Downtown Paonia by Steve Huntley
KVNF Members Reject Sale of Frequency
By Thomas Wills
According to an after-meeting posting on the KVNF website ( www.kvnf.org ) the membership present at the October 9 KVNF annual meeting rejected the possibility of considering the sale of the station’s 90.9 frequency to a non-profit Christian broadcasting corporation, Educational Media Foundation, which operates the nationwide KLOVE and Air1 stations. While the corporation is classified by the IRS as a 501 C-3 the same as North Fork Public Radio (KVNF), according to KLOVE’s website they provide funding to a wide range of Christian organizations some of which (Focus on the Family etc.) are very politically active on the conservative side of things. According to Wikipedia their CEO receives an annual salary in excess of $450,000.
According to KVNF manager Rick Watts, speaking on an October 8 KVNF program on the issue, after a series of back and forth negotiations, KLOVE offered KVNF $50,000 for the frequency. They would not have actually broadcast on the frequency but it would have “gone dark” while KLOVE would have then been able to have broadcast at a higher power level in the Montrose area on another nearby frequency.
Longtime station DJ and supporter, Bob Pennetta, who made to motion to reject further consideration of the sale of the frequency, and who has been a strong voice against the move, was elected to the board as was fellow sale opponent, Pam Ellison. Longtime supporter/DJ, Steve Rubick, was also elected and incumbent Judy Briscoe was returned to the board. New board officers are: President Jay Canode, Vice President- Skip Naft, Treasurer- Jill Spears, and Secretary- Kate Zackman.
A proposed bylaws change that would have forced the KVNF board and management to get member approval for the sale of not only things like the proposal but nearly any broadcasting asset including old equipment (according to Watts), was found by the board to be in violation of the bylaws since it was not accompanied by a stated rationale. There had apparently been no public mention of the technicality prior to the October 9 business meeting.
Watts and Board President Linda Bacigalupi explained on October 8 that the board felt that they had a fiduciary responsibility to explore the practicalities of the KLOVE offer but had every intention of leaving the final decision up to the membership. Although the final engineering studies had not been completed on the issue it did appear that the KVNF could have shed the frequency without diminishing the level of reception to any of the stations present service areas. Watts said that no diminishing of service was the bottom line for the board.
Watts listed several ways in which the $50,000 could have been used including the building back of reserve funds or providing reserve broadcast power during emergencies. Proponents of the sale had called opponents “sentimental” about the loss of the specific frequency.
After the meeting many members took a certain amount of satisfaction in the support of the community in rejecting something that was seen as “messing with KVNF.” KVNF is currently celebrating its 35th anniversary and held a well-attended birthday dance at Memorial Hall on October 4th.
Tags: Bob Pennetta, Colorado, Judy Briscoe, KVNF, Pam Ellison, Paonia, Rick Watts, Steve Rubick
