Fifty years ago this month, KUT 90.5 FM first hit the airwaves with "The Eyes of Texas."
Radio-television-film professor Robert Schenkkan and a group of UT students led the effort to establish a full-power FM station for the University in 1958. The Federal Comunications Commission issued the public radio station's call letters, KUT, on Aug. 21, 1958. Since their humble beginning, KUT has grown from a 4,000-watt station with a 15-mile range to being one of the top public broadcasting stations in the country, reaching 500,000 people each week at 100,000 watts.
"It's a remarkable organization that is involved in the community, has endured and is still growing," said Stewart Vanderwilt, director and general manager of the station.
Vanderwilt said KUT's diverse programming reflects Austin interests and keeps the station competitive with commercial stations.
Originally run entirely by UT student volunteers, KUT now employs 65 professionals.
The station is most known for signature programming such as John Aielli's morning show "Eklektikos," which started in 1970. The music and talk show is the longest-running program at KUT and prides itself on its wide range of guests, musical genres and discussion topics.
Vanderwilt added a news department in June 2002 in an effort to expand news coverage in Central Texas. Since then, KUT has provided listeners with more than 40 minutes of on-air news per day in addition to the coverage provided through the KUT Web site and podcasts.
"We like to be a model and serve as a catalyst for community action," news director Emily Donahue said.
The news department has earned more than 50 state, national and international awards, including 12 Edward R. Murrow awards for journalistic excellence.
Vanderwilt said another key component to KUT's success is their relationship with the University. The UT System Board of Regents also controls KUT's license to broadcast over the air waves.
"UT is at the center of our name," Vanderwilt said. "It's part of our DNA."
KUT boasts more than 50 UT students from the United States, Korea, Finland and England who have completed their competitive news internships.
"No other public radio station has the same relationship with their interns as we do," Donahue said. "It's a cross-collaborative effort with the journalism school."
Crystal Chavez, producer for KUT's Morning Edition, said the station's longevity comes with community trust.
"I'm very proud to say that I work for public radio," she said. "We are able to build a positive reputation by putting out a good product."
