KTEP

KTEP (88.5 FM) is a non-commercial, listener-supported radio station, broadcasting from the Communication Department at the University of Texas at El Paso. The studios and offices are in the Cotton Memorial Building on West University Avenue in El Paso.

KTEP is a Class C1 FM station. It has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, the maximum for most FM stations.^[2] The transmitter is on the KVIA-TV tower off Scenic Drive in El Paso.^[3] The signal extends across parts of Texas, New Mexico and the Mexican state of Chihuahua.

Programming

The station airs mostly news and informational programming in morning and afternoon drive time and much of the day on weekends. Many of the news shows are from National Public Radio and other public radio networks. They include Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Fresh Air. In middays and nights, KTEP features jazz music, along with some shows dedicated to blues, new age and classical music.

History

The station began in October 1946 as WTCM, a carrier current station based at what was then Texas College of Mines. It could only be heard on campus. In 1947, it changed its call sign to KVOF after finding out the WTCM call letters were already being used by a station in Traverse City, Michigan.

In 1950, the college submitted a construction permit for a full Federal Communications Commission (FCC) FM license. It signed on the air on September 14, 1950; 73 years ago (September 14, 1950). The station began broadcasting educational programming aimed at elementary and high school students, as well as evening shows hosted by college students. Originally powered at 10 watts, in 1966 it moved to a taller tower. It began sharing space on a tower owned by television station KROD-TV (now KDBC-TV), boosting its coverage. In 1967, the station changed its call letters to KTEP, to coincide with the school's name change to The University of Texas at El Paso.

In 1971, KTEP became a charter member of National Public Radio (NPR) and increased its broadcast day to 18 hours. The station instituted a 24-hour schedule in 1997.^[4]

In 1980, it moved its transmitter to its current location on KVIA-TV's tower, coupled with a boost in power to 100,000 watts. On July 11, 2021, KTEP's transmitter was knocked off-air by a thunderstorm.

Notable alumni

• Sam Donaldson, later with ABC News, served as station manager in 1954.^[4]

References

External links

• KTEP official website

• KTEP in the FCC FM station database
• KTEP in Nielsen Audio's FM station database