Classically Speaking: Southern Colorado 2, Northern Colorado 0

Checking public radio sports, in the Classical Music League, in the third inning, it's Colorado Springs 2, Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Greeley NOTHING.

It's Only a Game, Right?

If Colorado Public Radio (CPR) were operating under the spirit and intent of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, the score would be 2 to 1.

That's because listeners in Colorado Springs have KCME at 88.7-FM, A Voice for the Arts, and Colorado Public Radio (CPR) at 94.7-FM BOTH programming classical music, while people in Larimer and Weld Counties in Colorado have NO CLASSICAL MUSIC OPTION on their radio dials.

Game Analysis

The score is 2 to zip, because the public radio system has been GAMED -- beaten up for nearly 30 years. Public Broadcasting's funding arm, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, was threatened with zeroed-out funding by the Reagan team, and ever since 1981, many in the public radio system have played things way too safe -- with some players playing with a sinister twist (quick, check that ball for foreign substances).

When CPR pulled the plug on Classical KVOD at 90.1-FM recently, and replaced it with KCFR News, CPR lost its connection with Summit County (see previous article), and it ALSO wiped out classical music listenership in Larimer and Weld Counties in Colorado. Now, public radio listeners there are treated to drive time news from KUNC at 91.5-FM AND KCFR at 90.1-FM which is almost identical -- save for local drop-ins from each station -- times at which KUNC has shined in recent months. Since KUNC is more localized than CPR could ever hope to be for this region, the only motivation for CPR to remove classical music and replace it with news is because they know it brings in more money, and it could weaken KUNC's base of support by just offering the same NPR news shows.

The intent of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 is completely ignored in this instance. It was created and funded so that non-commercial radio and TV could take chances; bring new programming and ideas to the airwaves, and serve UNSERVED audiences. Colorado Public Radio's recent removal of KVOD from 90.1-FM takes CPR in the opposite direction from that reason to exist in the first place! All that we may see from this reckless behavior is the support base for CPR growing a bit (at the expense of KUNC) while overall the PUBLIC loses content! Is that what Colorado Public radio means by news initiative?

Game Recap

Meanwhile, back in Summit County, the residents have scored big time with recent actions by the Summit County Translator Board. That's because they recently took the new KCFR-FM signal from 90.1 (previously KVOD) off their system, and replaced it with KCME music. In their own important way, the County -- NOT Colorado Public Radio -- is fulfilling the original intent of the Public Broadcasting Act, by reinstating classical music for its residents. WAY TO GO!

That's it from the public radio ballparks for now. There's still some hope for a rally.

Colorado Public Radio Translator Woes Continue

Summit Public Radio replaces KVOD-FM from Denver with KCME-FM from Colorado Springs: Summit Public Radio, serving population centers throughout Summit County in Colorado's central highlands -- including the ski resort of Breckenridge and the town of Frisco -- has replaced Colorado Public Radio content the Summit County translator (read: radio signal repeater system) with KCME 88.7-FM, public radio of Colorado Springs, CO.

This move is consistent with providing classical music to Summit County residents, a role somewhat filled by KVOD-FM when it used to broadcast a strong signal from 90.1 FM in Denver. The new KVOD signal at 88.1-FM in Denver is too weak to relay a signal to the Summit County system, thus prompting this change.

When the Summit system was in its infancy in the 1980's, technical staff from the county confirmed that it was possible to receive public radio signals (from atop Summit County peaks) from Colorado Springs, Denver, Greeley, in Colorado and even from Laramie, Wyoming for re-broadcasting on FM translators across Summit County. The only signal that is shut out of this equation is KVOD at 88.1FM, with only 1,200 watts of authorized power.

With Empire Builders at play, there has to be something looming . . .

Will CPR find a way to once again offer its particular blend of classical music from KVOD-FM to Summit County? While the new 88.1-FM signal is inconsistent and unreliable, delivery of KVOD via alternative technology, such as an ISDN telephone line or a microwave link could be possible (and pricy). But, who's counting when you're on the Colorado Public Radio mission?

If CPR makes a play to take back Summit County's 89.3FM translator from KCME, will enough time have elapsed for the Summit County faithful to fully ascertain the classical music offerings from KCME to decide which service they prefer? This also raises the question about metro Denver's classical music devotees and what would happen if THEY had the same ability to hear a strong signal from KCME. Stay tuned . . .

Among their other offerings, Summit Public Radio also carries KUVO Jazz 89 in Denver, KUNC-FM in Greeley, and KBCO from Boulder. To see a complete run-down of stations carried by the system, and other information, go to Summit Public Rado, which we link to on the Colorado Public Radio Blog site.

Note: This isn't the first time that Colorado Public Radio has failed to do its homework while attempting to serve a community with an FM translator. Their inconsistent service provided for the isolated community of Meeker, Colorado is a case in point. The downtime for CPR's translator there is deplorable -- so much so that Meeker should not even appear on CPR's Station Map (not an actual coverage map, by the way).

Placing a translator there in 1991 was risky at best due to terrain problems and the distance between Meeker and the "parent" signal from CPR's satellite station in Grand Junction, Colorado. If Meeker's 2,500 residents had a ski resort or other glitterati attractions nearby, CPR would have this place on a much higher pedestal, like most public radio listeners across Colorado who enjoy a far-more dependable signal -- day in, day out. As a result of CPR's inaction and indifference, the good folks of Meeker-- a town that does not have a radio station of its own -- are left with consistent radio signals coming from two translators; one of them is a religious station; the other a tired commercial country music station out of Craig, Colorado.

So much for MISSION, eh Max? And, Summit Public Radio . . . it's time to change your logo!