By Jenni Todd
Murray, KY – Murray, KY.-Murray State's public radio service, 91.3 FM, WKMS has improved reception for listeners in Fulton, South Fulton, Martin and Union City, Tennessee with repeater service 89.5 FM WKMT, Fulton, effective Tuesday, June 1, 2010.
Murray State University President Randy Dunn says, "We're very happy to have WKMT on the air to extend WKMS' reach to the southwest, especially since many listeners in this area experienced withdrawal of public radio service in the past."
Ironically, WKMT restores a strong signal from WKMS to Fulton, one of the communities that experienced reduced reception when WKMS moved its transmission site from Farmington, Kentucky, to Land Between the Lakes. WKMS Station Manager Kate Lochte says, "Although there was power increase when the WKMS transmitter moved to LBL in 1980, there was also a shift in our coverage area that affected Fulton listeners." WKMS Program Director Mark Welch, who grew up in Fulton, says "service to Fulton has now come full circle, 30 years later and it's happening as WKMS is in its 40th year of broadcasting."
With 89.5 FM - WKMT on the air from a site in Water Valley, listeners in Fulton, Martin and northwest Weakley, northeast Obion and the east side of Union City will receive 913 FM with the 4500 watt WKMT signal, replacing the public radio signal lost to this area when WKNO Memphis stopped using its Dyersburg repeater. WKMS is using a data-link connection to transmit programming to the WKMT tower from its studios in Price Doyle Fine Arts Building at Murray State.
Murray State's Public Radio Service, WKMS broadcasts at 91.3 FM, Murray with 100,000 watts; WKMS HD-1 and all classical WKMS HD-2; 90.9 WKMD, Madisonville; 89.5 WKMT, Fulton; 99.5 Paris, TN; all classical 92.5 Paducah and 105.1 Madisonville; and wkms.org. The station's coverage area includes western Kentucky, southernmost Illinois, and northwestern Tennessee. Station funding comes from listeners, underwriters, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and Murray State University. For more information or to become a member of WKMS and receive station communications call 800-599-4737 or visit wkms.org.
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