KBIA and University Concert Series
Source: MU Extension Annual Report, FY 2008
KBIA remained on the leading edge of broadcast technology, launching and refining new-media initiatives, as well as becoming the smallest-market public station in America to offer three programming streams.
KBIA-FM, MU’s National Public Radio affiliate, serves more than 30,000 listeners across 19 Central and Northeast Missouri counties. Most listeners have no other reliable access to in-depth news and arts programming via radio. In the last year, KBIA has used the latest technology to expand its reach, adding a third, digital-only channel at 91.3 FM; helping KKTR-FM, the Truman State University-owned repeater station, to offer the same three digital program options; and supplementing live radio service with new-media elements such as podcasts of all local non-music content and on-demand video via a YouTube channel. KBIA’s efforts were rewarded with its most successful fundraising campaigns to date.
The University Concert Series observed 100 years of bringing the arts to mid-Missouri not just by scheduling world-class artistic performances — including that of Itzhak Perlman — but also with a concerted effort to reach nontraditional audiences. The series included international performers in nearly one-third of its event lineup; incorporated dozens of members of the community within the performances themselves; made more than 18,000 tickets available either free or at significant discount to seniors, students, community groups and individuals in need of access; and sent touring artists to mini-performances, workshops and master classes before more than 3,000 seniors and youths in the area. The Concert Series enjoyed increases in smaller-scale and major donor activity.
Other highlights
- The launch of KBIA3, the digital-only third channel, gave listeners another NPR news program option each morning, and an adult album alternative music service the rest of the day. It also freed KBIA2 to become a classical music hub; classical listeners now have a source of music somewhere within the station’s frequency 24 hours a day.
- KBIA has continued to podcast news and features online several times daily. Last year saw the incorporation of a YouTube video channel, more still photos and other new-media elements to reporting online. KBIA is out ahead of the vast majority of public-radio news outlets in its new-media reporting, and has initiated collaborations with the School of Journalism’s convergence program to further its efforts.
- KBIA and the Concert Series redesigned both Web sites, allowing for greater ease of navigability. KBIA Web traffic now tops 700,000 unique site visits per year. The two sites combined enjoy more than 1 million unique accesses annually. All three KBIA channels are accessible online in streaming audio.
KBIA Web site
University Concert Series Web site