Engineers for the Integrity of Broadcast Auxiliary Services Spectrum

John C. Kean
Senior Technologist, NPR Labs


As Senior Technologist for NPR’s Technology Research Center, John develops and supervises technical projects of NPR Labs, the only not-for-profit broadcast engineering laboratory in the U.S., which is involved in the development and evaluation of new technologies, procedures and standards on behalf of public radio.

John was a Senior Engineer at NPR from 1980 to 1986, where he supported new broadcast technology and pioneered expansion of FM subcarrier services.  He left NPR to join Jules Cohen & Associates and later in 1987 he moved to Moffet Larson & Johnson, Inc., consulting for 17 years in the fields of broadband wireless networks, TV and radio facilities, FCC regulations, microwave and satellite systems.  He returned to NPR in 2004 as NPR Labs was established.

He is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and Past President of the IEEE Broadcast Symposium, contributing author to The NAB Engineering Handbook, Editions 7, 8 and 9 and has a patent pending for a coverage prediction model for HD Radio.  He was cochairman of the National Radio Systems Committee’s AM Study Task Group and is past president of the Audio Engineering Society (Washington DC Section).  He is a member of the IAAIS Board and chairs the Technical Committee.