LJWorld.com / New building brings public radio together

Archive for Tuesday, August 26, 2003

Bigger facility means KPR staff can work at common location

August 26, 2003

The new offices and broadcasting studios for KPR are attached to the Baehr Audio-Reader Center, far right, northwest of Memorial Stadium. The $2.2 million building is complete and KANU is currently broadcasting from its new facility.

When you have a CD collection that includes 30,000 discs, moving and organizing it is no small task.

That's one of the challenges facing workers at Kansas Public Radio this week as they complete their move from Broadcasting Hall on campus to a new building northwest of Memorial Stadium.

"Some people count sheep at night," said Rachel Hunter, music director at Kansas University's public radio station. "I count CDs, and hope they're in order."

Moving in to the $2.2 million, 8,750-square-foot facility, which is attached to the Baehr Audio-Reader Center, has been a long process. KPR's development office moved in last spring, but studios weren't ready to broadcast.

KPR began broadcasting from the new building Aug. 14. Its CDs were delivered Monday by Facilities Operations workers, and Hunter said it would take several days to complete unpacking them. Only a few nonessential computer servers and other equipment remain at Broadcasting Hall.

"This is the first time the music library has been this organized," Hunter said. "And it's the first time the whole staff has been together in 50 years."

Before, KPR staff was split among Broadcasting Hall, the Baehr Audio-Reader Center and Carruth-O'Leary Hall.

Rachel Hunter, music director at Kansas Public Radio, files a section of the classical CD collection in the music library at the new KPR building. Hunter and other KANU staffers were completing the move from the old Broadcasting Hall Monday, including the relocation of 30,000 CDs and albums of classical, jazz and folk recordings.

The new building features an on-air studio, a 20- by 30-foot live performance studio and two production studios.

Cordelia Brown, who plays classical music on the station in the afternoons, is enjoying the new space.

"I love the new studios," she said. "I was leery at first because I'd worked in the old place so long. But this equipment is easier to use."

Janet Campbell, KPR director, said she doubted many listeners knew about the switch in broadcasting locations, aside from a few on-air mentions.

"Those with a good ear can tell," she said. "I think we sound clearer, especially the announcers. I think the quality is better."

But she said listeners would be able to tell a difference when KPR began putting more local performers and interviews on the air from its new studios.

"We'll have a lot more local voices on the air," she said.