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| Broadcast area | El Paso metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 88.5 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | KTEP 88.5 FM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Public Radio - News - Talk - Jazz |
| Affiliations | National Public Radio American Public Media |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | University of Texas at El Paso |
| History | |
First air date | September 14, 1950; 73 years ago (1950-09-14) (originally carrier current 1946-1950) |
Call sign meaning | Texas El Paso |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 69342 |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 223 meters (732 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 31°47′17.00″N 106°28′46.00″W / 31.7880556°N 106.4794444°W / 31.7880556; -106.4794444 |
| Links | |
Public license information |
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| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | ktep.org |
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.
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.
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 memberofNational 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.
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Located in: El Paso, Texas | |
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Radio stations in the El Paso metropolitan area (Texas)
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| ByAM frequency |
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| ByFM frequency |
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| NOAA Weather Radio frequency |
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| Digital radio by frequency & subchannel |
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| Bycall sign |
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| Defunct |
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NPR member stations in Texas
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| High Plains Public Radio stations |
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| Marfa Public Radio stations |
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| Red River Radio stations |
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| Texas Public Radio stations |
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| Texas Tech Public Media stations |
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| Other stations |
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See also List of NPR stations | |
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