On May 15, WEKU turned on its new 88.5 FM transmitter in Corbin which serves Southeast Kentucky. The transmitter cost $38,000 and was mostly funded through donations from WEKU listeners over the past 12 months.
The new 6,000-watt transmitter is more reliable and should provide better sound quality of public radio programs broadcast to Southeast Kentucky.
“Eastern Kentucky University and WEKU are an integral part of informing and educating our citizens in the southeastern part of the state. Many of our students and graduates have come from and returned to those communities to improve the lives of their fellow southeastern Kentuckians, and we are glad to continue to serve them with high quality news programming from WEKU,” said interim president Dr. David McFaddin.
The Corbin transmitter replacement was part of WEKU’s five-year strategic plan that focuses on improving infrastructure and increasing content on broadcast and digital platforms for Central and Eastern Kentucky communities.
“Listeners in Corbin, London, Somerset and Middlesboro have told us how important public radio is in their communities. This infrastructure investment will now keep WEKU on the air for at least another 20 years,” said WEKU Director & General Manager Mike Savage.
WEKU serves Central and Eastern Kentucky with nine public radio stations and though online broadcasts at WEKU.org