Broadcast area Colorado ERP 50,000 watts Class C1 Frequency 90.1 MHz Format Talk radio Branding Colorado Public Radio Call sign meaning Colorado Free Radio | First air date 1970 HAAT 277 meters Facility ID 53777 City of license Denver Area Colorado Sister stations KVOD, KDCO | |
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KCFR-FM is a radio station in Denver, Colorado, which is owned and operated by Colorado Public Radio and simulcast to several AM and FM stations throughout the state. The signals from some of these stations also extend into eastern Utah and southern Wyoming. Some of KCFR-FM's programming is heard on KPRE 89.9 FM in Vail, which also carries programming from classical music station KVOD, also located in Denver.
Contents
On July 9, 2008, CPR moved the KCFR-FM news-talk programming in Denver to 90.1 FM. The KVOD classical programming that was broadcast on that frequency moved to the newly acquired 88.1 FM signal. 1340 AM continued as a simulcast of KCFR-FM until October 31, 2011, when it flipped to a local music-based AAA outlet known as "OpenAir Radio" (CPR would sell the frequency to Victor Michael, Jr., and flipped to sports, in July 2015).
Programming
KCFR-FM, KDCO and KCFC broadcast programming from National Public Radio (including Morning Edition and All Things Considered), American Public Media (including A Prairie Home Companion), and Public Radio International (including This American Life and The World), as well as an original daily interview show called Colorado Matters.
HD broadcasting
KCFR broadcasts in HD.
HD1 is a simulcast of the analog (traditional) signal, and
HD2 is a Classical music format.
History
KCFR ("Colorado Free Radio") was owned by the University of Denver, between 1970 and 1983, on 90.1 FM. In 1984, the station was transferred to a community board of directors which eventually formed Colorado Public Radio.
In the mid-90s, 1340 AM became KKYD "Radio AAHS", the Denver outlet of the first nationwide network of radio programs for children. The downfall of Radio AAHS came when the Walt Disney Company established a competitor, Radio Disney. After the sign-off of Radio AAHS in January 1998, Children's Broadcasting Corporation needed programming for the network of stations until it could find buyers. KKYD and the other nine CBC-owned and operated Radio AAHS affiliates became an outlet for "Beat Radio", which broadcast electronic dance music 12 hours a day until late October 1998.
In September 2000, CPR acquired the intellectual properties of then-AM classical station KVOD. In March 2001, KVOD replaced KCFR at 90.1 FM and KCFR was moved to 1340 AM. On July 9, 2008, KCFR-FM moved back to 90.1 FM, with KVOD moving to the newly acquired 88.1 FM frequency.