View source for Prairie Public Radio

{{short description|Public radio network serving North Dakota, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio network
|network_name        = Prairie Public
|network_logo        = Prairie Public.png
|network_type        = [[Public radio]] network
|headquarters        = [[Fargo, North Dakota]]
|airdate             = 
|country             = United States
|available           = [[North Dakota]], northwestern [[Minnesota]], eastern [[Montana]]
|key_people          = Bill Thomas, Director of Radio<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.prairiepublic.org/about/executive-staff-and-board/ |title = About Prairie Radio: Executive Staff and Board|website=www.prairiepublic.org}}</ref>
|owner               = [[Prairie Public Broadcasting]], [[North Dakota State University]] ([[KDSU]])
|launch_date         = {{Start date|1999|02|01}}
|past_names          = Prairie Public Radio, North Dakota Public Radio
|affiliations        = [[National Public Radio]], [[American Public Media]], [[Public Radio International]], [[Public Radio Exchange]]
|sister_stations     = [[Prairie Public Television]] ([[PBS]])
|former_affiliations = 
|webcast             = [https://www.prairiepublic.org/radio/listen-online/ Listen]
|website             = [http://www.prairiepublic.org/radio/ PrairiePublic.org/radio]
}}
'''Prairie Public's radio service''' is a network of ten radio frequencies in [[North Dakota]]. It is a service of [[Prairie Public Broadcasting]] based in [[Fargo, North Dakota|Fargo]].

Prairie Public maintains active studios in Fargo and [[Bismarck, North Dakota|Bismarck]]. It is a member station of [[National Public Radio]] (NPR) and provides NPR news and programming, local and regional news, and two distinct music formats: the News and Classical network, and the [[adult album alternative]] formatted Roots, Rock, and Jazz network.

==Programming==

Prairie Public produces and broadcasts ''Main Street'', a weekday interview show hosted by Ashley Thornberg and Craig Blumenshine,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.prairiepublic.org/blogs/pressroom/heglandthorpe-joins-prairie-public-radio-staff/|title=Prairie Public Pressroom|website=www.prairiepublic.org|access-date=9 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.prairiepublic.org/podcast/main-street|title=Main Street|website=news.prairiepublic.org|access-date=9 June 2022}}</ref> ''Dakota Datebook'', ''Into the Music with Mike Olson'', ''Prebys on Classics'', and ''Why?'', hosted by UND philosophy professor Dr. Jack Weinstein.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.prairiepublic.org/podcast/why-philosophical-discussions-about-everyday-life|title=Why? Philosophical Discussions About Everyday life|website=news.prairiepublic.org|access-date=9 June 2022}}</ref> Prairie Public is also the distributor for ''Listening to America with Clay Jenkinson''.

Prairie Public offers news programming on weekday mornings and afternoons from its newsrooms in Bismarck and Fargo. It also airs news from NPR.

Prairie Public is a member station of [[National Public Radio]], airing programs such as ''[[All Things Considered]]'', and also carries programming from [[Public Radio International]] (such as ''[[The World (radio program)|The World]]'') and [[American Public Media]], as well as from [[Public Radio Exchange]] (such as [[This American Life]]).

Prairie Public's radio network offers two programming services. The primary News and Classical network originating from [[KCND]] in [[Bismarck, North Dakota|Bismarck]] is carried on most stations, and split into eastern and western schedules. The [[adult album alternative]] formatted Roots, Rock, and Jazz network originating from [[KFJM]] in [[Grand Forks, North Dakota|Grand Forks]] has gradually expanded its programming to additional stations since its launch in 2002. [[KDSU]] in [[Fargo, North Dakota|Fargo]] carries a combination of both networks, airing Roots, Rock and Jazz programming when the rest of the main network airs classical music.

===News and Classical network (FM1)===
[[File:Prairie_Public_Bismarck.jpg|thumb|Most news and classical programming is produced at the Bismarck studio.]]
The primary network of Prairie Public airs [[classical music]], news, talk, and weekend specialty shows, including [[jazz]].

===Roots, Rock, and Jazz network (FM2)===
[[KFJM]] originates Prairie Public's second music format, a mixture of [[adult album alternative]], [[blues]], [[folk music|folk]], and [[jazz]]. The network is rebroadcast full-time on KPPR Williston and the [[HD Radio|HD-2]] channel of Prairie Public's other full-power News and Classical stations. [[KDSU]] of Fargo broadcasts the network midday weekdays and overnights.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Non-Commercial Radio Stations |url=https://www.gumbopages.com/noncomm-radio.html |access-date=2023-09-26 |website=www.gumbopages.com}}</ref>

==Stations==
Prairie Public has 10 full power stations and 5 low-power [[broadcast translator|translators]] broadcasting across North Dakota, northwest Minnesota, and eastern Montana.

