KGNU

Last updated
KGNU / KGNU-FM
KGNU.gif
Broadcast area Denver-Boulder-Longmont
Frequency KGNU: 1390 kHz
KGNU-FM: 88.5 MHz (HD Radio)
Programming
Format Community Radio
Affiliations Public Radio International
Pacifica Radio
BBC World Service
Ownership
OwnerBoulder Community Broadcast Association, Inc.
History
First air date
KGNU: 1956
KGNU-FM: May 24, 1978
Former call signs
KGNU:
KFML (1956–1982)
KJJZ (1982–1984)
KPPL (1984–1987)
KMDK (1987–1988)
KFTO (1988)
KDZR (1988–1989)
KJME (1989–2004)
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID KGNU: 31349
KGNU-FM: 6512
Class KGNU: D
KGNU-FM: A
Power KGNU: 5,000 watts day
139 watts night
ERP KGNU-FM: 4,000 watts
HAAT KGNU-FM: 65 meters (213 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
KGNU: 39°39′29″N105°00′49″W / 39.65806°N 105.01361°W / 39.65806; -105.01361
KGNU-FM: 39°59′33″N105°9′16″W / 39.99250°N 105.15444°W / 39.99250; -105.15444
Translator(s) 98.7 MHz K254CH (Fort Collins)
99.1 MHz K256CT (Denver)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen Live
Website kgnu.org

KGNU (1390 AM) & KGNU-FM (88.5 FM) are a pair of community radio stations licensed to Denver and Boulder, Colorado respectively. KGNU is owned by Boulder Community Broadcast Association, Inc. [2]

Contents

History

KFML

1390 AM was first licensed on April 4, 1956, and held the call sign KFML. [3] It aired a classical music format and was simulcast on 98.5 KFML-FM. [4] [5] [6] It originally ran 1,000 watts during daytime hours only and was owned by Evert A. Bancker Jr. [3] In 1961, the station was sold to the Fine Arts Broadcasting Company, along with its FM sister station, for $118,720. [7] [3] Its power was increased to 5,000 watts in 1964. [3] In 1966, it was sold, along with its FM sister station, to O'Fallon–O'Connor Broadcasting Inc. for $165,000. [8] [3] In 1969, controlling interest was sold to Joseph R. McGoey for $96,250. [9]

In 1971, KFML adopted a progressive rock format. [10] [11] In 1975, the station was sold to Radio Denver Corp. for $200,000. [12] [3]

Golden Bear Communications ownership

In 1982, the station was sold to Golden Bear Communications for $760,000. [13] [14] The station adopted a jazz format, and its call sign was changed to KJJZ. [15] [16] [17] In 1984, the station's call sign was changed to KPPL and it adopted an urban contemporary format. [18] [19] On July 31, 1985, Golden Bear Communications filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and on October 10, 1985, the proceeding was converted to Chapter 7. [20]

KMDK

In 1987, the station was sold to Huttner Health Network for $265,000. [21] [22] Its call sign was changed to KMDK, and it began airing a health-talk format branded "K-Medic". [23] [24]

KDZR

On June 13, 1988, its call sign was changed to KFTO, and on June 23, 1988, its call sign was changed to KDZR. [25] As KDZR, the station was initially an affiliate of Z Rock, airing a heavy metal/hard rock format. [24] On November 14, 1988, it adopted a business talk format and became an affiliate of the Business Radio Network. [26] [27]

KJME

In 1989, the station's call sign was changed to KJME and it began airing a Spanish language format. [25] [27] [28] [29] In 1990, KJME was sold to Jo-Mor Communications for $350,000. [30] In 1991, the station was fined $5,000 for operating at 450% in excess of its licensed power. [31]

KGNU

Transmitter tower in Englewood, Colorado KGNU (AM) tower, Englewood, CO 2023-10-04.jpg
Transmitter tower in Englewood, Colorado

