KCUR-FM airs mostly NPR and local news and information programming such as All Things Considered, Morning Edition and 1A, while KWJC plays classical music.

Stevens and Sam Scott then decided to raise money outside the university and, with the approval of then President McGrath, a modest fundraising campaign was undertaken and a separate FM fund was established.

KCUR-FM began broadcasting on October 21, 1957 from the third floor of Scofield Hall with a signal range of four miles, two full-time employees and a budget of $15,000 from the University.

An Editorial in the Kansas City Times suggested several reasons why the university should reconsider its decision including, "In the community, it (KCUR) is a source of education, culture and pleasure."

The MU board approved purchase of $24,000 worth of transmitter equipment that more than doubled the station's coverage area, boosting its broadcasting power to 40,000 watts.

On August 16, 2019, KCUR announced it had agreed to purchase KWJC 91.9 FM from William Jewell College in suburban Liberty, Missouri, for $2 million.