WWNO
Encyclopedia
WWNO is a public radio outlet in New Orleans, Louisiana
that offers Classical, Fine Arts, Jazz, as well as informative programming like "Car Talk", and the highly acclaimed radio program "A Prairie Home Companion" with Garrison Keillor. The station produces a locally oriented variety program, Crescent City, which features musical and comedic performances. The host of Crescent City is New Orleans commentator, journalist, and writer, Ronnie Virgets
.
and broadcasts at 89.9 MHz with an ERP of 85 kW. It signed on the air in 1972.
They also have a satellite sister station in Thibodaux, Louisiana
, KTLN (90.5).
As Hurricane Katrina
bore down on the city, the remaining staff shut down the station to evacuate on the morning of August 28 2005. The station returned to the air just 24 days later, on September 21, with programing from the studio space of Georgia Public Broadcasting
in Atlanta, Georgia
. Post-Katrina flooding had damaged the UNO campus.
While most of the staff was in Atlanta, WWNO Program Director Fred Kasten set up a temporary studio in his intact home in the Carrollton neighborhood
of New Orleans, from which he gave daily updates of the situation in New Orleans until the station was able to return to its UNO studios on December 19.
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
that offers Classical, Fine Arts, Jazz, as well as informative programming like "Car Talk", and the highly acclaimed radio program "A Prairie Home Companion" with Garrison Keillor. The station produces a locally oriented variety program, Crescent City, which features musical and comedic performances. The host of Crescent City is New Orleans commentator, journalist, and writer, Ronnie Virgets
Ronnie Virgets
Ronnie Virgets is a New Orleans, Louisiana writer, commentator, and journalist. He is a native of New Orleans and has lived there for most of his life.-Background:...
.
History
The station, which is also a member of National Public Radio, is operated by the University of New OrleansUniversity of New Orleans
The University of New Orleans, often referred to locally as UNO, is a medium-sized public urban university located on the New Orleans Lakefront within New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It is a member of the LSU System and the Urban 13 association. Currently UNO is without a proper chancellor...
and broadcasts at 89.9 MHz with an ERP of 85 kW. It signed on the air in 1972.
They also have a satellite sister station in Thibodaux, Louisiana
Thibodaux, Louisiana
Thibodaux is a small city in and the parish seat of Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, United States, along the banks of Bayou Lafourche in the northwestern part of the parish. The population was 14,431 at the 2000 census. Thibodaux is a principal city of the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux...
, KTLN (90.5).
As Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
bore down on the city, the remaining staff shut down the station to evacuate on the morning of August 28 2005. The station returned to the air just 24 days later, on September 21, with programing from the studio space of Georgia Public Broadcasting
Georgia Public Broadcasting
Georgia Public Broadcasting is the public broadcasting radio and television state network in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is operated by the Georgia Public Telecommunications Commission....
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. Post-Katrina flooding had damaged the UNO campus.
While most of the staff was in Atlanta, WWNO Program Director Fred Kasten set up a temporary studio in his intact home in the Carrollton neighborhood
Carrollton, Louisiana
Carrollton is a neighborhood of uptown New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, which includes the Carrollton Historic District. It is the part of Uptown New Orleans farthest up river from the French Quarter...
of New Orleans, from which he gave daily updates of the situation in New Orleans until the station was able to return to its UNO studios on December 19.