KMSU

[2] On December 14, 1961, the then-Mankato State College filed to build a 10-watt noncommercial radio station in Mankato, approved for 90.5 MHz on May 17, 1962.

A change in policy by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) left 10-watt noncommercial educational stations like KMSU vulnerable and unprotected against future improvements,[clarification needed] which encouraged many to increase power and invest in equipment and facilities.

On January 20, 1982, KMSU became a 3,000-watt station on its present frequency of 89.7 MHz, with a $25,000 federal grant helping to defray the costs of the upgrade.

[12] The expanding station moved out of the student union facility, which had become cramped due to the shift from student-run to professional operation, to the Warren Street Building in 1989.

The university proposed transferring KMSU to Minnesota Public Radio outright, ending student involvement in the station.

The university backtracked on the proposal, citing the potential increased value of the facility with the impending Telecommunications Act of 1996, but staffing was cut from five to two full-time employees, so the possibility was raised of dropping NPR programming.