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KAFA-FM station manager Loretta Lofgren and news director Terry Brown stay busy In the Springs' newest radio station.radioon thStudents use their money to offer commercial-free entertainmentBy Natalie Phllllps/Gazette TelegraphGOOOOOOD MOOORRRRNING Air ForceAcademy!!!!It’s Oingo Boingo, The Dead Milkmen, INXS, The Cure and Depeche Mode coming straight from the academy’s newly revived KAFA radio studio, 104.5 on the FM dial.There’s nothing stodgy or straight-laced about this cadet-run station Its commercial-free format features the hottest and latest in progressive rock straight from New York City, brought to you by clean-shaven and impeccably groomed cadets.Although broadcasting with only ‘20 watts, the station can be picked up as far north as Monument, as far south as Fillmore Street and as far east as Powers Boulevard. Depending on the weather, it can be heard in other pockets around the city, including the Broadmoor area.KAFA was brought back to life Feb. 13 afterfizzling and fading 10 years ago with outdatedequipment and management problems, said Kieran Downey, chief of cadet-wing media and adviser to the 40-plus cadets running the station.About four years ago, Downey said, a couple of cadets decided they wanted to get the station back on the air and began surveying othercadets. It became clear immediately that cadets wanted the station back on the air, and theywanted to hear something other than top-40.It’s a college format for the most part,” Downey said. But nearly every weekday at 1 p.m.,an hour of some other type of music — country western, classic rock, rhythm and blues or contemporary — is played.The operation is supported by “non-appro-priated funds” — that is, money other than tax dollars. In this case, the money comes from student union profits, sIt took about470,000 to buy new equipment, Downey said For its approximate $22,000 annual operating budget, the station will receive $fper cadet from extra activities fees.Being the military, we had to go through a mountain of paperwork through everyone up to God,” Downey said. The cadets had hoped for approval for a non-commercial, 100-watt station, but the only frequency available and eventually approved by the Federal Communications Commission was a 20-watt station. Although academy officials added further restraints that prevent cadets from soliciting sponsors, the radio station can accept money from any person or business that wants to help out.And per directives from top academy officials, cadets are not allowed to air live shows during class time. Class work comes first. Instead, cadets come in during their free time andprepare two-hour tapes to fill daytime gaps w hen classes are on.Cadets also steer clear of political or controversial news and insider cadet-type jokes, DowSee RAW0/B5
Newspaper Details
Colorado Springs Gazette
Colorado Springs, Colorado, US
Wed, Mar 01, 1989
Page 9
Full Page
Clipped by
Sammi B.
NA 11 Apr 2022
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