When listeners tune into KUAF 91.3 FM, they hear more than music and news. They learn about individuals, organizations, the university and the region. For more than 50 years, KUAF has given voice to people by telling the stories of Northwest Arkansas and beyond.
KUAF began in 1973 in a makeshift studio in an old house with a 10-watt signal that barely cleared the edges of campus to a few nearby neighborhoods. But the founders envisioned a regional perspective that would share ideas, build connections and be a laboratory for budding journalists, in addition to broadcasting music.
By 1985, under the leadership of station manager Rick Stockdell, KUAF had become a National Public Radio affiliate reaching 14 counties in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma with original music and news shows. Today, it gives voice to University of Arkansas students, faculty, staff and alumni, as well as those in the greater community.
*This post is condensed from a longer article by Darinda Sharp B.A.’94, M.S.’99, M.A.’05 published in the summer 2025 issue of Arkansas Magazine. Sharp is the director of external affairs and alumni outreach with the U of A School of Journalism and Strategic Media.
