Founded in 1969, NSPR began as KCHO, a small FM radio station in Chico, California. The available NSPR history does not name one individual founder, but it says the station went on the air as a 10-watt FM broadcast with a 10-mile radius and a $2,000 annual budget. Its early purpose was to serve Northern California with news, information, and cultural programming. Today, North State Public Radio is a service of California State University, Chico, and is licensed to Chico State Enterprises; its website is mynspr.org. Today, NSPR covers local news, state news, national NPR news, arts and culture, public affairs, science, music, and community-focused programs. Its coverage is centered on Northern California and the “North State” region, with Chico as an important home base because of its connection to Chico State. The station also offers shows and podcasts such as Headlines, Blue Dot, Cultivating Place, Nancy’s Bookshelf, and other public radio programs. One interesting fact: NSPR’s original station, KCHO, was almost named KPOW. It started very small, broadcasting with only 10 watts over about a 10-mile radius, but it later grew into a major public radio source for Northern California.