Nebraska Public Media has signed on a new FM radio station in the central part of the state, filling a long-running gap in its coverage area.
KGNE-FM/89.3 (Broken Bow) transmits with 12kW/133m (class C3). Broken Bow previously only received weak signals from the network’s Bassett and Lexington transmitters and has no other public radio services.
The Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Commission filed a license to cover application for KGNE-FM on Jan. 31, which was the deadline for signing on the new station. The FCC granted the license to cover on the same day the application was filed.
KGNE-FM was one of four new stations granted to Nebraska Public Media as a result of a 2021 filing window for new non-commercial FM stations. KQNE-FM/89.9 (Falls City) signed on last year, while KNNE-FM/90.7 (McCook) faces a Feb. 11 construction deadline and KUNE-FM/88.7 (Columbus) faces a March 1 deadline.
In December, Nebraska Public Media had sought 12-week extensions to the construction deadlines for KGNE-FM, KNNE-FM, and KUNE-FM, stating that there had been delays in funding and the state procurement process. The KNNE-FM and KUNE-FM requests remain pending; the KGNE-FM request was dismissed simultaneously with the license to cover being granted.
Nebraska Public Media’s FM network carries a traditional public radio schedule combining NPR’s flagship “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered” news magazines with Classical music and weekend entertainment programming.