UA’s Alabama Public Radio Going Digital

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama Public Radio WUAL-FM at The University of Alabama is the only public radio station in the state to receive a grant issued by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to purchase the equipment needed to make the transition to digital radio.

This grant is part of a recent $2.3 million funding round from CPB designated to help 29 public radio stations (including 19 serving rural and minority audiences) begin broadcasting in digital radio.

Digital radio will bring advantages in radio broadcasting technology that could increase the quality and scope of program services, as well as to provide richer quality sound than is currently available.

CPB is encouraging and supporting the early adoption of this promising new technology by providing matching funds to eligible stations. These funds are part of the nearly $150 million in funding that Congress has provided to CPB over the last four years to assist both public radio and public television stations to convert from analog transmission to digital.

WUAL-FM plans to quickly acquire and install the necessary equipment and to begin digital broadcasting in late summer. However, WUAL will continue to broadcast an analog signal for the foreseeable future. A digital radio will be necessary to receive the new digital broadcast signal.

Currently, WJLD-AM in Birmingham is broadcasting in digital radio.

CPB, a grant making organization, funds more than 1,000 public radio and television stations. To date, CPB has provided grants to more than 147 public radio stations to begin their digital transition.