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KMNR is an American non-commercial, educational, FM
radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...
licensed to the Board of Curators of the
University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou or MU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri, United States. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Univers ...
. However, KMNR is fully funded and operated by students at
Missouri University of Science and Technology Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T or S&T) is a public research university in Rolla, Missouri. It is a member institution of the University of Missouri System. Most of its 6,456 students (2023) study engineering, busin ...
(formerly known as the
University of Missouri–Rolla A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Univ ...
). KMNR strives to provide educational, entertaining, and informative
radio programming Radio programming is the process of organising a schedule of radio content for commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting by radio stations. History The original inventors of radio, from Guglielmo Marconi's time on, expected it to be use ...
as a public service to the students, faculty, and administration of Missouri S&T and for the people of Phelps County.


Programming

KMNR is a " free-format" station. This means the on-air DJ chooses all program content, with the exception of standard educational productions, which KMNR airs to serve the public interest.


Personnel

KMNR is staffed entirely by students. Programming is provided by volunteer DJs. Station administration is performed by a seven-member executive board that is elected once per year from the body of DJs. As of November 2024, the station listed 78 active DJs.


History

The first inkling of a Missouri S&T student-run radio station was conceived in the early 1960s (when the school was known as Missouri School of Mines (MSM)). Some MSM students, including Roger Beckman, fabricated a makeshift radio station in the
dormitories A dormitory (originated from the Latin word ''dormitorium'', often abbreviated to dorm), also known as a hall of residence, a residence hall (often abbreviated to halls), or a hostel, is a building primarily providing sleeping and residential qu ...
which was unofficially called KMFA, these letters standing for the original four buildings in the Quadrangle residential complex: Kelly, McAnerney, Farrar, and Altman Hall (although it was also known by something else – Kool MF Association). The station was located in the northwest corner in the basement of Altman Hall and egg cartons were used on the walls and ceiling to improve acoustics. It could be heard anywhere on the dial. Around 1962, Beckman suggested a campus-owned, student-run radio station to
Student Council A student council (also known as a student union, associated student body or student parliament) is an administrative organization of students in different educational institutes ranging from elementary schools to universities and research or ...
officer Dale Marshall who brought up the suggestion to Dean Wilson one night at a meeting. Wilson requested Marshall to submit a project report, which was immediately approved upon review. The project was on hold for one year while students brainstormed and developed the future radio station as well as familiarized themselves with the scrutiny of the
Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, wi-fi, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains j ...
(FCC). Finally in 1964, what was once a student prototype in the dorms of MSM, became a ''bona fide'' campus-owned student-run radio station with call letters of KMSM. It first started playing
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
,
easy listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to the 1970s. It is related to middle of the road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit s ...
, and light and heavy
classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...
in order for listeners to have an alternative venue to the rock and
country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...
played by other Rolla radio stations. Dr. Wells Leitner became the first faculty adviser; Jerry Kettler was the first educational program director; Wayne Huckabee was the first music director; Mike DeVaney was the first business director; and Dale Marshall became the first station manager. The executive board hired its DJs, paying them a "princely" wage of fifty cents an hour. Today's KMNR DJs work only for the love of free format radio. KMSM's call letters became KMNR in 1972. The "MNR" is a reference to Missouri S&T's mascot, Joe Miner. KMST, formerly named KUMR, is a separate
public radio Public broadcasting (or public service broadcasting) is radio, television, and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service with a commitment to avoiding political and commercial influence. Public broadcasters receive ...
station. KMNR's studio has had at least three locations. The first known location was in T-6, a temporary building between Harris Hall and the current Mechanical Engineering Extension. As T-6 was 'temporary' the university allowed the students who supported KMNR to personalize the interior not only with various rooms but also with elaborate murals painted on the walls, the most prominent being the iconic "KMNR Boeing 747" painted in the 1970s, later replaced with the KMNR Space Shuttle in 1983. KMNR was located in T-6 from the early 1970s to 1997. The original layout of the radio station was almost doubled in area in 1984 by the renovation of the space to the east of the control room, resulting in a larger library, larger lobby, and a large production room/studio to the northeast of the control room. The original lobby, and the famous nooks and crannies that existed in that awkward space were sealed-off. In 1997 T-6 was demolished to make room for a parking lot and KMNR was moved to a leased building at the corner of 12th and Pine Streets that had formerly housed a bookstore and fitness center. The building's interior was gutted and reconstructed to modern studio standards and KMNR remained there until 2005. KMNR's current location is the first floor of Altman Hall at the corner of 10th and State Streets. The station is now in the same building where its forerunner KMFA began.


