KTRU-LP

KTRU (91.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a freeform-eclectic format. Licensed to Houston, Texas, USA, the station was founded and run by the students of Rice University. The station is currently owned by William Marsh Rice University.^[1][2].

Programming includes a wide variety of genres including modern classical, reggae, indie rock, spoken word and local experimental noise bands. During evening hours, the station broadcasts specialty shows exclusively devoted to particular musical genres and themes.

According to the KTRU constitution, the mission of the station is "to educate the station membership, the greater Houston community, and the students of Rice University through its progressive and eclectic programming in the spirit of the station's non-commercial, educational license." KTRU promotes and sponsors independent and local music through sponsoring shows at local venues and on the Rice University campus. The station organizes a Rice battle of the bands and an outdoor show featuring local and touring bands during the spring semester.

In addition to the main station, KTRU is relayed by an additional translator to widen its broadcast area.

The roots of KTRU began in February 1967 in a residential college at Rice, Hanszen College, where several students broadcast music in the Old Section part of the dorm using an unlicensed 2 watt AM station, using the call sign KHCR (Hanszen College radio) and the wiring of a buzzer system. The next fall, the station transformed into an AM carrier current station with wires running through the steam tunnel system connecting the dormitories to a studio located in the basement of the Rice Memorial Center using the call sign KOWL, a nod to the Rice University mascot.^[3]

The station moved to FM after a license was granted by the FCC to the Rice University Board of Conveners. Since KOWL was already in use at the time, KTRU was chosen as a substitute. KTRU began FM operations in 1971 initially at 10 watts, increasing to 340 watts in April 1974 and 650 watts in October 1980. The broadcast day also increased from the initial evening-only hours to 10 to 12 hours a day on weekdays and most of the weekend. In 1981, the station expanded its broadcast hours to 24 hours per day. In 1987, a major of expansion of the student center was completed and the station's studios were relocated to the 2nd floor of the Ley Student Center.^[4]

In 1991, KTRU's transmitter was moved to the north of Houston, increased in power to 50,000 watts and presented with an operating endowment by Mike Stude, the owner of Houston-area radio station KRTS and an heir of the founders of Brown & Root. This move enabled KRTS to increase from 3,000 watts to 50,000 watts without interfering with KTRU's signal.

In 1997, a university committee released a report recommending expanding coverage of university programs to 12 hours of the broadcast day, the hiring of professional staff, and increasing marketing of the station, in addition to studio expansion and technology upgrades. At the recommendation of the committee, a professional General Manager was hired in 1998 with the Station Manager still staffed by a student volunteer.^[5]

In 2000, university administrators threatened to withhold financing and other resources the station receives through student fees unless the station increased the air time devoted to Rice University sports. As a result, KTRU more than doubled the number of sports games it broadcas per week. On 2000-11-30 student volunteers entered the station to host their weekly punk show and found that their slot had been preempted by a sports game without prior notice and they were expected to operate the board during the broadcast. The DJs protested by playing punk rock music concurrently with the game during its last hour. A university administrator called the station manager and demanded that he discipline the DJs. When the station manager refused, the university administration responded by physically locking students out of the station and replacing its programming with a satellite feed from the World Radio Network. The administration cited the stations by-laws which gives the university president ultimate authority over the station. Students protested the shut-down, including a silent protest outside the University Board of Governors meeting. The station shutdown and protests received coverage in the press^[4] and students submitted a petition in support of the student-run station with over 700 signatures. The lockout lasted 8 days before the station was returned to student control with joint oversight from the university administration.^[4]

• Stan Barber - a significant contributor to Network News Transfer Protocol and Vice President of Engineering Operations, NTT America.
• John Doerr - venture capitalist with Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
• Scott Hochberg - Representative to Texas House District 137 since 2003 and co-founder of Logitek Audio.

• Facility details for Facility ID KTRU ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's FM station database