Minnesota Public Radio:
Commitment to Minnesota

MPR Acquires Marketplace Productions

• MPR: An Overview

• MPR History

• MPR Commitment to Minnesota

• MPR National Program List

• Marketplace: An Overview

• Marketplace History

• Complete set of above documents in PDF format (Readable with the free Acrobat Reader.)

• MPR's National Program Data (PDF format)

• U.S. Map of MPR Programs (PDF format)

GOOD RADIO: Since its beginning in 1967 at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, the purpose of Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) has been, first and foremost, to serve Minnesota and the region with good radio. That original vision has not changed, despite MPR's present standing as one of the nation's most successful public radio stations. Producing more programs for national distribution than any other public radio station in the country, MPR serves an estimated 7.6 million listeners nationwide each week.

COVERING MINNESOTA: The people of Minnesota and the upper Midwest are still MPR's most important audience. MPR has become the most complete statewide public radio network in the country, covering 98% of the state's geography as well as bordering communities in seven states and Canadian provinces. Thirty-plus years of experience, 30 stations, and 19 translators on 49 frequencies allow MPR to better serve the region with insightful news coverage and a diverse palette of classical music and entertainment programming that has won more than 790 awards, including four Peabodys and two Edward R. Murrow Awards.

NEWS AND INFORMATION: MPR's national standing as a major radio broadcaster has had a significant impact in Minnesota and the upper Midwest. For example, MPR's News and Information Service is now supported by the largest newsroom of any broadcast entity in the upper Midwest, and MPR has the largest reporting team devoted exclusively to business and economics coverage in Minnesota broadcasting. This allows MPR to provide more quality, Minnesota-grown news stories than any other radio station or network. In fact, MPR news stations are the most trusted news source in the region, according to an independent survey of media users (University of Wisconsin - River Falls, 1992). MPR promotes civic journalism by sponsoring statewide symposiums to give local communities the opportunity to participate in the news-gathering process.

CLASSICAL MUSIC: For audiences in the upper Midwest, MPR's Classical Music Service imports some of the finest musical performances from orchestras and festivals around the world. The region's best musical talent is, in turn, exported to public radio audiences around the country. MPR listeners find cultural enrichment and awareness thanks to one of the largest classical music collections in the country, and nationally recognized knowledgeable hosts. Broadcasts of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Minnesota Orchestra allow all Minnesotans to appreciate local classical musicianship, even if they can't attend the live performances.

A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION: One of public radio's most beloved and celebrated programs is A Prairie Home Companion. This homegrown, live variety show delights a national weekly audience of 2.8 million listeners and many thousands of international fans across the globe from Edinborough to Tokyo. Many people in this country and around the world identify Minnesota with the image of Garrison Keillor's fictional rural hamlet of Lake Wobegon, a town "where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average." For 25 years, A Prairie Home Companion has proudly represented the art, culture, and people of Minnesota.

RADIO TALKING BOOK: MPR also serves a group of approximately 10,000 people in the upper Midwest whose sole access to the printed word is through the radio. The Radio Talking Book is a closed-circuit reading network for the blind and vision-impaired. Its signal is "piggy-backed" on MPR's frequency, and is distributed throughout Minnesota and neighboring states.

MORE THAN GOOD RADIO: MPR's commitment to Minnesota isn't limited to good radio. MPR also sponsors a variety of events to keep Minnesotans informed about everything from money matters to local politics. The Fitzgerald Forums help local communities interact with Minnesota's public affairs leaders. There has been a statewide lecture series on Broadcast Journalism, a Sound Money Personal Finance Fair, and a Classical Music Listening Contest for Minnesota High School students. MPR's mission is "to enrich the mind and nourish the spirit through radio, related technology, and services." This is especially true for MPR's birthplace, home and namesake: Minnesota.