KOTO (91.7 FM) is Telluride’s community radio station, built by the town for the town. If you’ve ever tuned in while driving the box canyon or skiing the Telluride slopes, you’ve heard volunteer DJs and a lot of local heart.
History
In 1974, Telluride had hardly any radio reception, so a group of locals formed a nonprofit and got an FCC permit for a 10-watt FM station. KOTO was legally established on October 3, 1975, and was on the air within six months of getting its permit. The Town Council chipped in $10,000 for equipment over two years. Jim Bedford, who wrote as “B.F. Deal,” was one of the people who made it happen, driving around town in a pickup with a partner to test reception.
Today
By 2009, KOTO was on the air 20 hours a day, every day, from a 3,000-watt transmitter near the Coonskin lift, with more than 200 licensed volunteer DJs. It’s still commercial-free and doesn’t run underwriting. It carries NPR and reaches Ophir, Pandora, Norwood and Placerville through four translators. In 2025, the Telluride Historical Museum marked its 50th anniversary with an exhibit.
The signal
- 91.7 MHz, licensed to Telluride, Colorado
- Format: community and public radio (variety, NPR)
- FCC facility ID 58920
Sources
- Telluride Inside: KOTO’s history in Jim “B.F. Deal” Bedford’s words (January 2009)
- Telluride Historical Museum: A Rare Medium, Well-Done: 50 Years of KOTO-FM
- Wikipedia: KOTO (FM)
STATION FILE
FROM THE TIMELINE
Moments in KOTO-FM History
KOTO, Telluride’s community radio station, is founded
October 3, 1975 — A group of Telluride locals, including Jim “B.F. Deal” Bedford, legally established KOTO, a 10-watt nonprofit FM station, to fix the town's terrible radio reception. The Town Council put $10,000 toward equipment, and the station was on the air within six months of its FCC permit.
People Who Worked Here
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