also funded by students at Iowa State University through the Student Government. KURE has always been staffed entirely by student volunteers.

According to the station's board of directors, KURE got its start as KMRA, broadcasting out of a Friley dorm room on 640 AM, on Oct. 17, 1949.[9] Friley residents Cedric Curin, Chuck Hawley and Maurice Voland founded the station with two turntables, a small transmitter and a public address system.

Powered by one quarter of a watt, the signal was only able to provide Friley Hall with entertainment. A boost to 50 watts and implementation of the carrier current method allowed the station to use local power lines as its broadcast antennas and make its programming audible across all of campus.

In 1950, KMRA became KMRI. In 1961, KMRI became KISU. KISU applied for new call letters and in 1970 was given them—KPGY.[10]

1969 brought the station to its current location in the basement of Friley, and the jump to the FM band was made in 1970. The initial frequency was 91.9 with a call of KPGY, "The Big Pig in the Sky". In the late 1970s the decision was made to increase power to 200 watts, move the transmitter from Friley to the north side of campus resulting in a frequency change to 91.5 to protect another station on a nearby frequency. KUSR suspended broadcast operations Nov. 1, 1995, due to complications with its license.[11]

The station now provides coverage to all of Ames as KURE 88.5 FM Ames Alternative.

References

  1. ↑ "KURE Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  2. ↑ "KURE Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
  3. ↑ http://www.kure.stuorg.iastate.edu/contact/
  4. ↑ http://www.kure.stuorg.iastate.edu/category/programming/sports/
  5. ↑ "Kaleidoquiz! What is it? Register now! - Cyclone Life". www.cyclonelife.net. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
  6. ↑ alison.boysen@iowastatedaily.com, Alison Boysen,. "Kaleidoquiz celebrates 50th year on ISU campus". Iowa State Daily. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
  7. ↑ "PHOTOS: KURE Fest Day Two". Iowa State Daily. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
  8. ↑ http://www.iowastatedaily.com/limelight/article_4e9a0a20-9f15-11e6-8146-2b8b384418ed.html
  9. ↑ http://www.iowastatedaily.com/articles/2006/06/15/pulse/20060615-archive.txt
  10. ↑ http://lib.iastate.edu:81/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=1221005C495R2.646240&profile=parks&uri=full%3D3100001~!1707744~!0&booklistformat=
  11. ↑ http://www.iowastatedaily.com/articles/1995/11/08/import/19951108-archive0.txt
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.