Statement About KCPW's Future

Mar 18, 2008 by KCPW

Press Release From The Board Of Community Wireless

The Board of Community Wireless of Park City has voted to spin-off its Salt Lake station, KCPW, in order to better focus its attention on serving its KPCW listeners in Summit and Wasatch Counties.

KCPW (1010AM, 88.3FM and 105.3FM) was founded 14 years ago as
one of the first all news/information NPR stations in the nation. The station, now housed at Library Square, has a combined listenership of nearly 50,000 and an annual budget approaching $1.4-million dollars.

"KCPW has grown to the point that it needs to have a Salt Lake-based Board of Trustees whose primary responsibility is to insure that the stations serve the needs of its Wasatch Front listeners. "It's time for KCPW AM & FM to become more than just a subsidiary of Park City and take the next step in their development," said Board President Bill Mullen.

"Conversely," he added, "the explosive growth of Park City, Summit and Wasatch Counties has convinced the Community Wireless Board that it needs to go back to its roots and re-focus on serving the people of Summit and Wasatch County who created Community Wireless 28 years ago."

While the divesture has unanimous support among Board members, they would prefer KCPW's new operating entity continue the same news/information format.

To that end, the Community Wireless Board has tasked current KCPW General Manager Ed Sweeney with forming a new non-profit corporation whose initial Board of Trustees will be charged with raising the money to purchase the licenses and other assets of KCPW AM & FM.

"It is my belief that this transaction will be transparent to KCPW listeners and contributors," said Sweeney, who noted his goal is to keep the current mix of NPR and local news on both stations.

"The major upside for our Wasatch Front listeners is that KCPW will now be locally controlled and in charge of its own destiny," rather, he said, than a subsidiary of KPCW, Park City.

The Wireless Board has given the Sweeney group 45 days to make an offer to purchase the assets of KCPW AM & FM.

In the meantime, according to Mullen, while it is the Board's preference to sell the stations to the Sweeney Group, it will also entertain offers from other interested non-profit organizations, giving priority to those who would continue to run the current news/information format.

Proceeds from the sale of the Salt Lake City stations will go to repay the cost for Wireless to acquire 1010 AM and recover the operating losses that have been underwritten by loans from Community Wireless's sale of KCUA, Coalville.

Deadline for submission of offers is March 15, 2008.

Prospective buyer inquiries should be addressed to Bill Mullen, President, Community Wireless Board of Trustees, PO Box 1372, Park City, UT. 84060.

All press requests will be handled by Wireless Attorney Joe Wrona at
435.649.2525. Questions from listeners or contributors should be
directed to Ed Sweeney at KCPW, 801.359.5279.

1. Jeanne Kirkpatrick said:

I can't believe how far and fast my formerly all-time favorite public radio station has allowed itself to fall from grace: beginning w/the no-notice cancellation of "Talk of the City" the day after Labor Day 2004, through my favorite interviewer Blair Fuelner and his wife being caught w/their paws in the cookie jar a few years back, leading inexorably to this utter betrayal of the SL station. I no longer believe a single word emanating from any of your mouths. In my humble opinion, your hubris has made victims of us all. It's very sad, a tragedy even.

2. steve said:

Wow, i didn't feel that victimized, i don't know if i like the change, but i have to say my feelings aren't that strong about it.

3. WBlake said:

Jeanne,I totally agree with you. This is so wrong in so many ways.

4. Jonathan Livingston said:

I've never understood why we need 2 public radio stations in Salt Lake - KCPW and KUER. Consolidation might make financial sense.

5. rts said:

It is amazing how a once great station has deteriorated so quickly from scandal, poor programming choices, choices which alienated your core listeners, greed, which drove blatant commercial advertising, and the desire for power, which drove multiple branding campaigns and overspending. Shame on you Blair and Ed for bringing a fresh perspective in the beginning to Salt Lake City and then squandering the opportunity over time. You are a disappointment to the listeners that supported you and KCPW for so many years.

6. Tom Barman said:

I think KCPW does a better job than KUER, especially at night; and it better serves Utah because of the AM station. It does bother that there's so much dead air, and I wish someone could explain why it is so frequent (especially when half of Car Talk disappears).

7. John Lamb said:

From reading this post you’d think that everything is going to be just fine for KCPW. What most people don’t know is that Community Wireless is very close (indeed, an offer has already been made) to selling KCPW to EMF broadcasting, and Wasatch Public Media now has only 30 days to make a better offer. They are not allowed to talk about this on the air. Please go to www.wasatchpublicmedia.org to learn the whole story.

8. Fred Moesinger said:

I strongly support the sale of KCPW to Wasatch Public Media. My wife and I have been supporters of KCPW for years, both personally through membership and professionally through underwriting by our business. We have donated gift certificates and hosted events for speakers at our restaurant. We have donated our time during the fund drives to help raise even more money to make this station work.

What has happened to the money is unfortunate to say the least, but there are still good people at KCPW, there is still a need for KCPW, and there is still support for KCPW.

CWPC, please make the deal with Wasatch Public Media!

9. Craig said:

What does it mean to be a "member" of KCPW if we have no say over the future of the station?

10. Carlie Shurtliff said:

I am waiting and watching at this point. I have not been impressed with the changes at KCPW for the last three years or so. It used to be my favorite station and I have been a loyal listener for almost the whole time KCPW has been on the air. But your programing seems less and less informative over time and more and more entertainment.

11. LInda Crinshaw said:

Follow the money.

Get the media involved. Class Action. Peel back the onion. If it walks like a duck........

Public donations for non intended use.

A "member" is someone who is asked to give their money to a station that squanders the donations and complains about how much NPR is charging for shows like Cartalk and then has dead air for hours at a time.

I got a bumper sticker out of the deal.

12. Bethany said:

I am absolutely shocked at this situation. I had no idea KCPW was being sold at all. There may be problems with the station but given the relatively small size of their budget compared to other NPR stations across the nation they do a wonderful job. It will be a great loss to the community if KCPW goes away.

That being said, why exactly weren't members asked their opinions about this? Or at least told about this? I feel completely blind-sided and betrayed and I still don't know completely what is going on. I thought the point of being funded by the public was to be accountable to that public. It makes me very sad to learn I was wrong.