KVOD-FM (88.1) is the classical station of Colorado Public Radio, branded CPR Classical. If you listen to symphonies and piano concertos on a Denver-area radio today, this is almost certainly the signal you’re tuned to, and it has had two dial positions since the call letters came to public radio.
History
The KVOD calls had been a commercial classical brand for decades before this. When the format ran out of room on commercial radio, Colorado Public Radio stepped in. In September 2000, CPR acquired the KVOD intellectual property (the name and the music library) from the commercial station then at 1280 AM. The earlier commercial FM years are on the KVOD-FM (99.5 and 92.5) page.
The 90.1 years (2001 to 2008). In March 2001 the classical service launched as a noncommercial, listener-supported station on 90.1 FM at 44,000 watts, taking over the signal that had carried CPR’s news programming as KCFR. The news service moved over to 1340 AM during these years.
The move to 88.1 (2008). CPR bought the 88.1 signal from Educational Media Foundation for $8.2 million. EMF had put it on the air in 2005 as KFDN with K-Love programming. On July 9, 2008, KVOD’s classical programming and call letters shifted to 88.1, and 90.1 went back to news and talk as KCFR-FM. The 88.1 signal started small, at 430 watts, and power increases in 2010, 2012 and 2017 brought it up to 4,400 watts.
The signal
- Today: 88.1 MHz FM, Class C3, 4,400 watts
- Before July 2008: 90.1 MHz FM, 44,000 watts (now KCFR-FM)
- Elsewhere: KVOD’s programming also airs on KCFR-FM’s HD2 channel and on other CPR outlets, including KVOV 90.5 in Carbondale and KCFP 91.9 in Pueblo
Call sign timeline
- 90.1 FM: KVOD, March 2001 to July 9, 2008 (KCFR before and after)
- 88.1 FM: KFDN, 2005 to July 2008
- 88.1 FM: KVOD, July 9, 2008 to today
Ownership history
- 2001 to 2008 (90.1): Colorado Public Radio. The 90.1 signal itself dates to 1970 as KCFR and is covered on the KCFR-FM page.
- 2005 to 2008 (88.1): Educational Media Foundation, as KFDN
- 2008 to today (88.1): Colorado Public Radio, which paid $8.2 million
Where the studios have been
Colorado Public Radio is listed at 7409 S. Alton Court in Centennial, the same address given on our KCFR-FM page. Earlier studio addresses haven’t turned up yet, so if you know them, we’d love to hear from you.
Sources
- Wikipedia: KVOD
- Wikipedia: KCFR-FM
- Broadcast Pioneers of Colorado: The History of Radio in Colorado (KVOD and the 2000 revival at 88.1)
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