KOTO 91.7 is Telluride’s community radio station, built by the town for the town. 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.
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.
Station information
- Frequency: 91.7 MHz.
- City of license: Telluride.
- Established: October 3, 1975.
- Format: Community and public radio (variety, NPR).
- Owner: San Miguel Educational Fund, Inc.
- FCC facility ID: 58920.
People
- Jim Bedford (B.F. Deal) — founder.
References
- “KOTO’s history in Jim ‘B.F. Deal’ Bedford’s words,” Telluride Inside, January 2009.
- “A Rare Medium, Well-Done: 50 Years of KOTO-FM,” Telluride Historical Museum.
- KOTO (FM), Wikipedia.
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.
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