Vermont Gets First HD Radio Station

Vermont Public Radio's WVPR 89.5fm in Windsor has begun digital broadcasts using the "HD Radio" standard developed by Ibiquity Digital, the first radio station in the Green Mountain State to do so.

WVPR launched the digital signal at 6:06pm Wednesday, July 19, 2006, offering NPR's "All Things Considered" in both traditional analog and digital radio formats.  WVPR, the first public radio station in Vermont which began broadcasting in 1977, plans to use HD Radio's flexible transmission scheme to launch multicast services in central Vermont this fall. The station will provide its established mix of NPR programming and regional news and music on 89.5-HD1 while 89.5-HD2 will feature VPR Classical, Vermont Public Radio's 24-hour classical music service.

Vermont Public Radio hopes to gradually expand the multicast strategy to other public radio stations throughout Vermont as funding allows.