KGNU-FM began broadcasting May 24, 1978. [19] In 2004, Boulder Community Broadcast Association purchased AM 1390 KJME in Denver for $4.1 million, and its call sign was changed to KGNU. [32] [25]

KGNU's programming follows a variety radio format, featuring a mix of music, news and information. Local shows are hosted by volunteers. The station also carries syndicated programs distributed by Public Radio International, Pacifica Radio and BBC World Service. [33] KGNU is a member of the Grassroots Radio Coalition, which it helped found in 1996. [34] [35]

In 2018, the station's 40th anniversary was commemorated by a six-week exhibit, "Listening Together", at the Museum of Boulder. [36] Beginning in 2019, the station embarked on a capital campaign to raise $1.25M, with an equal amount to be matched by the City of Boulder, as part of the voter-approved 2017 Community, Culture and Safety Tax. [37]

Facilities

In the summer of 2010, KGNU-FM was granted permission to increase its FM transmitter power to 4,000 watts ERP. KGNU (AM) operates at 5,000 watts by day but must reduce power to 139 watts at night to protect other radio stations on 1390 kHz. The AM transmitter is in Englewood, Colorado off South Wyandot Street. The FM transmitter is in Louisville, Colorado near the Louisville Reservoir, on a tower 213 feet (65 meters) HAAT. [38] KGNU also operates a 28-watt FM translator K229AC at 93.7 MHz in Nederland, Colorado, [39] and a 7-watt FM translator K254CH licensed to Laporte, Colorado, which simulcasts KGNU-FM on 98.7 MHz from Horsetooth Mountain west of Fort Collins. [40] [41]

See also

Related Research Articles

KQKS is a rhythmic hot AC radio station, licensed to Lakewood, Colorado. It is owned by Audacy, Inc. and serves the Denver-Boulder metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WVAZ</span> Radio station in Chicago, Illinois

WVAZ is an urban adult contemporary radio station serving the Chicago metropolitan area and Northwest Indiana. Licensed to Oak Park, Illinois, WVAZ is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., alongside sister stations WCHI-FM, WGCI-FM, WGRB, WKSC-FM, WLIT-FM and WVON. WVAZ carries the nationally syndicated "Steve Harvey Morning Show" and "The Sweat Hotel with Keith Sweat."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KBCO</span> Adult album alternative radio station in Boulder, Colorado

KBCO is a radio station in Boulder, Colorado. It serves Boulder, the Denver metropolitan area, and Northern Colorado. Owned by iHeartMedia, it broadcasts an adult album alternative (AAA) format.

KYGO-FM is a commercial radio station in Denver, Colorado, United States. The Bonneville International country music station has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts. Its studios are located in Greenwood Village, and its transmitter is on Mestaa'ehehe Mountain near Morrison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KKFN</span> Sports radio station in Longmont–Denver, Colorado

KKFN is a commercial radio station serving the Denver-Boulder market. Owned and operated by Salt Lake City–based Bonneville International, KKFN airs a sports radio format. The station is licensed to Longmont, Colorado. Its studios are located in Greenwood Village, and the transmitter is in Lakewood on Green Mountain. KKFN runs local sports shows days and evenings, and carries ESPN Radio programming late nights and weekends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KIMN</span> Hot adult contemporary radio station in Denver

KIMN is a commercial radio station in Denver, Colorado. The station is owned by Stan Kroenke's KSE Radio Ventures and airs a hot adult contemporary radio format. Studios and offices are located on Colorado Boulevard in Glendale, and the transmitter site is on Mount Morrison west of Lakewood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLEY-FM</span> Regional Mexican radio station in Aurora–Chicago, Illinois

WLEY-FM is a radio station licensed to Aurora, Illinois, serving Aurora, Chicago, Naperville, Joliet and much of surrounding Northeast Illinois. Owned by Spanish Broadcasting System, it broadcasts a regional Mexican format branded as La Ley 107.9. WLEY's studios are located in the Crain Communications Building in the Loop, while its transmitter is located in Bloomingdale, with its antenna located atop WSCR's tower.

