KRZA-FM, 88.7 MHz, Alamosa-based community radio serving the Upper Rio Grande region of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico.
Origins: KRZA grew from a collective of women in the San Luis Valley who wanted an outlet for the area’s Hispanic community. The idea emerged in the mid-1970s; a ten-year effort followed to obtain funding, a license, and technical expertise. The Colorado Migrant Council provided use of a second-floor space at Ninth Street and State Avenue for the first studio. On October 27, 1985, KRZA made its first broadcast, staying on air for nearly two hours before transmitter problems interrupted it. By the end of November, the signal was operating steadily.
Programming and reach: The station began with Spanish- and English-language programming and later added NPR, Pacifica, Native Voice 1, Radio Bilingüe, and other regional services. A transmitter replacement in 2002 and two translators installed in 2005 extended reception to the western end of the San Luis Valley. KRZA describes its mission as connecting cultures along the Upper Rio Grande and providing programming on community information, social justice, the environment, and intercultural exchange.
Studio and mailing contact: 528 Ninth Street, Alamosa, Colorado 81101. KRZA identifies this as its office and broadcast studio.
Sources: KRZA, About Us and station history; KRZA, contact information; Rocky Mountain PBS, KRZA and its community origins; FCC public inspection file, KRZA.
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