KOPN 89.5 FM

28/07/2025

Late with Taffeta V. is your after-hours invitation to drift, dream, and discover.

Airing Tuesdays, 2–4am on KOPN 89.5 FM (or anytime on Mixcloud) this is storytelling radio at its finest. Half music, half musings, always themed and deeply felt. Taffeta V. blends post-punk, jazz, film scores, and spoken word into an old-school, GenX-beatnik-goth nightcap.

Tune in for a warm voice, rare tracks, and timeless tales made for clever minds and curious hearts.

Tune in: 89.5fm
Listen now: mixcloud.com/TaffetaV

25/07/2025

It’s back.

After four years, we’re proud to welcome Alternative Radio back to KOPN’s airwaves, Wednesdays at 10AM.

Produced independently in Boulder, Colorado since 1986, AR delivers in-depth analyses and perspectives often left out of corporate media. With a tiny but mighty team and nearly 300 affiliate stations, it’s a powerful example of what grassroots media can do.

Tune in weekly on KOPN 89.5 FM or stream at kopn.org. For more on the program, visit alternativeradio.org.

23/07/2025

What happens when we question Big Tech’s grip on our lives?

Techtonic with Mark Hurst explores the digital future through conversations with creators and thinkers building humane, independent alternatives to corporate tech. Produced at community radio station WFMU, this show shines a light on paths beyond the algorithm.

Catch Techtonic every Tuesday at 5PM on KOPN (except the first Tuesday of each month, when local shows Marooned and Union Breakroom take the mic).

Listen live at kopn.org
or dig deeper at techtonic.fm

21/07/2025

With federal funding for community media on the decline, KOPN is relying more than ever on the strength of our local community. Here are 4 ways you can help keep Mid-Missouri’s independent radio alive and thriving:

1. Become a Member – Even $5/month helps us plan ahead and stay on the air and gives YOU voting rights for the annual Board of Directors election.

2. Share the Station – Word of mouth is powerful! Tell a friend about your favorite KOPN show.

3. Volunteer or Contribute Skills – Got a knack for writing, organizing, or plugging in? We’d love your help!

4. Sign up for our newsletter! This is one of the quickest and easiest ways we communicate with our listeners (aside from the airwaves!).

Community radio is people-powered (that's you!)
Join us: kopn.org

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18/07/2025

18/07/2025

Dear friends and supporters of KOPN,

We want to update you on a vote in Washington that threatens the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides a significant portion of KOPN's budget.

On Thursday, a rescission bill passed in the Senate and was later passed by the House. The bill eliminates the next two years of previously approved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

CPB funding has been instrumental in stabilizing the operations of KOPN, providing access to national news and programming, and paying licensing and royalties for the diverse and unique music we share with you.

Without CPB funding, KOPN will lose over $250,000 in the next two years.

While we are proud to rely on your listener support to operate KOPN, this abrupt and significant change in the budget will be disruptive to operations, staffing, and programming. You know that KOPN is a shoestring operation with only two staff members and a frugal, thrifty approach to all we do. That means your generous contributions make a much bigger impact here.

With your help, KOPN will persevere to bring you the news, views, music, and talk you’ve come to expect from Mid-Missouri’s independent community radio station. Your support is needed and appreciated now more than ever.

SUPPORT COMMUNITY RADIO TODAY

KOPN is dedicated to operating a station that provides a platform for underrepresented voices, fosters understanding and peace among all people, and introduces you to diverse talk and music of the world.

We will return to your inbox with a new edition of our newsletter a week from this Sunday, so please keep an eye out for news from your community radio station.

KOPN 89.5FM
New Wave Corporation

SUPPORT | https://www.kopn.org/donate/

16/07/2025

The Current, hosted by Trevor Harris and Heather O'Connor, will feature an interview with Stefan Freund and Tiffany Skidmore tonight at 5pm on KOPN 89.5 FM! They'll be discussing the upcoming Mizzou International Composers Festival which occurs next week from July 22-26. All events are free and open to the public!

16/07/2025

Ride the rails of tradition every Sunday night with High Lonesome Sound hosted by KL Brown — 9 PM to midnight on KOPN! From hard-driving banjo licks to soulful harmonies, it's the very best in bluegrass, spun straight from the heart.

Tune in locally at 89.5 FM or stream worldwide at kopn.org
Follow along: High Lonesome Sound

14/07/2025

14/07/2025

Let us know 👇

Drop a comment or photo of your listening setup and rep your corner of the world! We'd love to hear from you.

11/07/2025

Dig through the crates of time with Vintage Inspiration. Every track tells a story and every spin is strictly vinyl.

Fridays at Midnight–2AM (aka Friday evening night owls / Saturday early birds!)

Every Friday night, Shawn Wilcox drops the needle on two hours of hand-picked vinyl from the ‘60s to the ‘80s: a treasure chest of deep cuts, B-sides, and hidden gems that commercial radio forgot. No genre boundaries, just pure analog soul.

Shawn, a Delaware native turned Columbia local, started at KOPN behind the scenes in 2021. Encouraged by then-GM Sarah Catlin, he took the leap to host Vintage Inspiration, and nearly 4 years later, it’s better than ever.

Discover what your turntable’s been missing
Stream at 89.5fm | kopn.org