EMF Acquires KYEN 103.9 FM Fort Collins. UPDATE: Now KRKA & Has Adopted "Air1" Christian Music Format

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From Radio Online:

Educational Media Foundation has agreed to acquire 16.5kw Rock KYEN-FM/Severance, CO (serving Fort Collins-Greeley) from Cochise Broadcasting for $1.32 million plus consideration. Cochise Broadcasting, is a Wyoming-based company, headed by Ted Tucker. EMF is a not-for profit organization that operates Christian K-Love and AIR1 radio networks. It's based in Rocklin, CA, and is headed by President/CEO Mike Novak. Kalil & Co. is the exclusive broker for the transaction.

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[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From Radio Insight:



Educational Media Foundation continues its rapid expansion with acquisition of 103.9 KYEN Severance, CO.

The $1.325 Million purchase of the Classic Rock station from Cochise Media Licenses will give EMF a signal in the I-25 corridor gap between 91.1 KLDV Morrison/Denver and 90.9 KLWV Chugwater/Cheyenne, WY should it be used for its Christian AC “K-Love” format.

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[SirKit]

That really, really sucks! It is definitely the worst news I've heard today.

I am a music fan, as well as a radio person. I have really enjoyed listening to KYEN. They have such an extensive playlist, and play song after song by artists the local mostly '80s-based classic rock stations have either forgotten, ignored or never knew existed, so many great groups and solo artists from the mid-1960s through the 1970s and into the 1980s. I'm listening to it online, now, since I read the news today, oh boy, but mostly I listen in the car, when I get sick of listening to the same sucky artists and the same classic rock hits in rotation, day after day, week after week on the so-called classic rock stations. And the sound of those stations is over-processed too.

KYEN plays great album cuts and old Top 40 hits that fit the format. I just heard Cream, Nick Lowe, Dave Mason, John Parr, The Beatles, Mott The Hoople and The Animals. Every song they play is a surprise. My reaction to what I hear on the commercial classic rock stations is "what, again?" It's all so predictable! KYEN, on the other hand, is all over the map; it's great.

KYEN doesn't have on-air hosts; hence, no insipid blabber. I actually wish they did bother to hire and pay some on-air hosts with a one-to-one approach, good pipes with knowledge and real interest in the music, something that is sorely missing in most of what I'm hearing on the other classic rock stations. Sometimes I think I'm listening to a circus of classics, what with so much programming segmentation. It's interesting that you will hear requests from listeners that are often quite different from what they get fed daily from the playlists. Quite a few listeners haven't forgotten a lot of great artists, it seems. I would like to know how many requests are rejected because the stations either don't have it or won't play it. Don't request "In The Court Of The Crimson King," by King Crimson. It won't get played. Don't request "Space Hymn" by Lothar And The Hand People, or old Steve Miller Band, like "Journey To Eden," or "Back Street Girl" by Rolling Stones (too quiet). Maybe someday you'll hear "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" by Paul McCartney on one of the commercial classic rockers, but, all in all, it's too long and too melodic. Try "Junior's Farm" instead.

Or, tune in to KYEN. Right now, they're playing "Dixie Rock" from Wet Willie. You won't hear much southern rock these days on the commercial classic rockers. Oh, they've kept one or two Marshall Tucker Band tracks for occasional airplay. Even most of The Allman Brothers Band catalog has fallen out of favor and by the wayside there.

KYEN is now on to "Teacher" by Jethro Tull; they've also played Blondie, Aldo Nova and the Doobie Brothers' "Eyes of Silver" (try requesting that one on a commercial classic rocker!). Oh, ofand now KYEN is playing Bowie's "Space Oddity." Most of the time, all the Bowie you'll get elsewhere is "Let's Dance" or "Under Pressure." I haven't heard that one, or anything from the "Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars" album, or even "Changes" from Hunky Dory, in eons. The rockin' "Reunited" by Greg Kihn? It rocks hard, but you still won't hear it on the tight playlists of the commercial classic rockers. Only on KYEN.

KYEN has been a radio station that truly does play the deep cuts, which isn't much done by any other station in town. The playlist has plenty of good rockin' songs, and also plays long cuts, mellower cuts, single artists and bands that pound it out. And the sound of the station isn't over-processed, where all the audio is at peak volume, even in the quietest moments, as it is on the other stations.

Thanks for remembering the rock that the classic rock stations won't touch. You've shown there's an abundance of rock music that should still be heard. It's been a great ride, KYEN. I'll miss you.

[radiodude]

Damn that TED! He is just one RICH MONEY Hungry uncaring person! He doesn't give a damn that people liked KYEN of course not? Now we got K-love at 91.1 and on 101.7 and now on 103.9!?!? AUGGH! Why coudn't EMF leave things alone? I also liked KYEN, even though it was run by a computer, ontop of the mountain (west of Fort Collins), it was a great station. Ted shown that a commerical license station didn't need to have commericals at all. This sucks it rreally does.;

[Rob]

I wouldn't call him a rich, money hungry uncaring person at all... just the opposite.

He gave A LOT by keeping the station going for years without any commercials. It has probably cost him tens of thousands of dollars a month out of his pocket. KYEN was a very rare station and I'm sure you will never hear of another station running for so long without any income (commercials, donations, etc.).

$1,325,000 and it could have been yours... very cheap compared what you'd pay 10 years ago for a station.

[DavieGravy]

That's horrible news as the last great station in the Denver area is now going to go to some Christian rock format. Fyi, they had a studio in Loveland that sent the audio feed to the transmitter site via microwave. This info was obtainable on the FCC website. I can understand why he sold it and could never understand why it ran commercial free for so long. Looks like the radio is becoming more and more irrelevant each day.

[DavieGravy]

Damn that TED! He is just one RICH MONEY Hungry uncaring person! He doesn't give a damn that people liked KYEN of course not? Now we got K-love at 91.1 and on 101.7 and now on 103.9!?!? AUGGH! Why coudn't EMF leave things alone? I also liked KYEN, even though it was run by a computer, ontop of the mountain (west of Fort Collins), it was a great station. Ted shown that a commerical license station didn't need to have commericals at all. This sucks it rreally does.;

I believe Ted was quoted in some article saying that stations like this cost an upward of 200k a year to run. That's a lot to ask of someone to keep going with no source of revenue and no advertising.

It is a shame that it was sold to EMF. It seems like the radio is going christian, community, Spanish or sports these days.

[radiodude]

SO Ted setup a place in Loveland to broadcast the music to the Transmitter ontop of Buckhorn mountain? I thought the computer and transmitter was all there on buckhorn mountain?
FYI, I just got the email back from Sarah Outman who is the Correspondence Assistant for Klove and this is what she told me:

"Thank you for taking the time to share your feelings with us. We understand how hard it is to lose your favorite radio station. Unfortunately, KYEN is up for sale because Ted is selling it. Our goal is not to broadcast K-LOVE on 103.9 but a different format - hopefully the style is one you will enjoy."

So it proably well be a music format of some sort that well please everyone? I am hoping she well tell me what it is and when the last song well be played on KYEN?

[Rob]

If it isn't going to adopt the "K-love" format, then it will be Air1. Most likely it will be Air1.
http://www.air1.com/

Right now the only Colorado stations with the Air1 format according to their website are:
Eagle 90.9 FM
Grand Junction - KAAI 98.5 FM
Steamboat Springs - KHCO 90.1 FM
Sterling - KDRE 90.7 FM
Vail 88.1 FM

And there's also one in Cheyenne:
KAIX 88.1 FM

[radiodude]

Will you were right on Rob, it is going to be AIR 1, and it is going to launch sometime in November (if everything goes well with the FCC).