=== News and Classical stations ===
{{RadioTranslators
| call1 = [[KCND]]
| freq1 = 90.5
| city1 = Bismarck, North Dakota
| fid1 = 53317
| watts1 = 50000
| haat1 = 371
| call2 = KPPD
| freq2 = 91.7
| city2 = Devils Lake, North Dakota
| fid2 = 165891
| watts2 = 24000
| haat2 = 214.3
| call3 = KDPR
| freq3 = 89.9
| city3 = Dickinson, North Dakota
| fid3 = 53326
| watts3 = 12500
| haat3 = 150
| call4 = [[KDSU]]
| freq4 = 91.9
| city4 = Fargo, North Dakota
| fid4 = 49213
| watts4 = 100000
| haat4 = 302
| call5 = [[KUND-FM]]
| freq5 = 89.3
| city5 = Grand Forks, North Dakota
| fid5 = 69127
| watts5 = 50000
| haat5 = 89
| call6 = KPRJ
| freq6 = 91.5
| city6 = Jamestown, North Dakota
| fid6 = 53314
| watts6 = 18500
| haat6 = 108
| call7 = KMPR
| freq7 = 88.9
| city7 = Minot, North Dakota
| fid7 = 53319
| watts7 = 50000
| haat7 = 283
| call8 = KPPW
| freq8 = 88.7
| city8 = Williston, North Dakota
| fid8 = 174363
| watts8 = 50000
| haat8 = 237.4
| coord1 = {{coord|46|35|22.8|N|100|48|3.5|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KCND}}
| coord5 = {{coord|48|11|39.7|N|97|11|29.7|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KUND-FM}}
| coord2 = {{coord|48|3|47.8|N|99|20|10.2|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KPPD}}
| class2 = C2
| class1 = C1
| class5 = C2
| class3 = C2
| coord3 = {{coord|46|43|34|N|102|54|57.6|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KDPR}}
| coord8 = {{coord|48|8|30.1|N|103|53|35.7|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KPPW}}
| class8 = C1
| class4 = C
| class6 = B1
| class7 = C1
| coord7 = {{coord|48|3|3|N|101|23|25.6|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KMPR}}
| coord6 = {{coord|46|46|35.9|N|98|31|21.3|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KPRJ}}
| coord4 = {{coord|47|0|47.9|N|97|11|38.3|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KDSU}}
}}{{RadioTranslators
| callsign = KDPR
| call1 = K218FO
| freq1 = 91.5
| city1 = Beach, North Dakota
| fid1 = 53341
| watts1 = 19
| haat1 = 32
| call2 = K220FJ
| freq2 = 91.9
| city2 = Bowman, North Dakota
| fid2 = 90955
| watts2 = 8
| haat2 = 24
| call3 = K220FG
| freq3 = 91.9
| city3 = Hettinger, North Dakota
| fid3 = 53338
| watts3 = 9
| haat3 = 36
| class1 = D
| class2 = D
| class3 = D
| coord1 = {{coord|46|54|33|N|104|0|25.7|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=K218FO}}
| coord2 = {{coord|46|11|6|N|103|23|38.7|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=K220FJ}}
| coord3 = {{coord|46|0|9|N|102|37|51.6|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=K220FG}}
}}{{RadioTranslators
| callsign = KPPW
| call1 = K220FE
| freq1 = 91.9
| city1 = Plentywood, Montana
| fid1 = 53337
| watts1 = 8
| haat1 = -27
| class1 = D
| coord1 = {{coord|48|46|23.1|N|104|33|36.8|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=K220FE}}
}}

=== Roots, Rock and Jazz stations ===
{{RadioTranslators
| call1 = [[KFJM]]
| freq1 = 90.7
| city1 = Grand Forks, North Dakota
| fid1 = 69406
| watts1 = 4000
| haat1 = 34
| call2 = KPPR
| freq2 = 89.5
| city2 = Williston, North Dakota
| fid2 = 53327
| watts2 = 10500
| haat2 = 150
| coord1 = {{coord|47|54|16.9|N|97|6|54.2|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KFJM}}
| class1 = A
| class2 = C3
| coord2 = {{coord|48|8|30.1|N|103|53|35.7|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=KPPR}}
}}

===HD Radio===
Prairie Public's full power stations broadcast [[HD Radio]] signals, adding full-digital simulcasts of their analog channel, plus the Roots, Rock, and Jazz network on subchannel "[[HD Radio|HD-2]]" of the News and Classical stations.

