 
Assembly Resolution No. 1384
 
BY: M. of A. Jenne
 
        COMMEMORATING   the   50th  Anniversary  of  North
        Country Public Radio
 
  WHEREAS, The State of New York takes great pride in the  success  of
public  radio  stations  and  their  ability  to effectively communicate
information to our communities, cities and the nation; and
 
  WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud  to  commemorate  the
50th Anniversary of North Country Public Radio; and
 
  WHEREAS,  North Country Public Radio is located in Canton, New York;
St.  Lawrence University (SLU) was gifted a transmitter in 1965  when  a
commercial  operator  sitting on SLU's Board of Trustees shut down an FM
station; two years later in 1967, President Lyndon  Johnson  signed  the
Public  Broadcasting  Act  setting  up public broadcasting in the United
States; and
 
  WHEREAS, WSLU, 96.7 FM, went on air for the first time on  March  7,
1968,  in  the  North  Country  with  a staff of two professionals and a
number of college students with a few hours of  local  programming  each
day; and
 
  WHEREAS,  In  1971,  WSLU became a charter member of National Public
Radio (NPR),  increased  its  broadcast  day  to  18  hours,  and  began
receiving  support  from  the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB);
the size of the staff increased over the following decade  and  by  1980
the "founding mothers" had become part of the leadership team and looked
to  expand  its  operation;  in 1979, an on air fundraiser raised $2,000
from 45 members; and
 
  WHEREAS, WSLU became North Country Public Radio (NCPR) in 1984,  and
the  station  began  to  expand  its  footprint  in the Adirondack North
Country region; the station's 3,000 watt transmitter was replaced  by  a
40,300  watt  transmitter  allowing  the  station to reach a transmitter
placed in Saranac Lake; and
 
  WHEREAS, Transmitters were placed in Watertown, Blue Mountain  Lake,
Lake  Placid, Long Lake, Alexandria Bay, Malone and Tupper Lake over the
next few years and the station now has 32  transmitters  blanketing  the
Adirondacks and North Country; and
 
  WHEREAS,   The  station's  news  team  routinely  captures  national
recognition for its regional coverage  of  issues  ranging  from  prison
reform to environmental issues; and
 
  WHEREAS,  NCPR was awarded the New York State Associated Press Steve
Flanders Award in 2007-2008 for having the top  news  operation  in  the
State; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  station's commitment to excellence has enjoyed strong
support from the region it serves; today's  on  air  fundraisers  raised
approximately  $1.5  million  annually  from  thousands of listeners and
local business supporters; and
 
 
  WHEREAS,  The  station  offers a host of local programs ranging from
news and information programming such as the Eight O'Clock Hour, Natural
Selections and Readers and Writers On  The  Air  to  daily  music  shows
including  Music  for  a Monday Afternoon, Blue Note, Radio Bob's Rhythm
and Blues Show, String Fever and the Beat Authority; and
 
  WHEREAS, NCPR also airs  popular  national  programs  including  All
Things  Considered,  Weekend Edition, Fresh Air, On Point, This American
Life, Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me and Only a Game; and
 
  WHEREAS, In an era of frequent staff changes at media organizations,
NCPR has maintained a staff with deep ties to the  station  and  to  the
region  and  is  an  award  winning national pioneer radio station; now,
therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
commemorate  the  50th Anniversary of North Country Public Radio; and be
it further
 
  RESOLVED, That a copy of  the  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted to North Country Public Radio.
Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of North Country Public Radio

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