Minnesota Public Radio announced Tuesday that it will provide extended news and information service to listeners in the Mankato area. Listeners should set their radios to 90.5 FM for MPR News and 91.5 FM for Classical MPR beginning 12:00 AM Aug. 17.  This change will also affect the Albert Lea, St. James and Sleepy Eye stations.

MPR News programs like Morning Edition, Midmorning and Midday, as well as national programming such as Car Talk, This American Life, The Splendid Table, and Krista Tippet On Being, will now be available at 103.9 FM in Albert Lea.

Listeners will hear Classical MPR programs such as Performance Today, Minnesota Orchestra, Pipedreams and other classical music programming.

These frequency switches may soften the reach of classical service, so listeners are encouraged to contact MPR on how the changes affect their ability to listen to Classical MPR and/or MPR News.

To learn more about the format swap, visit mpr.org/stations, or call 1-800-228-7123 with comments or questions.

Building and maintaining stations throughout greater Minnesota is made possible, in part, through the support of MPR Members, the Federal Public Telecommunications Facilities Program, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the state of Minnesota.

Residents in Albert Lea will continue to hear Classical MPR at 90.1 FM.