<< Return to Press Releases

Minnesota Public Radio Announces the Beginning of High Definition (HD) Radio Broadcasting on Its Stations

Classical music station KSJN 99.5 FM in the Twin Cities launches HD radio; other MPR Twin Cities stations to follow in coming months

June 10, 2005

(St. Paul, Minn.) — Minnesota Public Radio announced today that, as of Friday, classical music station KSJN 99.5 FM became the first of its radio stations to broadcast in high-definition (HD) digital sound. With the addition of HD radio, listeners will be able to enjoy improved, "CD-quality" broadcasts of classical music programming. To hear KSJN's HD service, listeners will need a radio capable of picking up the digital radio signal. As stations across the country add HD broadcast capability, HD-ready receivers are becoming more available and increasingly affordable.

"With this innovation, our listeners who have HD radios will be able to enjoy classical music broadcasts with the highest quality sound and without static or interference, particularly interference encountered around tall buildings and other obstacles," said Bill Kling, president of Minnesota Public Radio. "Listeners who do not yet have HD radios can, of course, continue to hear KSJN on their current radios. There's no need to go out immediately and buy new equipment to continue listening to our classical music programming.

"HD radio is digital technology that will enable us to immediately improve the listening experience of our audiences," said Kling. "In addition, it will allow us in the future to broadcast multiple programs over the same channel. For listeners, that will mean more options for music, entertainment and news programming from Minnesota Public Radio."

Plans are to add HD radio in the next several months to Minnesota Public Radio's other Twin Cities stations — news and information station KNOW 91.1 FM, and its new music and entertainment station 89.3 The Current.

HD radio will be added at other Minnesota Public Radio stations across the state as funding permits. HD radio equipment at Minnesota Public Radio was funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and by supporters of Minnesota Public Radio.

---

Press Contacts:
Andrea Matthews
Minnesota Public Radio
651-290-1303
amatthews@mpr.org