KRUA

KRUA is a non-commercial educational college radio station in Anchorage, Alaska, broadcasting on the FM band 88.1 and online at kruaradio.org. The station is operated by students at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). It is the only student-run station in Anchorage.

Originally designated KMPS in 1987, the station ran off a small transmitter donated by Augie Hiebert of Northern Television, Inc. KMPS was a carrier current station, and the signal was restricted to telephone lines. This left the signal's range at only a number of target locations such as the on-campus housing complex.

The original broadcast schedule was sporadic as the station relied on student volunteer DJs to host programs on-air. It wasn't until the school year of 1990-91 that the UAA Media Board, along with the local FCC offices and the Anchorage Associated Broadcasters, Inc. began the documentation to create a non-commercial, educational station.

During 1991 KMPS was given authorization to initiate the construction of a tower-site for the fledgling station. 88.1mhz was provided as the station's broadcast frequency and after student media fees from UAA were raised, KRUA was able to gain its FM status. The original broadcast from KRUA took place at roughly 5 p.m. on February 14, 1992 with a transmission of R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" being heard across Anchorage. In February 2007, KRUA celebrated fifteen years of FM broadcasting with musical guests Cursive and The Paperchase.