KVCU AM 1190, branded Radio 1190, is a college radio station affiliated with the University of Colorado Boulder. Operated by CU since 1998, the station broadcasts from studios in the basement of the University Memorial Center on the CU campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KDFD</span> Radio station in Colorado, United States

KDFD is a commercial radio station licensed to Thornton, Colorado, and serving the Denver-Boulder metropolitan area. Owned by iHeartMedia, it broadcasts a conservative talk radio format. Its studios and offices are in Southeast Denver, while the transmitter site is off Colorado Boulevard in Brighton. Weekdays begin with This Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal followed by Glenn Beck, Clay Travis & Buck Sexton, Sean Hannity, Jesse Kelly, Dave Ramsey and Coast to Coast AM with George Noory. Most hours begin with Fox News Radio.

KPLS is an AM radio station licensed to Littleton, Colorado, and serving the Denver metropolitan area. KPLS is owned by Radio 74 Internationale. In May 2020, the station transitioned to airing a Christian format following a transfer of ownership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLAN (AM)</span> Radio station in Pennsylvania, United States

WLAN is a commercial AM radio station licensed to serve Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. through licensee iHM Licenses, LLC, and airs a Spanish tropical music format.

KMXA is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Aurora, Colorado, and serving the Denver metropolitan area. It broadcasts a Spanish-language Sports format and is owned by Entravision Communications Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WGRB</span> Radio station in Illinois, United States

WGRB is a commercial AM radio station in Chicago. It is owned by iHeartMedia and it airs an urban gospel format. On Sundays, the station broadcasts the services of several African-American churches in the area. The studios are at the Illinois Center complex on Michigan Avenue in Downtown Chicago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KISX</span> Radio station in Texas, United States

KISX is a Townsquare Media radio station licensed to Whitehouse, Texas, serving the Tyler/ Longview market with an urban adult contemporary format. Studios are located in south Tyler; transmitter site is located southeast of Tyler in Smith County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KCSF</span> Radio station in Colorado Springs, Colorado

KCSF is a radio station serving the Colorado Springs area with a sports format. It is under ownership of Cumulus Media.

KXRE is an AM radio station licensed to Manitou Springs, Colorado, the station serves the Colorado Springs radio market. The station is currently owned by Colorado Public Radio and operated by Pikes Peak State College, known on-air as eXtra Music 102.1. All of the on-air personalities heard are Radio and Television students at the college, as experience at the radio station is a requirement for the Associates of Applied Science in Telecommunications Production degree offered by the school.

KCRN is an AM radio station licensed to Limon, Colorado, and serving East Central Colorado. The station is owned by Catholic Radio Network, Inc. It airs a catholic radio format, mostly carrying talk and teaching programs from the EWTN Radio Network. Programming is simulcast on KRCN in Longmont, Colorado, serving the Denver metropolitan area.

KZGD is an American radio station licensed to serve Salem, Oregon, United States. The station, founded in 1934 as KSLM, is currently owned by Iglesia Pentecostal Vispera del Fin. KZGD broadcasts a Regional Mexican format.

KDCO is a noncommercial AM radio station licensed to Denver, Colorado. The station is owned by El Sembrador Ministries and carries its ESNE Radio network, featuring Spanish-language Catholic radio programming.

KKCL is a commercial radio station licensed to Golden, Colorado, and serving the Denver/Boulder media market. The station airs a modern AC/adult album alternative format branded as The Cloud. The station had previously spent time as a sports radio station and a cannabis culture-themed classic rock station known as Smokin' 94.1.

