Two public radio organizations celebrate anniversaries: thirty years of broadcasting excellence.

• Author: Pielli, Brooke
• Position: ANNIVERSARY - KSKA FM 91.1 and Alaska Public Radio Network

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KSKA FM 91.1 and Alaska Public Radio Network (APRN), both Alaska public radio organizations, are celebrating 30 years of service to the people of Alaska. Their longevity results from hard work and smart decision-making over the course of the entities' lifetimes.

Now located in the Elmo Sackett Broadcast Center at the entrance to the campus of Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage, APRN and KSKA share space and infrastructure with public television station KAKM Channel 7. Collectively, they form Alaska Public Telecommunications Inc. (APTI).

APRN operates a statewide news network for a confederation of independent public radio stations across Alaska.

KSKA FM 91.1, one of 26 public radio stations across Alaska, primarily serves Southcentral with a variety of news and information programs designed to inform, educate and entertain the residents of Southcentral Alaska.

"When KSKA first signed on in 1978, we were one of about 20 stations in the Anchorage market and were the only public radio station in Southcentral Alaska," said Trantina. "KSKA's professional staff was small, so there was opportunity for an eager group of volunteers to learn new radio skills that included producing music programming, operating the sound board and assisting with public service announcements and news and public affairs programming."

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KSKA first signed on the air under the community license of the Aurora Community Broadcasting Co., dedicated to community involvement in broadcasting. KSKA broadcast as FM 103 from Grant Hall on the campus of Alaska Pacific University (APU), utilizing only 3,000 watts. After about five years, the transmitting power was increased to 36,000 watts and the frequency moved down the dial to FM 91.1. The KSKA studios and offices also moved to the Atwood Center on the APU campus to provide more room for the station and better service for listeners.

In 1989, KSKA's identity was determined to be a source of news and information, with National Public Radio (NPR) programming at its core, by an ad hoc committee of the board of directors. The station began broadcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week and changed its format to fit this new identity.

"The new identity allowed KSKA the opportunity to include in its schedule entertainment programs like Car Talk, and A Prairie Home Companion and other programs that appealed to the NPR news listener," said Trantina.

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