KCPW leaving NPR

[CAwasinNJ]

Effective Monday the 24th KCPW will be dropping all NPR programming, according to Lance Venta at Radio Insight.

radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/83883/kcpw-salt-lake-city-drops-npr-affiliation/

Their new schedule is at kcpw.org/files/2013/06/KCPW-Schedule061413_s-1.pdf

They're saying that it's to differentiate themselves from KUER. It's true, but there's an awful lot of BBC on the new KCPW, and most of the rest of the programming I've never heard of. I'm not sure that's better. They also need to be worried about the impending loss of the 105.3 translator and what that will mean for their listenership. Their coverage is not great as it is, and losing that translator easily cuts the available audience in half. It doesn't look like they're going to make any effort to find another frequency for it.

Is this the beginning of the end of KCPW?

[kenglish]

Actually, I enjoyed having BBC World Service on 1010 a few years ago. If they provided some local commercial avails, somebody should buy 910 and put up BBC full time.

[friendlee]

CA, remind me why their 105.3 translator may be going away....thanks.

[CAwasinNJ]

It's because of Docket 05-243. That's the one that moves around everything from 105.1 on up. 105.1 (KAUU) is moving to Farnsworth, which is about 4 miles away from K287AE (105.3). Way too close. There's also the move in of KDWY, which will be a rimshot on 105.5 whenever it happens.

There seem to be possibilities for other places to go, but they do need to file the paperwork. And this wouldn't be the first time they were forced to move that translator. It was on 105.1 down near Murray as I recall until 105.1 Manti (then KMXU) boosted their power back some 10 years ago.

[friendlee]

I knew it had to be because of things shifting around.....just wasn't sure which shifting was going to force the issue. Between that, the GTI fallout, and now the impending LPFM app window, they may not have many options. And that's before visiting the financial concerns......

[CAwasinNJ]

Yeah, the financial concerns are important, no doubt. However, I submit it would be far worse for them to do nothing. Even if they can't afford making the move (frequency-wise or physically) they could still sell the translator and use the money to help fund the primary. To just do nothing and allow the license to be terminated would be foolish.

I don't know what the rules for displacement apps are, but I would think a displacement app for an existing station would take precedence over a new station. I'm almost certain there are several spaces for new translators in the SLC area, and even some that haven't been recently applied for. But as you mentioned there's the new LPFM filing window coming up, and that's going to eat up dial real estate too. I don't get this, but I hope for their sake that they have a plan.

[kenglish]

What does that translator do? It seems to be down low on the Oquirrhs, on Kennecott property. Is it just a fill in for the west side, due to some blockage or something of the downtown main?

[friendlee]

Surprisingly, that translator covers from Point of the Mountain all the way up to Roy! I'm not so sure about how that is happening but it is none the less....I wish some of the translators I work with had that kind of range for the licensed power level!

[CAwasinNJ]

105.3 is necessary to hit a lot of Davis and (somewhat) up to Weber Counties. The KCPW main is so low to the ground that it can't get over the hills directly north of Salt Lake. Places like N Salt Lake, Bountiful, Centerville, etc are shadowed. That might be why it's allowed to be so close to KWCR which is first adjacent, though the rules for the non-comm band are somewhat of a mystery to me.