References

  1. 31349
    KGNU-FM: 6512 "Facility Technical Data for KGNU / KGNU-FM"
    . Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
    {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  2. AM Query Results: KGNU, fcc.gov. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 History Cards for KGNU, fcc.gov. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  4. "Stations By Format", Billboard . May 30, 1964. p. 16. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  5. "Stations By Format", Billboard . May 15, 1965. p. 16. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  6. "11 Classical Stations Form Separate Assn.", Billboard . April 5, 1969. p. 3. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  7. "Changing hands", Broadcasting . May 22, 1961. p. 52. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  8. "Changing hands", Broadcasting . March 7, 1966. p. 61. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  9. "Ownership changes", Broadcasting . December 22, 1969. p. 68. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  10. Glassenberg, Bob. "KFML Makes Shift to Free-Form Play Because of a Tremendous Need", Billboard . June 5, 1971. pp. 23, 24. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  11. Hall, Claude. "Rock Prog. Dir. Stresses Individual", Billboard . December 18, 1971. p. 22. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  12. "Ownership changes", Broadcasting . March 24, 1975. p. 55. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  13. "Ownership changes", Broadcasting . January 4, 1982. p. 91. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  14. "Changing Hands", Broadcasting . August 2, 1982. p. 53. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  15. "Street Talk", Radio & Records . January 8, 1982. p. 18. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  16. Love, Walt. "'82 in Review", Radio & Records . December 10, 1988. p. 52. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  17. "KJJZ Denver Takes Steps to Fill Programming Void", Billboard . December 4, 1982. p. 44. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  18. "Call Letters", Broadcasting . November 12, 1984. p. 84. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  19. 1 2 Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1985 , Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1985. p. B-41, B-43. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  20. FCC Record: A Comprehensive Compilation of Decisions, Reports, Public Notices, and Other Documents of the Federal Communications Commission of the United States . Federal Communications Commission. Volume 2, Issues 1–4. 1987. p. 1274. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  21. "For the Record", Broadcasting . July 13, 1987. p. 56. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  22. Public Notice Comment: BAPL-19870624EH, fcc.gov. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  23. "Call Letters", Broadcasting . December 21, 1987. p. 66. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  24. 1 2 Ross, Sean; Olson, Yvonne. "Vox Jox", Billboard . July 16, 1988. p. 15. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  25. 1 2 3 Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  26. "KDZR Drops Hard Rock Format; KADX Jettisons Jazz, Picks Up Z-Rock", Radio & Records . November 18, 1988. p. 4. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  27. 1 2 Ross, Sean. "Vox Jox", Billboard . August 19, 1989. p. 12. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  28. The Broadcasting Yearbook 1990 , Broadcasting, 1990. p. B-53. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  29. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2003–2004 , Broadcasting & Cable, 2003–2004. p. B-53. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  30. "Changing Hands", Broadcasting . March 19, 1990. p. 70. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  31. "Washington This Week", The M Street Journal. Vol. 8, No. 12. March 25, 1991. p. 5. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  32. "Colorado noncom doubles in Denver market", Radio Business Report. Volume 21, Issue 202. October 15, 2004. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  33. "About Us". KGNU official website. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
  34. "Member Stations". Grassroots Radio Coalition . Retrieved 2009-03-24.
  35. Durlin, Marty; Melio, Cathy (2003). McCauley, Michael P.; et al. (eds.). "The Grassroots Radio Movement in the United States". Public Broadcasting and the Public Interest. Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe: 252–264. ISBN   0-7656-0991-6 . Retrieved 2009-03-25.
  36. ""Listening Together" opens at The Museum of Boulder on August 4". KGNU News. 3 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  37. "Boulder's KGNU Radio is Thriving". Boulder Daily Camera. 2019-03-27. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  38. "KGNU-FM Radio Station Coverage Map".
  39. "K229AC-FM 93.7 MHz Radio Station Information". radio-locator.com. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
  40. "KGNU 98.7 enters 2017 with new FM signal covering Fort Collins". North Forty News. 2017-01-10. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  41. Udell, Erin (2017-01-06). "Boulder radio station expands reach to Fort Collins". Coloradoan. Retrieved 2019-02-21.