What will KUER do with 88.3 FM?

[seattlefollower]

^ ^ ^

[Terry]

I’d bet they’ll put their classical (HD3) programming onto 88.3.

[amanuensis]

Maybe they will keep it much like it is now -- i.e., an outlet for the non-NPR public radio news and talk programs that are not already on KUER?

[oldiesfunhouse]

I believe KUER has three HD subchannels now--the BBC World Service on HD2, Classical on HD3, and that multilingual service on HD4. To my mind (which doesn't amount to much, LOL), KBYU is THE place to go for classical and so KUER putting a similar format on a much lower-powered frequency doesn't make a ton of sense to me. Simulcasting their HD2 or their HD4 signal does. A 24/7 over the air outlet for the BBC seems like a low cost but useful idea. The same could be said for the HD4 programming. I like the K-Ute idea too, but there is already a station in Ignacio, Colorado which, I guess, is in the four corners area, using those call letters. (Thank you so much, CA, by the way, for that call letter look up site you gave us. I love it.) According to Wikipedia, it runs NPR and Native American programming and has some connection to the Ute tribe. I didn't look at the KUTE article that was posted in this forum. Didn't that used to be, and maybe still is, a low-powered AM station that could only be received on the U of U campus? It will definitely be interesting to hear what happens with 88.3.

[newsmark]

(KUER released this today.)

www.kuer.org/programming/2023-10-25/kuer-pbs-utah-to-partner-in-new-service-at-88-3-fm

[amanuensis]

I think the SL Trib misread the press release. They are saying that the local English-language programs will continue to air on KCPW. Whereas the press release says that they will "continue to be produced and broadcast by Logan-based Utah Public Radio." Although I admit I am confused by the "continue to be". Does Utah Public Radio have a role now in those programs?

www.sltrib.com/news/2023/10/25/kcpw-fm-883-is-sold-kuer-pbs-utah/

[CAwasinNJ]

(Everyone, please remember that reposting is not permitted.)

The K-Ute idea was never going to happen.  There is no way they were going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on what's basically a student club.

amanuensis, the article you referenced was updated and they fixed the mistake.  It now says that the locally produced programs "Behind the Headlines", "Both Sides of the Aisle" and "Jazz Time with Steve Williams" will air on UPR.  There's no more mention of them airing on KCPW.  "Behind the Headlines" is currently a co-production of UPR, KCPW and the Tribune.  The production of "Jazz Time" apparently doesn't involve UPR, and I couldn't find anything on "Both Sides of the Aisle."

My take on this is that I'm not particularly happy.  This change will replace a service that has broad appeal with one that has a narrow appeal, so it's good for those in that narrow group.  I'm really curious about the wording in the press release.  The Executive Director said that they want to grow the service and the press release also says that 88.3 will "first" be Radio Bilingüe.  That says to me that Radio Bilingüe is temporary and that something more, and probably locally produced, is coming.  It's going to be interesting to see exactly what that's going to look like.  It also leaves the possibility that they might change their mind at some point.

[newsmark]

Apologies for the perceived repost. Technically I received it as an email. It wasn't on their site at the time or I would have posted the link.

Thanks for editing to use the link.

[CAwasinNJ]

There's still a small unanswered question. What callsign will 88.3 be using? Being KCPW has been confusing too long and this is the perfect chance to wipe away that mistake and start fresh with a new owner and a new mission. If The U was going to run Radio Bilingüe format indefinitely the calls KRBU are available. What calls would you choose?

[oldiesfunhouse]

I think these would be great call letters and I checked the call letter site and they appear to be available. KUUR. "University of Utah Radio."
Then it wouldn't really matter what format they went with or if they changed the format.

[henry]

If it's anything like BYU Radio, it won't happen.

I pushed HARD to get a lot of student involvement on-air with the station in its early days. Using the staff host to interact with the energy of the students. I thought it worked really well.

Example Aircheck: www.byuradio.org/954accfa-19a8-44a2-bd4c-accdcc179bb0/the-matt-townsend-show-life's-calling

Even the news guy was a student. I thought it was pretty solid.

Over time, even with supportive management --- it drifts. You today hear basically NO student voices on air anymore. I guess the universities want to sound professional rather than training students to become professionals. Oh well.

[amanuensis]

I understand that it may be several months before the FCC approves the transfer of the license. I wonder if Wasatch Public Media intends to keep broadcasting on KCPW until the bitter end, or if they will pull the plug sometime sooner. Could the U work out a lease/broker deal to start the new format prior to having the license in hand?I imagine that KCPW donors and underwriters are not going to be eager to keep putting money into a sinking ship, so that might be a way of paying the bills for the transmitter's power.

[CAwasinNJ]

The U could take over sooner if a deal can be worked out with Wasatch Public Media. The question would be would WPM want to do that. I don't see any reason the underwriters would want to pull out unless the listeners desert. As long as the listeners remain the underwriters still get value for their donations. As for listener donations, I would think those would be pro-rated. It wouldn't make sense to commit to a years worth of donations if the station isn't going to be around in a year, but the pitch could be "we're committed to giving you what you want until the bitter end so please help us." That also ties in the the credibility issue. If there's any future for WPM or those involved with it, it might be an advantage to not look like they gave up early. Which brings us to the question of WPM asking what advantage there would be for it to give up the frequency early. Normally a big advantage of an local marketing agreement (which is for commercial stations, but I can't remember the term for non-comms offhand) would be getting revenue without having to do anything. That doesn't really apply here. I don't think WPM has any other assets other than KCPW which already has an expiration date. They do have a co-production agreement with UPR, so any money could be used there if there are any costs that need to be covered beyond what they already have.

[kenglish]

Looks like 88.3 is off the air today. Maybe no fill-in until the deal is officially licensed?

[seattlefollower]

via:
KCPW.org
I assume their semi-dead website will remain up until the term of the site registration expires.