KRCC

Infobox Radio station
name = KRCC


city = Colorado Springs, Colorado
area =
slogan =
branding =
frequency = 91.5 MHzHD Radio
airdate =
format = College
erp = 2,100 watts
haat = 687.0 meters
class = C1
facility_id = 65563
coordinates = coord|38|44|43.00|N|104|51|42.00|W|region:US_type:city
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns =
owner = The Colorado College
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast =
website =
affiliations =

KRCC (91.5 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a college radio format, licensed to Colorado Springs, Colorado, currently owned by Colorado College. [ cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=KRCC |title=KRCC Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division ]

History

1944; KRCC began as a two room public address system in the basement of Bemis Hall on the campus of Colorado College. Professor Woodson "Chief" Tyree, Director of Radio and Drama Department at Colorado College was the founder and a driving force in the program.

1946; KRCC moved to South Hall on campus. Two students, Charles Myers "Bud" Edmonds, class of 1951, and [http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/k/u/h/Maxine-B-Kuhn/FILE/0001text.txt Margaret Merle-Smith] , were instrumental in securing a war surplus FM transmitter. KRCC signed on the air in April 1951, the first non-commercial educational FM radio station in the state of Colorado. Broadcasts were primarily on evenings and weekends for the purpose of training 30 students each year.

Professor Tyree retired in 1968, with his retirement radio and speech courses at Colorado College were dropped from the curriculum and students took over the extra curricular operation of KRCC with an appointed faculty adviser.
"Bud" Edmonds continued to shape radio and television in Colorado Springs by founding stations: KEDI-AM 1490 (now KXRE), KEDI-FM 102.7 (now KBIQ), KCME 88.7 and the Cheyenne Mountain Propagation Company. While serving in the [http://www.leg.state.co.us/lcs/leghist.nsf/356b4e64e652144287257003006a8ea8/f4c4e6afe5c6b38e87257004004c1aab?OpenDocument Colorado House of Representatives] he was Chairman of the Colorado Educational Television Committee.

In 1972, KRCC installed a new 1000 watt transmitter and broadcast from a single bay antenna on a short tower located on the downtown Colorado Springs campus. This expanded the coverage area of Colorado College radio to the surrounding community. KRCC ended the "students only" staff policy in 1977/78, opening the microphones to community members. Students interested in the potential of KRCC initiated an ad-hoc committee to develop options which would best serve the public as a community service of the Colorado College. The committee sought and won approval for KRCC to become an affiliate member station of NPR, National Public Radio.

KRCC's first paid employee was Mario Valdes, station manager from 1980 to 2006. As station manager Mario created the blueprint of what KRCC is today. He was instrumental in bringing National Public Radio to Colorado Springs and expanding KRCC's coverage throughout southern Colorado. In the early 1990's KRCC presented many great concerts that Mario promoted and produced.

In June 1984; KRCC moved out of Rastall Center and into its own studio building (that was remodeled entirely by volunteers) on East Cache La Poudre Street in Colorado Springs. Also in 1984 KRCC relocated its' transmitter to and began broadcasting from Cheyenne Mountain (this vastly improved the stations signal and coverage area), the Manitou Springs translator was put on the air and by the fall KRCC was airing NPR news.

KRCC's coverage area continued to expand in the late 1980's with a grant to build 2 translator stations to serve Westcliffe and Gardner on 88.5 FM, and Salida, Buena Vista and Villa Grove on 95.7 FM, these translators were finished in 1989. Additionally, discussions were starting about long term interest in news production at KRCC.

On Valentine's Day, 1992, the station was moved into its current studio building at 912 N. Weber Street, Colorado Springs.

Since 2000 KRCC has operated and simulcast its programming on 89.1 KECC, a Class A Licensed Non-Commercial FM Station with 740 Watts licensed to La Junta, Colorado.

On January 1, 2005, KRCC began a weekly news magazine called [http://westernskies.krcc.org/ Western Skies] . Two years later, Western Skies became [http://www.krcc.org/krccnews/ KRCC Local News] and began broadcasting local and regional news during "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered".

On July 1, 2006, Mario Valdes' contract with Colorado College was not renewed and his employment at KRCC ended. Later that month, he was diagnosed with lung cancer, the result of being a heavy smoker for the majority of his life. KRCC's longtime office manager, Delaney Utterback, became the next station manager. Utterback's accession to the post had been planned for many years by Valdes.

On September 14, 2007; Former station manager, [http://www.krcc.org/krccnews/2007/09/mario_benedict_valdes_april_3.php Mario Benedict Valdes] , died. Mario started at KRCC in 1979. He became the first paid employee & station manager in 1980 and first full time employee in 1983. He left the station in 2006.

Present

Today, KRCC operates with a collaborative staff of broadcast professionals, students, and community volunteers. The majority of the operating costs are underwritten by: Listeners who are members of the station, Individual Memberships, Sponsor Business, a Car Donation Program, On-Air Fund Drives and the Colorado College. [http://www.krcc.org/support/index.html Learn how you or your business/organization can help support KRCC] .

The station provides communities throughout central, eastern & southern Colorado and northern New Mexico with quality local and national programing that both informs and entertains 24 hour a day.

As of 2007 KRCC broadcasts from 10 transmitters ranging in power from 9 watts to 2,100 watts. Programing is simulcast on KECC, 89.1 FM La Junta, Colorado (740 watts). [http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=KECC Query the FCC's FM station database for KECC] and KCCS, 91.7 FM Starkville, Colorado (south of Trinidad, Colorado) (370 watts). [http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=KCCS Query the FCC's FM station database for KCCS] .

KRCC operates 8 translators:
* [http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=K203AT&service=FX K203AT] 88.5 FM Westcliffe / Gardner (250 watts)
* [http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=K210CC&service=FX K210CC] 89.9 FM Limon (250 watts)
* [http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=K211AW&service=FX K211AW] 90.1 FM Manitou Springs (86 watts)
* [http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=K216DQ&service=FX K216DQ] 91.1 FM Trinidad, Colorado / Raton, New Mexico (250 watts)
* [http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=K218DT&service=FX K218DT] 91.5 FM Lake George / Florissant / Hartsel (9 watts)
* [http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=K234BE&service=FX K234BE] 94.7 FM Walsenburg / La Veta (50 watts)
* [http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=K239AE&service=FX K239AE] 95.7 FM Salida / Buena Vista / Villa Grove (250 watts)
* [http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=K289AH&service=FX K289AH] 105.7 FM Cañon City (75 watts)

References

External links

*FM station data|KRCC