Cameron Baird Foundation Grant to Help Expand WBFO's Audience

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- WBFO 88.7 FM, a public service of the University at Buffalo and the region's most-listened-to NPR station, has been awarded a grant from The Cameron Baird Foundation in the amount of $20,000 to be used toward the installation of a new tower and antenna that will increase and improve service to its Western New York audience.

The new tower will stand 45 percent higher than WBFO's current tower, and will allow the station to deliver a significantly stronger signal to the more than 1.15 million people within its broadcast area, according to Carole Smith Petro, associate vice president and WBFO general manager.

"The Cameron Baird Foundation has been a solid and reliable supporter of WBFO's efforts to deliver high-quality public radio," Petro said. "We are grateful for their on-going confidence in WBFO. Their support allows the station to take full advantage of current digital, satellite and Internet capabilities and places WBFO in the technical forefront of both commercial and public radio stations across the nation."

The funds from The Cameron Baird Foundation will be used toward the approximate goal of $575,000 that WBFO must secure in private funding to help cover the cost of the new tower project.

"We are pleased to be part of the future of WBFO, which serves its community so well in news, public affairs and music programming. Now with this upgrade WBFO will greatly improve its transmission and will enable the station to reach an additional 50,000 Western New Yorkers, some of whom have no access to National Public Radio programming," stated Barbara Baird.

For more information regarding WBFO and the new tower project, visit the station's Web site at http://www.wbfo.org.

WBFO 88.7FM reaches an audience of approximately 100,000 people per week through its main signal in Buffalo and through repeater stations WUBJ 88.1 FM in Jamestown and WOLN 91.3 FM in Olean. WBFO news department offers comprehensive coverage of regional and worldwide news.  The station also offers a depth of programming not available elsewhere in the community, including NPR/PRI news and entertainment programs, public and cultural affairs programming and jazz and blues.  WBFO has been voted "Best Radio Station in Buffalo" for six years in a row by the readers of Artvoice.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.