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KSUN Community Radio News
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KSUN Community Radio Becomes KDBN and Returns to 101.1 FM  Local residents have enjoyed the community's only Battlement Mesa/Parachute-based radio station, KSUN Community Radio, since it came on the air on December 11, 2002 as a 100 watt, low power FM station with KSBP call letters. In late spring, the Board of Directors learned that Townsquare Media, former owners of KDBN, were planning to close the station down. Over the next few weeks, the KSUN board was successful in negotiating an agreement to acquire KDBN along with some of the equipment needed to operate the station. As a result of the purchase:
- On June 27, 2013, KSBP, 103.9 Low-Power FM ceased operating (an FCC requirement of the new licensing).
- On July 1, 2013, KSUN Community Radio, Inc. acquired KDBN, 101.1 FM from Townsquare Media for an undisclosed amount of money. The purchase was made possible, in part, by the generous $5,000 donation by Alpine Bank and by a $1,000 anonymous donation.
- On July 29, 2013, KSUN Community Radio returned to the air waves on a new frequency, and under the new call letters, KDBN, "Doing Business Naturally," Energy 101.1 FM. KDBN is licensed as a commercial radio station; however, KSUN Community Radio continues as a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation and will continue to be a listener-supported, all volunteer staffed "Community" radio station.
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Although KSUN Community Radio has changed to a new frequency and new call letters, the studio is still located at 398 Arroyo Drive in the Grand Valley Recreation Center in Battlement Mesa. Additionally, the broadcast signal is transmitted from the radio antenna located at the center.
Listeners will note that the station has adopted an "epic rock" format complimented by the local and public interest programming that listeners have enjoyed in the past.
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By broadcasting at 425 watts vs. 100 watts, KSUN Radio can be heard from Debeque to New Castle. Legally, the new license allows the station to broadcast within a 32 mile radius of the station's location; however, due to mountainous terrain, not everyone within the legal broadcast area will be able to receive a clear signal. KSUN has always, and will continue to, broadcast 24 hour per day.
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The new license moves KSUN Community Radio out of the FCC "junior" low-power category and into a standard FCC license in the commercial frequency. The new KDBN license allows the station to sell advertising rather than marketing sponsorships and program underwriting. This change is necessary in order to help defray the additional cost associated with the new station.
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KSUN Community Radio, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation that was incorporated in the State of Colorado. All contributions to this all volunteer operated station are tax deductible. Click here to visit the new website, www.KSUNcommunityradio.org.
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National Night Out
The Annual National Night Out in Battlement Mesa, one of the 15,000 National Night Out locations nationwide, was celebrated in Battlement's Town Plaza on Tuesday, August 6th. Hundreds of area residents from Parachute, Battlement Mesa and the nearby communities came out to mix, mingle, and enjoy a fun evening, courtesy of the Garfield County Sheriff's Office, the Grand Valley Recreation Center and the Battlement Mesa Service Association. KSUN Community Radio was there. Were You?
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KSUN's Mary Lee Mohrlang, Community Connections Host, (Friday mornings 9 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.), and Dave Jesick, host of the station's newest locally-based show, set up a live remote and broadcast throughout the entire event. During the the event, many attendees stopped by the "broadcast booth" to chat and
and to enter the cash and gift card drawings.
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Drawings were held for $475 in cash and gift cards. Funding for the drawings were provided by Alpine Bank, the BMSA, Clark's Market, Grand River Health, Kum and Go and Mohrlang & Swanson. In order to win, participants needed to register at the KSUN "broadcast booth" and Mary Lee and Dave conducted the actual drawings at approximately 30-minutes intervals. The largest prize was a drawing for $100 in cash which was provided by the BMSA. KSUN member, Joe Hawkins won the BMSA's cash ...but gave the funds to KSUN! Thanks Joe! If you registered but didn't win, we're sorry. We enjoyed getting to chat with you and we welcome you to the KSUN Family.
Watch for us at the 2014 National Night Out. National Night Out is always the 1st Tuesday in August. Mark your calendars.
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| Among the many activities, St. Mary's Care Flight visited to show off their wonderful chopper that provides valuable life saving services to Western Colorado and Eastern Utah. National Night Out visitors - children as well as adults - were fascinated by the helicopter. Thanks St. Mary's
The entire event was FREE! |
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2013-2014 Membership Drive
The KSUN 2013-2014 membership drive for the fiscal year of July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014 is underway. As a non-profit station, KSUN Community Radio, Inc. depends on membership funding in order to provide the high quality programs that our listeners are accustomed too.
