KGOU was founded in 1970 by the University of Oklahoma, with the idea of creating a radio station that would provide classroom instructional programming for students. The station began broadcasting on September 21, 1971, initially operating as a commercial station with a rock 'n' roll format. In 1983, under the leadership of then-President William Banowsky and following a committee recommendation, KGOU transitioned to become a public radio station. Today, KGOU is owned and operated by the University of Oklahoma Outreach, with Dick Pryor serving as the general manager since 2016. KGOU, based in Norman, Oklahoma, primarily covers news and information, including local and national news, politics, and cultural topics. The station broadcasts NPR programs like Morning Edition and All Things Considered, while also producing original content such as Capitol Insider, which focuses on Oklahoma politics and government. KGOU's coverage extends across central, east-central, western, and northwestern Oklahoma through its network of transmitters and translators. On weekends, the station features jazz, blues, funk, and world music programs. **One interesting fact**: KGOU has a unique program called "How Curious" that investigates listener questions about Oklahoma. This show allows the audience to directly shape content by submitting questions about local history, culture, and quirks, which are then researched and answered by KGOU reporters.