For the first time in Rhode Island history, the state will have its own locally-owned and operated public radio station.
WBUR (90.9FM), Boston’s NPR news station, yesterday announced it would sell WRNI (1290AM) to Rhode Island Public Radio for $2 million, to be paid over 10 years. The Boston station will continue to provide WRNI with sports services programming, engineering and support.
Rhode Island Public Radio – formerly the Foundation for Ocean State Public Radio – also announced it will purchase WAKX (102.7FM) in Narragansett, thus expanding the NPR station’s coverage throughout most of southern Rhode Island.
“We have traditionally been without South County,” said Joe O’Connor, WRNI’s general manager. “This allows for us to finally reach Narragansett … for the very first time and consistently get to Jamestown, Newport, Little Compton … It’s a 25-percent increase in population alone.”
He added: “We’re going to get a good 70 to 75 percent of the state – but my public-service mission is to cover every acre, so we still have some challenges.”