KSUN began the new fiscal year with a new frequency, new call letters and increased broadcast power. So what do the changes mean for KSUN listeners? The short answer is, simply, "more and better!"
- The things that you previously liked and enjoyed about KSUN have not changed - KSUN will continue to deliver the rich, intelligent and robust programming that listeners enjoy, plus local sports!
- KSUN has streamlined the programming. Listener feedback indicated that the program format needed to be more consistent. You'll love the new format!
- And, KSUN has an updated website. Check out the new look and functionality at www.KSUNcommunityradio.org.
- Don't forget, the new KSUN membership cards can be used for discounts at selected KSUN advertisers. Please visit the website for more information.
Remember, KSUN is a group of local resident volunteers who provide local news, locally-generated programs and local sports programming for the Grand Valley. Help KSUN continue to be the local news, information and music source for your community, and for other non-profits, clubs and organizations in the Grand Valley!
Please help KSUN continue to serve your community by renewing an annual membership at either Silver $30, Gold $60 or the Platinum $100 level.
Click here for a KSUN membership form.
KSUN is a 501(c)3 so your membership is tax-deductible and all contributions go toward programming, station operating costs and necessary station upgrades. Additional donations are always welcome!
If you need additional information or have questions, please call the station at 970.285.2246.
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We hope that you have enjoyed our first Newsletter. Watch for a new KSUN Newsletter each quarter.
Have you signed up to receive the monthly newsletter from Battlement Mesa? If not, sign up here (top left corner of the page). It is a great way to stay up-to-date with Battlement Mesa!
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About Us
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We are your local radio station providing local news, local programming and Epic Rock for the Grand Valley
Debeque to New Castle
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Organized in the early 2000's, KSUN Community Radio, Inc., a Colorado non-profit corporation, began broadcasting as a low-power FM radio station on December 11, 2002 on 101.1 FM but due to FCC regulations and other factors, KSUN Community Radio, which utilized the call letters, KSBP, was required to switch to 103.9 FM in 2007.
As a result of KSUN's acquisition of KDBN from Townsquare Media on July 1, 2013, KSUN is now broadcasting at 425 watts on 101.1 FM and is a commercial radio station.
We haven't abandoned our roots!
We are still a 501(c)3 non-profit entity and we continue to broadcast our varied programming of music and general interest programs to our faithful - and now expanded - listeners base.
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KSUN Community Radio, Inc.
398 Arroyo Drive
Battlement Mesa, CO 81635
970.285.2246
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KSUN's Morning Voice: Floyd McDaniel
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The voice behind the microphone on KSUN's daily "Morning Show" is Floyd McDaniel. Listener's know his voice but many don't really know him. So who is he?
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Well, to start with, Floyd McDaniel is an early riser. He has to be in order to be ready to go on the air every morning at 7 a.m. Secondly, you should know, if you don't already know, that Floyd McDaniel is a regular at KSUN Community Radio. He's been around the station about as long as the station has existed. He has arrived at the KSUN studio at "O dark thirty" every weekday morning for many years. And, he plans to continue doing so.
Although Floyd arrives at the studio, in the dark, he is there the entire day. And, he has never earned a dime for the many, many hours that he has dedicated to the station. Yes, he is a volunteer! We need more like him in the community. Actually, most all communities do.
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This isn't the first time that he has given time to our community. Among other things, he is the former Mayor of Parachute.
Floyd McDaniel, one of eight siblings, was born in Rulison just a few months before his family moved to Eastern Colorado. The family soon returned to Rulison where Floyd attended grade school. He graduated from Grand Valley Union High School in 1948.
Following high school graduation, Floyd attended Madison College near Nashville, Tennessee for about a year before returning to Colorado and leasing the Grand Valley News. Shortly there after, the Army called and he served two years in the military.
When his military duty was completed, Floyd returned to the newspaper business by leasing the Grand Valley News again. The paper was all hand-set, meaning that every letter had to be individually placed into position. Given today's technology, it is hard to imagine that the Grand Valley News used the hand-set process until sometime in the 1980's. In fact, it was the last hand-set legal newspaper in the U.S.
The thing about Floyd that is pretty apparent when you meet him or even just listen to his morning show, he has lived in the Grand Valley for a long time. He knows the history of the Valley. He knows about the boom and bust. He knows the people and our community.
Tune in. You'll see what we mean. Floyd's Morning Show is broadcast, weekdays, from 7 to 8 a.m. on KDBN, Energy 101.1 FM.
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