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CU's AM student radio station, Radio 1190 KVCU, acquires FM signal.聽

In an effort to improve its sound and聽add listeners, CU Boulder鈥檚 student-run,聽music-heavy AM radio station has聽acquired an FM signal.聽

That means come fall, Boulder Valley聽listeners will be able to tune in Radio 1190 KVCU鈥檚 programming at 98.9 FM as well.聽

The move is intended to draw additional聽listeners in the Boulder Valley by聽offering the stronger sound and stereo聽quality of FM, said station general聽manager Mikey Goldenberg (Econ鈥�02),聽the nonprofit station鈥檚 only full-time聽employee. That in turn should bring new聽opportunities for sponsorship and community聽involvement, he said.聽

鈥淔M is the standard,鈥� Goldenberg said.聽鈥淚t legitimizes the station to another level.鈥澛�

Fans as far north as the Wyoming聽border and as far south as Colorado聽Springs will continue to get KVCU鈥檚聽commercial-free programming at the聽1190 AM location.聽

In December 2015, the Federal Communications聽Commission (FCC) opened聽a window for existing AM stations to聽apply for an FM Translator signal. Radio聽1190 leapt at the opportunity, spending聽about $100,000 over seven months to聽obtain one, upgrade transmission equipment聽and secure a contract 聽with a local聽FM tower owner.聽

The CU Board of Regents owns the聽station鈥檚 10,000-watt AM transmitter聽and its license.聽

Supported by student government and聽the College of Media, Communication聽and Information, KVCU broadcasts聽from the University Memorial Center.聽Students manage production, programming,聽marketing and promotions.聽Goldenberg, a 17-year radio industry聽veteran, oversees daily operations.聽

The station has a collection of聽26,000 albums representing 400,000聽songs in a variety of genres, including聽hip-hop, Louisiana gumbo, hard rock聽and spoken word. It hosts a live band聽in the studio weekly.聽

鈥淔M is going to make us sound a lot聽more professional,鈥� said student manager聽Natalie Graham (惭颁顿叠颈辞鈥�17).听

Photo by聽漏 iStock/CSA-Printstock