ڰ has entered into a long-term partnership with Colorado Public Radio, with the partnership creating a new public media center that will bring together 91.5 KRڰ, the Rocky Mountain PBS Regional Innovation Center, and college journalism resources. Together, CPR News and 91.5 KRڰ will reach more than 80 percent of Colorado's population.
91.5 KRڰ news will become a part of the CPR news editorial structure and CPR will invest in KRڰ's newsroom to enhance local and statewide news reporting and increase the capacity to produce original digital and audio storytelling content.
"This partnership with CPR preserves 91.5 KRڰ's regional identity and ڰ's educational mission," says President Jill Tiefenthaler. "Listeners will benefit because this collaboration brings more resources to cover the news in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico, and KRڰ's news will now have wider distribution via CPR. It also provides valuable learning and internship opportunities for our students."
"This investment in KRڰ will enable the station and CPR to be more reflective of the state, bringing important stories, ideas, and experiences to audiences across Colorado," says CPR's President Stewart Vanderwilt.
As a part of this agreement 91.5 KRڰ will be affiliated with, and operated by, Colorado Public Radio in partnership with ڰ and the station will continue to be identified as 91.5 KRڰ. CPR is committed to KRڰ's local and regional news presence, sharing it with a statewide audience and having Colorado Springs-based employees. CPR will also make a capital investment to construct and relocate KRڰ's studios. "We're excited to create a media hub that will include 91.5 KRڰ, Colorado Public Radio, Rocky Mountain PBS and ڰ's Journalism Institute," says Tiefenthaler. "To have all of these under one roof, at what will be a state-of-the-art building at 720 N. Tejon St., creates tremendous possibilities."
Maintaining the local identity of 91.5 KRڰ, while being a part of CPR, is important to the community service goals of ڰ, CPR, and KRڰ. Working closely with KRڰ Station Manager Kyle Cunningham, Senior Project Director Erik Nycklemoe will lead the integration and implementation of KRڰ's transition to CPR and their new facility.
