NSPR Seeks Public Input on Proposed CapRadio Collaboration

In exploring ways to expand its journalism and storytelling throughout Northern California, North State Public Radio (NSPR) is evaluating a collaboration with Sacramento-based CapRadio.

The proposed partnership is designed to help grow NSPR’s local reporting, improve broadcast infrastructure, streamline management operations and expand its fundraising team.

As part of that research, NSPR is reaching out to its 35,000 weekly listeners, donors and the Northern California community to answer their questions and seek their input. The public can go online to mynspr.org and submit questions or comments and read about the proposal through the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

“I’m looking forward to talking with listeners about this opportunity,” NSPR General Manager Phil Wilke said. “This partnership will allow NSPR to increase the size of our newsroom, cut costs and put those savings back into programming, and tap into membership, engineering and production services that we currently don’t have.”

Wilke added that beginning this week, listeners can ask questions or provide feedback about the impact of this collaboration on programming, fundraising, and other areas of concern on the NSPR website or by contacting him directly at pwilke@csuchico.edu.

In early July, all submitted comments will be shared with California State University, Chico leadership, as it considers whether to approve the partnership.

As part of the California State University system, NSPR (a service of CSU, Chico) and CapRadio (a service of Sacramento State) are uniquely suited to working together. Wilke noted that if this study determines that a partnership model would expand NSPR’s ability to better serve its audiences, this partnership has the ability to bolster the ability of both stations to expand local services, while also providing both stations with greater access to news coverage of California’s northernmost counties.

“CapRadio already has a strong editorial relationship with NSPR, having collaborated extensively during coverage of the Camp Fire and COVID-19 pandemic,” Wilke said. “And the station is experienced building partnerships for the benefit of the communities it serves.”

NSPR has been serving North State communities with National Public Radio news and local reporting since its first broadcast in 1969. Last year, the station and its news team were honored with the prestigious National Edward R. Murrow Award for broadcast excellence for the series “After Paradise,” chronicling the aftermath and recovery from the Camp Fire.

CapRadio is a network of seven stations broadcasting to some 400,000 listeners each week in the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada, stretching from Stockton to Sacramento to the Tahoe-Reno area.

NSPR can be heard across Northern California on the following frequencies: KCHO 91.7 FM Chico, KFPR 88.9 FM Redding, 91.9 FM Burney, 89.7 FM Chester, 92.3 FM Dunsmuir and Mount Shasta, 100.9 FM Greenville, 99.7 FM Hayfork, 92.3 FM Oroville, 89.5 FM Weaverville and 98.3 FM Westwood. Listen to NSPR online at mynspr.org.