An important part of KUNR’s mission is to listen to our community. By holding in-person events, collecting questions at community festivals, and listening to the people we interview, we have identified eight frequently asked questions shared with us by community members.
Below you’ll find responses to help you understand more about KUNR and the services we provide:
- What is KUNR?
- What is the difference between the local and national news coverage provided by KUNR?
- When can I hear KUNR local and national news broadcasts on the air?
- What does KUNR offer in regards to live coverage of major events, both national and local?
- How can I listen to KUNR and find the station’s content online?
- How does KUNR partner with other local media and community organizations?
- Is KUNR a music radio station?
- How can I contact KUNR if I have a story idea, question, or feedback about the station’s programming?
1. What is KUNR?
KUNR Public Radio is a nonprofit, non-commercial, listener-supported public radio station serving Northern Nevada and Eastern California. The station is located on the University of Nevada, Reno campus. KUNR is licensed to the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, which also holds the licenses for KNCC, our station in Elko, and KNCJ Nevada Classical and Jazz.
We embrace our nonprofit status and mission of public service. We operate as a largely self-sustaining entity within UNR, generating revenue from listener contributions, business underwriting, tax-based federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and grants from supporters.
2. What is the difference between the local and national news coverage provided by KUNR?
KUNR’s team of award-winning reporters based in Reno and Elko is on the ground in the community, producing stories about our Northern Nevada and Eastern Sierra community, in both English and Spanish.
Other stories that air on KUNR are not produced by our local team. KUNR has been a member station of National Public Radio (NPR) since 1981. This means that the station airs reporting produced by NPR reporters and contributing reporters from other member stations around the country. KUNR also carries programs from American Public Media, Public Radio International (PRI), and other services.
In 2019, KUNR joined the Mountain West News Bureau (MWNB), a collaboration of regional public radio stations which produce and share journalism about the Mountain West region. The MWNB is supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, as well as its contributing and affiliate stations.
3. When can I hear KUNR local and national news broadcasts on the air?
If you are interested in listening to local reporting from KUNR and the Mountain West News Bureau, tune in to KUNR during “drive time,” which is 5-9 a.m. and 4-7 p.m., when people are typically listening to the radio in their car.
During these time windows, at the top of the hour, you’ll hear national news updates first, then the local news. Outside of “drive time,” KUNR offers national newscasts from NPR and the BBC at the beginning of every hour.
For more details about KUNR’s programming schedule, you can check out the KUNR and KNCJ radio schedules here.
4. What does KUNR offer in regards to live coverage of major events, both national and local?
KUNR follows the lead of National Public Radio, carrying NPR live coverage as soon as it’s available when there are major national news events. For local major emergency events, KUNR has the ability to go live at any time.
5. How can I listen to KUNR and find the station’s content online?
All of KUNR’s content is free. You can listen to KUNR on the air at 88.7 FM in the Reno area. Visit our “Find your Frequency” page for information about how to listen to KUNR on the radio in other parts of Northern Nevada and the Eastern Sierra, from Susanville, to Bishop, to Elko.
You can explore our digital content at KUNR.org and follow KUNR on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to see our news team’s recent reporting and/or find information about our community events and surveys.
6. How does KUNR partner with other local media and community organizations?
KUNR works with media and non-media organizations to create regular content for the Northern Nevada and Eastern Sierra community. The Mick Hitchcock, Ph.D., Project for Visualizing Science housed in the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno partners with KUNR to offer science-related reporting internships at the station.
Noticiero Móvil, the faculty-run Spanish/English bilingual reporting program, also housed at the Reynolds School of Journalism, collaborates with the KUNR news team on bilingual reporting and culturally-relevant stories for the Latino community.
Librarians from the Washoe County Library System contribute regular On the Shelf and On the Kids’ Shelf segments to the KUNR broadcast, which offer book recommendations and new titles for adults and children, respectively.
Other regular segments from community partners on KUNR include:
- In the Weeds with Urban Roots, sharing tips and information about gardening in Northern Nevada, hosted by Farmer Debs of Urban Roots.
- Postcards from The Wind, offering listeners a break from the news with equal parts travel and poetry, crafted locally by Fil Corbitt.
- Movie Minutes with Robin Holabird, sharing commentary on the latest films streaming and showing in Reno-area theaters, hosted by longtime KUNR entertainment reviewer Robin Holabird.
- Indy Matters, highlighting local reporting from our media partner The Nevada Independent.
7. Is KUNR a music radio station?
On KUNR, you’ll find news coverage, some of which features music as part of the storytelling. You’ll also hear The Risky Biscuit Hayseed Hoot, Jimbo’s Juke Joint and Acoustic Roadhouse Cafe, Alt.Latino, and American Routes broadcast on KUNR on weekends.
To create a space dedicated to music and cultural programming, in 2016, we launched KNCJ Nevada Classical and Jazz, which is KUNR’s sister station providing 24/7 music, arts and culture content. The KNCJ team also produces local music shows such as Saturday Night Jazz and Wednesday Evening Classics.
8. How can I contact KUNR if I have a story idea, question, or feedback about the station’s programming?
If you have questions or story ideas that you’d like to share with the KUNR reporting team, please fill out this short Google Form in English or Spanish; your responses will help inform our coverage.
If you have feedback or questions about the station’s programming, please email feedback@kunr.org.
For additional contact information for the station, please visit the “Contact Us” section of our website.
You can also learn more about station staff and our reporting team under the “About” section of KUNR.org.
This FAQ is produced as part of KUNR’s participation in the Advancing Democracy program.
