St. Cloud, Minn. – St. Cloud State University’s public radio station, KVSC 88.1 FM will celebrate 45 years on the air May 10. The station first signed on May 10, 1967.  At that time the station was limited to a 10-watt signal, which covered a radius of about five miles.  Its original dial position was 88.5 FM. The switch to 88.1 FM came Feb. 8, 1983. The call letters KVSC were chosen as an acronym for the “Voice of St. Cloud.”

Today, the station broadcasts on 88.1 FM at a power of 16,500 watts (since Sept. 24, 1992) and reaches about 70 miles. KVSC-FM offers a blend of progressive rock, jazz, folk, reggae, world, blues, Minnesota music, educational programming like Minnesota History in 90 Seconds and Earth and Sky, eight daily newscasts and much more. 

In the past year the station has taken home nine Associated Press Awards and a Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence award.  

The station celebrated its 20th year of Monday Night Live, a show that invites local musicians to perform live on the radio. The show is simulcast with video on UTVS Charter channel 21.  On April 23, Monday Night Live went “on the road” as Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps performed for a live audience at the Pioneer Place on Fifth (in addition to the radio and TV broadcasts).  Additionally, the station held a show starring Minneapolis-based hip-hop collective Doomtree April 26. 

KVSC held its 33rd annual 50-hour trivia marathon Feb. 10-12.  This year’s theme was “Trivia Long Play 33 1/3, to reference the contest’s 33rd year and also the fact that the station still plays vinyl records.

Other milestones in KVSC’s history include:

1978 – Began broadcasting in stereo

Feb. 5, 1980 – The debut of Trivia Weekend

Feb. 8, 1983 – Moved to 88.1 FM and increased power to 5,200 watts

Feb. 1991 – 3,000 community members sign a petition to save the station from the threat of university budget cuts

1995 – KVSC.org is launched

1999 – KVSC begins streaming live on the Internet

Sept. 2008 – KVSC receives its first grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

July 2009 – First broadcast live from an international locale (the Winnipeg Film Festival)

August 2009 – KVSC receives its first Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund Grant from the state of Minnesota.

More information on the station’s history visit http://www.kvsc.org/milestones.php and http://www.kvsc.org/history.php