The First WPR Website
As Wyoming Public Radio, i.e. Wyoming Public Media, celebrates its 50th anniversary, it has been involved with the ever changing online world for more than a third of its existence.
Public Radio, KUWR, first developed a website in 1997-98. It was created by Grafikat Design Company. It was a simple site, like many at the time, featuring links to programming information, weather and road condition, the University of Wyoming, and most importantly, membership pledge and associated gift levels.
With the availability of a free streaming application, KUWR worked with UW Information Technology to being making its programming available online. I became involved with the WPR website when the decision was made to move the website to the UW server to take advantage of the streaming server and free support my office provided.
I redesigned the website and worked with IT and Jon Schwartz, WPR general manager, to get the streaming service online. Over the years, NPR, PRI and other sources provided programming and associated promotional web modules to enhance online programming. Eventually, a third party service became available to public radio stations to manage their content and more easily integrate online programming offerings. The site uwyo.edu/wpr evolved into wyomingpublicradio.org, then wyomingpublicradio.net and finally wyomingpublicmedia.org to reflect the impact of multimedia programming available to audiences.