Gallery

Image:Kmnr1.jpg, KMNR's building at 10th and State Street Image:Kmnr-library2.jpg, KMNR's music library Image:Kmnr-library1.jpg, KMNR's CD collection Image:Kmnr-library3.jpg, KMNR's LP collection Image:Kmnr-lobby1.jpg, KMNR's lobby Image:Kmnr-hallway.jpg, A KMNR hallway Image:Kmnr-control-room.jpg, KMNR's control room


Historical photos

heights=90> Image:KMNRHist1.jpg, Sitting is Kathy Dolson, behind her is Matthew Koebbe and by the wall is Steve Hendren. Pic is around 1986, in the second version of the old T-6 building. Image:KMNRHist2.jpg, Helen's dad shaking hands with Louie Armstrong. Image:KMNRHist3.jpg, Sean Copeland on the soundboard. In the booth we had Eric Bussen, Jim Hunt, Tyler Harris, producing the Mega-Rad radio show. They went back that same day to eat cashew chicken. Image:KMNRHist4.jpg, Old T-6 Control Booth with Unknown DJ (1987). Image:KMNRHist5.jpg, Left to right on the couch: Eric Bussen, Steve Hendren, Matt Koebbe behind his motorcycle with sidecar outside old T-6 KMNR. On the chair is Sylvia Carty (not yet Carty at this point). It was a beautiful Spring day, and they had to pull the furniture out to enjoy the day. Image:KMNRHist6.jpg, Sean Copeland at the booth Mega-Rad sketch where Mega-Rad was trying to go get hamburgers at the Slide-Rite Eats. Mega-Rad: post apocalyptic super hero and his mutant boy Spot. And he was saying, "Hamburger, hamburger, hamburger, onions!" Image:KMNRHist7.jpg, Part of the 2nd mural version in the old T-6 building, right before the wall was destroyed and a move to the 3rd version. This was visible as one walked through on the way into the station, the Lobby. Image:djs4.jpg, 1982 at T-6 with original mural of the iconic KMNR 747, before renovations to production room and library. Station manager Aaron Lloyd, Gary Krecji, Gene Williams, and others. Image:KMNRHist8.jpg, Helen's Dad and
Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( ; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improvisation, improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy El ...
Image:KMNRHist9.jpg, The Spring 1987 KMNR station photo in the old Mining Building. First row: Cindy Walk, Jennifer Jones, Brent Jones, Vito Biundo (Ex-Station Manager), ?, Gene Hoeltge, ?, Steve Hendren, George Carini (Dr. Sunshine Show), ?, ?. Second Row: Monster #?, ?, Bryan Adams, Jeff Brown, Jennifer Sommers, Jim Column, ?, ?, ?, ?. Third Row: Bald Dude, Kathy Dolsen (Former Personnel Director, Station Manager), ?, ?, Bob Linke, ?, James Haring, ?, ?, ?. Fourth Row: Scott Birdsong, Jeff Leith and Alletta Curtis (married), Eric Bussen, Dave Meriwether, ?, Mike Harvey (Ex-Station Manager), Rick Karbowski, ?, ?, ?, ?. Top Row: Doug Moyer, Kid with Had, ?, ?, Guy with Umbrella, Dean McDowell, Don Grahler, Greg Boice, Jim Calzone, Joe Heberlie, ?. Image:KMNRHist10.jpg, Grateful Dead – Haight and Ashbury Image:KMNRHist11.jpg,
Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1965. Known for their eclectic style that fused elements of rock, blues, jazz, Folk music, folk, country music, country, bluegrass music, bluegrass, roc ...
Image:KMNRHist12.jpg, Tyler Harris, freakin' at the 1986 Freakers' Ball. Greg Boice in back with his tongue sticking out.


See also

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Campus radio Campus radio (also known as college radio, university radio or student radio) is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. Programming may be exclusively created or produced ...
*
List of college radio stations in the United States Following are radio stations in the United States of America affiliated with colleges and universities that are regarded as college (student-run) stations. The listings include links to Wikipedia pages on the stations, their parent institution ...


References


External links

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rollingbozorevue.com is a KMNR alumni website for fans of the 1970s KMNR program Rolling Bozo Revue
{{Missouri college radio
MNR MNR may stand for: Transportation * Maine Northern Railway *Metro-North Railroad in New York State *Mid-Norfolk Railway, a heritage railway in Norfolk, England * Manx Northern Railway, a railway on the Isle of Man from 1879 to 1905 * Manor Road r ...
Freeform radio stations Phelps County, Missouri Rolla, Missouri Missouri University of Science and Technology