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WRKF is a U.S. public radio outlet offering a mix of Classical music and NPR programming. The station, which is run by WRKF Public Radio, broadcasts at 89.3 MHz with an ERP of 28 kW and is licensed to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
[edit] History
After efforts at organizing that began in 1975, WRKF was finally launched on January 18, 1980. Founder Eric DeWeese turned the transmitter on for the first time at 2p, and played Tchaikovsky's 1st Symphony, "Winter Dreams," performed by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadephia Orchestra. The public station began operation with only 69 paid members, an 11-person board, and a staff of 5 led by now General Manager Eric DeWeese. Initial programming was typical for a community-based public radio station of that time. It included classical, jazz, folk, big-band standards, and NPR news. Much of the music programming was produced by a cadre of volunteers. Studios were in a temporary building at the transmitter site on Frenchtown Road, a site periodically isolated by flooding from the nearby Comite River. In 1986, the station moved to a new building it constructed with donations, in town, on Valley Creek Drive, where it is located today. Much of the next 5 years was spent weathering the 'oil patch depression' with up to 25% unemployment in parts of the station's coverage area. As the economy improved, WRKF became one of the most successful public radio stations in the NPR system. While it had a below-average budget, it often ranked in the Top 10, of NPR stations, in share of local radio listening. A survey by NPR staff showed that in the late 1990's, WRKF was generating more listener hours per dollar spent than any other NPR station. In 2003, after 23 years managing the station, founder Eric DeWeese left to become General Manager of KUSC, Los Angeles. His successor as General Manager was Jim Engster who remained until 2006. Current President/General Manager is David Gordon. Not as electic in format as it was in 1980, WRKF is still the sole outlet in Baton Rouge for NPR news and classical music augmented by local talk shows on politics, hosted by Karen Anderson and former manager, Jim Enster, and a popular gardening show hosted by Louis Miller. Longest serving on-air staff are Lew Carter, Susan Hidalgo-Smith, and Bob Mooberry, who have been with the station since the early 1980's. (Baton Rouge Advocate, 8/6/2003)
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