KCFC 1490 carries CPR News in Boulder, and it’s the same frequency that was Boulder’s hometown station KBOL for almost 50 years. It signed on February 15, 1947, as KBOL, with Herb Hollister as president and Russ Shaffer as vice president and general manager. Shaffer bought a majority stake in 1953 and handed management to his son Rusty in the mid-1970s, and Rusty was sole owner by 1985.
After KBOL, the station cycled through KBKS (1994), KBVI (1995) and KWAB (1999), when Working Assets Broadcasting ran progressive talk as “Radio for Change.” It became KCFC in 2001 under Colorado Public Radio, carrying NPR programs and CPR’s Colorado Matters.
Station information
- Frequency: 1490 kHz.
- City of license: Boulder.
- Signed on: February 15, 1947 (as KBOL).
- Branding: CPR News.
- Call history: KBOL (1947–1994), KBKS (1994–1995), KBVI (1995–1999), KWAB (1999–2001), KCFC (2001–present).
- Owner: Colorado Public Radio.
- FCC facility ID: 70405.
Related
- KCFR-FM — CPR News flagship.
References
Catalog note: Wikipedia gives a February 15, 1947, sign-on; the archive’s KBOL page notes the company was incorporated in 1948. Both dates are kept until a primary source settles it.
STATION FILE
FROM THE TIMELINE
Moments in KCFC-AM History
KBOL becomes KBKS
KBOL becomes KBKS: the 1490 AM station in Boulder changed its call letters from KBOL to KBKS in 1994 (exact day not yet confirmed).
KBKS becomes KBVI
KBKS becomes KBVI: the 1490 AM station in Boulder changed its call letters from KBKS to KBVI in 1995 (exact day not yet confirmed).
KBVI becomes KWAB
KBVI becomes KWAB: the 1490 AM station in Boulder changed its call letters from KBVI to KWAB in 1999 (exact day not yet confirmed).
Boulder’s old KBOL 1490 becomes CPR’s KCFC
2001 — The Boulder frequency that was KBOL from 1947 to 1994, and progressive-talk KWAB “Radio for Change” from 1999, became KCFC, carrying Colorado Public Radio news.
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