===Cable systems===
[[Shaw Cable]]'s [[Winnipeg]] system carried Prairie Public's News and Classical service at 107.9 FM (via [[KUND-FM]]), until Shaw discontinued FM distribution in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shaw.ca/Customer-Bulletins/FM-Discontinuation/ |title=FM Discontinuation |publisher=Shaw.ca |access-date=2012-10-06}}</ref>

Prairie Public's News and Classical network is carried on [[Bell_MTS#Fibe_TV|Bell MTS Fibe TV]] across [[Manitoba]], on channel 733.<ref>[https://www3.bellmts.ca/file_source/mts.ca/Static_Files/Raw_PDF/MTS_Ultimate_TV_Quick_Guide_Nov2016.pdf MTS Ultimate TV Quick Guide] (November 2016)</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Channel Listing for Bell MTS Fibe TV {{!}} Bell MTS |url=https://www.bellmts.ca/personal/tv/find-a-channel |website=www.bellmts.ca |access-date=22 May 2025}}</ref>

==History==
Prairie Public was established on February 1, 1999 as the North Dakota Public Radio network. It consisted of three partners — Prairie Public Broadcasting, the North Dakota State University, and the University of North Dakota<ref>[https://www.srg.org/governance/CAB/NDPR-CAB.html "Community Advisory Board Profile: North Dakota Public Radio] (srg.org)</ref> — with the goal of providing a full public radio service to all of North Dakota.

At the time of North Dakota Public Radio's formation, the University of North Dakota operated three stations in Grand Forks: [[KWTL|KUND (AM)]], [[KUND-FM]] (89.3 FM) which dated to 1976, and [[KFJM]] (90.7 FM) which started in 1995. KUND (AM) had been established, as KFJM, in 1923 as one of the first college radio stations in the United States. It left the network after it was sold in 2004. North Dakota State University's station, KDSU (91.9 FM) in Fargo dated to 1966. These stations were early members of [[National Public Radio|NPR]], but this left western North Dakota without public radio. [[Prairie Public Television]] had broadened its mission to include radio in the late 1970s, and in 1981 [[KCND]] in [[Bismarck, North Dakota|Bismarck]] signed on as the first public radio station in the western part of the state, under the on-air name of Prairie Public Radio. Between 1981 and 1993, four more stations signed on.

On September 26, 2006, North Dakota Public Radio was renamed Prairie Public, chosen to achieve brand consistency with Prairie Public Broadcasting's television and other operations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prairiepublic.org/home/about/2000s|title=Prairie Public Broadcasting » 2000s|website=www.prairiepublic.org|access-date=21 August 2018}}</ref>

In 2009, [[KPPD]] signed on as a full-power station for the Devils Lake region, and [[HD Radio]] was rolled out to all Prairie Public full-power stations. In 2012, [[KPPW]] signed on as the new full-power News and Classical network station for Williston, with KPPR moving to the Roots, Rock, and Jazz network.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kinney |first=Jim |date=2023-08-30 |title=New England Public Media will move classical music off main stations, focusing on news and talk |url=https://www.masslive.com/news/2023/08/new-england-public-media-will-move-classical-music-off-main-stations-focusing-on-news-and-talk.html |access-date=2023-09-26 |website=masslive |language=en}}</ref>

In September 2018, KFJM and KUND-FM were sold by the University of North Dakota to Prairie Public Broadcasting.<ref>[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/170544/station-sales-week-of-9-14-und-exits-radio/ "Station Sales Week Of 9/14: UND Exits Radio"] by Lance Venta, September 14, 2018 (radioinsight.com)</ref>

==See also==
*[[Prairie Public Television]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*Listen live: [http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/ndpr/ppr/ndpr2.m3u News and Classical] | [http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/ndpr/ppr/ndpr.m3u Roots, Rock, and Jazz] | [http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/ndpr/ppr/ndpr3.m3u KDSU]
*[http://www.prairiepublic.org/radio Prairie Public radio website]
*[http://www.prairiepublic.org/radio/roots-rock-and-jazz Roots, Rock, and Jazz network website]

{{NPR North Dakota}}
{{American broadcast radio}}

[[Category:HD Radio stations]]
[[Category:Prairie Public Radio| ]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Montana| ]]
[[Category:Radio stations in North Dakota|*]]
[[Category:American radio networks]]
[[Category:NPR member networks]]