KNDS-LP

Infobox Radio Station
name = KNDS-LP


area = Fargo-Moorhead
branding = 96.3 KNDS Radio
slogan = "Radio for Everyone"
airdate = October 11, 2004
frequency = 96.3 (MHz)
format = College; Freeform
erp = 54 watts
haat = 40.8 m
class = L1
webcast = [http://www.kndsradio.com/listen/ Listen Live!]
owner = North Dakota State University
licensee = Alliance for the Arts and Humanities
website = [http://www.kndsradio.com/ www.kndsradio.com]
callsign_meaning = North Dakota State University

KNDS-LP is a low power radio station broadcasting on 96.3 FM in Fargo, North Dakota. The station is operated by the student broadcasting club at North Dakota State University (NDSU) in Fargo, North Dakota.

History

In 1999 students at NDSU worked with Professor Douglas Blanks Hindman to launch ThunderRadio, a Shoutcast Web radio station, and apply for a low-power FM license. After Hindman left the university, Cloy Tobola took up the cause. With the help of Tobola and several students, what is now KNDS came together. About the same time, a group affiliated with the Fargo Theatre organized to start a community focused station. These groups combined their efforts and license applications and KNDS-LP began operating in 2004.

Some have argued that KNDS-LP was created due to the loss of college radio after NDSU-owned KDSU 91.9 FM became a public radio station through North Dakota Public Radio (now "Prairie Public") on NDPR's launch in 1999.

In fact KDSU, which had started at the university in 1922, had ceased to be a student-run station by the mid-1970s when it affiliated with National Public Radio. For the quarter century or so afterward, students were employed at the station as studio monitors, interns and occasionally as on-air talent thanks to a subsidy from NDSU's student government; however, station management was handled by university employees and programming was essentially "public radio" fare. In short, the station was owned by a university but it would not be fair to describe its operations or programming as "college radio" during that period.

See the NDSU Archives for [http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/archives/collections/KDSU-FMRecords.htm more information on the history of broadcasting at NDSU.]

In the Spring of 2002 KNDS was granted a low power license by the FCC. The station marked its first broadcast on the FM airwaves at 11 AM CDT, on October 11, 2004, under the direction of General Manager Matthew Langemo. In May 2007, KNDS moved frequency from 105.9 FM to 96.3 FM to prevent interference from KQLX-FM 106.1, which recently upgraded its signal.

Programming

Depending on the radio programs on KNDS, the station plays a wide range of music that attempts to break out of the strict music radio formats. The student DJ is allowed to make his or her own playlist for the program/shift. "Thunder Radio" and "Radio Free Fargo" also play music from local artists. KNDS has also become a respected broadcaster of NDSU "Bison" athletics, airing more than 70 games a year from a variety of sports.

External links

* [http://www.kndsradio.com/ KNDS Radio]
* [http://www.myspace.com/kndsradio KNDS on MySpace]
*FMQ|KNDS-LP