KASU Expands Programming Schedule

JONESBORO – KASU, the public media service of Arkansas State University, is expanding the amount of unique, local programming available to listeners.

Beginning Monday, Sept. 28, the station’s long-running Arkansas Roots program will expand from one hour to two, airing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each weekday.

For more than a decade, Arkansas Roots has featured music in many styles by artists connected to the state. Additionally, the program has included in-depth conversations and features about the music, arts and culture of Arkansas.

With the addition of another hour, topics discussed on the show will expand to include health care, agriculture, education, the economy, local government and other issues impacting Arkansans.

The 11 a.m. hour will primarily feature conversations on these topics, while the noon hour will showcase Arkansas music by performers who were born in the state, currently live in the state or lived in the state for a significant period.

Many of those conversations also will be available for on-demand listening through the station’s website, KASU website, or on the station’s mobile app.

With the start time of Arkansas Roots moving from noon to 11 a.m., the National Public Radio (NPR) program Fresh Air, which has occupied the 11 a.m. hour, will move to 6 p.m., also effective Monday, Sept. 28. The program features hosts Terry Gross and Tonya Mosley speaking with actors, authors, musicians, journalists and other newsmakers.

Other program changes on KASU include Latino USA moving to Saturday mornings at 9 a.m. For more than 30 years, the show has chronicled the culture and history of the Latino community in the United States.

Another recent addition to the KASU lineup is StarDate, a two-minute feature covering astronomy, space science and skywatching. It airs weekdays at 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Since 1957, KASU has broadcast from the campus of Arkansas State, providing programming not heard on other local radio stations. This nonprofit service is funded by the university, listener contributions, and local businesses and organizations that underwrite program production costs.

KASU broadcasts with 100,000 watts of power on 91.9 FM, reaching dozens of counties in northeast Arkansas, southeast Missouri and west Tennessee. KASU programming also streams live through the station’s website and app.