KRRC

Infobox Radio station
name = KRRC


city = Portland, Oregon
area = Southeast Portland
branding =
slogan =
airdate =
frequency = 97.9 MHz
format = Variety
power =
erp = 8 watts
haat = 4 meters
class = D
facility_id = 66303
coordinates = coord|45|28|51.00|N|122|37|50.00|W|region:GB_type:city
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns =
owner = The Reed Institute
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast =
website = [http://www.reed.edu/student_activities/student_media.html KRRC Website]
affiliations =

KRRC (97.9 FM) is the student-run radio station of Reed College in Portland, Oregon, United States. It broadcasts in a Variety format, with various students hosting shows in different formats. It is on the air from 10:00 PM to 4:00 AM daily. [ [http://www1.arbitron.com/sip/displaySip.do?srvy_id=WI08&surveyID=WI08&band=fm&callLetter=KRRC Arbitron listing for KRRC] ] The station is owned by the Reed Institute.

History

The Reed Radio Club was organized in 1954 by a group of students with the goal of pursuing “the technical and programming aspects of radio broadcasting.” The club was one of the most popular on campus, and launched KRCB-AM in October 1955, at 660 AM.cite news
title=KRRC: The (barely audible) voice of Reed College
first=Patti
last=MacRae
work=Reed Magazine
date=August 2002
url=http://web.reed.edu/reed_magazine/aug2002/features/KRRC/index.html]

Reed students financed the station, and physics students built some of the equipment, including a 40-watt transmitter. The station used a system that transmitted the signal through area power lines, eliminating the need for antennae. The station carried programming atypical of radio in the area from its earliest days, as well as programming tied in with classes and campus activities.

The station moved to 89.3 FM on May 14, 1958, and became KRRC. When classes began the next fall, the station's inaugural broadcast featured messages from U.S. Senator Wayne Morse and other prominent Oregonians.

KRRC has encountered numerous technical problems over the years, often dropping off the air, and many have doubted its continued existence. In 1981 it moved to 104.1 FM. The station's signal is barely audible outside the Reed campus.

In the 1980s and '90s, college radio stations across the country had a heavy influence on the music industry, promoting "alternative rock" bands like R.E.M. and The Pixies; but KRRC took a more maverick approach, playing a wider variety of music.cite news
title=Underground sound
first=Fiona
last=Martin
date=January 9, 1994
work=The Oregonian]

In 1992 the station petitioned the Federal Communications Commission for permission to locate its transmitter on the KGON tower in the West Hills, to get a better range from its weak signal, but the request was declined. As of 1994, the station was using a 10 watt transmitter, and its operating budget for one semester was $6,000.

KRRC today

In the early 2000s, a Christian radio station from Tillamook moved to Portland and took over the 104.1 frequency. Today, the station broadcasts at 97.9 FM. [ [http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=KRRC&service=FM Radio-Locator: KRRC-FM: Radio Station Information Page ] ] A network stream of programming is available for those on the campus network. [http://www.reed.edu/student_activities/student_media.html Reed College: Student media] ]

Like the "Quest", the school newspaper, KRRC is run entirely by students, although its early days involved cooperation among students, faculty, and staff.

Alumni

Dr. Demento, a famous radio personality, got his start in radio as a deejay and station manager at KRRC. [cite news
title=Radio's Dr. Demento operates successfully with looney tunes
first=Giselle
last=Price
work=Rocky Mountain News
publisher=Associated Press
date=February 21 1990
url=http://news.google.com/archivesearch/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=0-0&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdocs.newsbank.com%2Fg%2FGooglePM%2FRM%2Flib00244%2C0EB4D555834F8ED1.html&ei=4xnOR9LFAZroqwPcjY2cDQ&usg=AFQjCNEH4ZHYdmwDb-SMg5hSV8RNK6BPpA] Other alumni of the station have gone on to careers in radio. Their numbers include one of the first female radio technicians, a DJ at Oregon Public Broadcasting, and a senior producer of NPR's "On the Media".cite news
title=By accident, by luck and sometimes even by design, Reedies have launched their careers on the radio waves
first=Todd
last=Schwartz
work=Reed Magazine
date=August 2002
url=http://web.reed.edu/reed_magazine/aug2002/features/radio_stations/index.html] Tim Moreau, a Reed student famously murdered by a night club owner, [cite news
title=Killer to pay victim's family
first=Michelle
last=Roberts
work=The Oregonian
date=December 11, 2001] got his start in the Portland music scene through his involvement with KRRC. [cite news
title=Man's disappearance tale of unanswered questions
first=Marty
last=Hughley
work=The Oregonian
date=May 28, 1990]

References

External links