Sandoval County’s only public radio station, KUPR 99.9 FM based in Placitas, celebrated a decade of volunteer-run, listener-supported broadcasting during a special event Jan. 18 at the Placitas Community Library.
The celebration showcased the radio station’s history and its impact on the community while introducing the volunteers who deliver the diverse programming beloved by listeners. The Phantom of the Opera, portrayed by recent Placitas transplant Keith Allen West—an award-winning actor, author, producer, and KUPR radio host—served as the master of ceremonies.
“To me, KUPR has been a connection to a group of fabulously creative people that made me realize this village is home,” West said in an email to the Sandoval Signpost.
The low-power radio station broadcasts from the San Antonio de las Huertas Land Grant in Placitas, delivering programming 24 hours a day, seven days a week to Sandoval County communities, including Placitas, Bernalillo, Algodones, River’s Edge, Enchanted Hills, and the Pueblos of Santa Ana, Zia, and San Felipe.
According to co-founder and station manager Joan Fenicle, KUPR is entirely volunteer-run and listener-supported. As the only public radio station in Sandoval County, it receives no government funding. The station relies solely on donations and ticket sales from its special events to fund its operations.
“Local media is disappearing and that’s why stations like KUPR matter,” Fenicle said.
Fenicle said the station tries hard to connect with the community and provide valuable local community content through its broadcasts by giving a voice to the community by featuring interviews and covering relevant local topics.
Recently, it broadcast an emergency response meeting about wildfire preparedness held at the library in Placitas. The meeting included valuable advice on what to pack and what people need to do.
She said the station plans to offer more local news in the coming year through a dedicated radio segment, which will be produced in collaboration with the Sandoval Signpost.
Fenicle said the station began streaming broadcasts worldwide at kupr.org in 2016, with an average of 285 listening hours per month. Since then, it has grown to over 3,000 hours per month and last December, the station recorded 1,000 hours of international listening.
“It’s a great resource locally and we know that globally people love anything New Mexico, which makes the streaming ideal,” Allen West said.
KUPR broadcasts 81 hours of locally produced programming weekly, with 34 volunteer DJs, encore shows airing overnight and nationally syndicated programs, providing 24-hour content.
How it all started
The station’s history began in 2013 when Fenicle helped gather a group of like-minded Placitas residents to discuss whether a radio station would benefit the community.
“We agreed that yes, it would. So we dug into the requirements and assigned roles to people and went to work and put an application together,” Fenicle said.
The group, which included Chris Frye, Dave Harper, Tim O’Rourke and Ray Arrieola from the San Antonio de las Huertas Land Grant, seized the opportunity to apply for a low-power FM radio permit during a brief window that opens every 10 years.
According to Fenicle, the FCC required a long-standing non-profit corporation, such as a tribal or government entity, school or church.
Since they did not meet these criteria, she and Frye approached the Las Placitas Association to be the applicant and, potentially, the future license holder and the LPA agreed.
In November 2013, KUPR received the FCC construction permit with assistance from Dr. Patricia Bolton. She leased space for the transmission equipment and provided space on her tower for KUPR’s antenna. The station continues broadcasting from this location, even though Bolton no longer lives there.
The studio was initially located at the Land Grant building on Camino de las Huertas but has since moved to a donated mobile office building next door.
KUPR hosted its first fundraiser on Valentine’s Day, 2015, relying on volunteer support to cover startup costs and conducting a brief test broadcast. By March, KUPR had received its broadcast license.
The LPA holds the broadcast license, and the station is managed by a seven-person management council appointed by the LPA.
On May 4, 2015, KUPR was officially switched on part-time thanks to an LPA investment, and in August, the station was required to play no less than 36 hours a week.
In 2016, KURP began streaming worldwide. Last year, it upgraded to fiber optics to provide a more reliable stream.
The station’s license has been renewed through September 2029, guaranteeing New Mexican music, bluegrass, country, blues and world music will continue to hit the airwaves for years to come.
The station will be putting on a series of celebratory events commemorating ten years of broadcasting.
KUPR is celebrating its anniversary with a special dinner and music event, aptly named “Palentine’s Day,” to honor its first test broadcast on Valentine’s Day in 2015.
Join the festivities on February 14 at 6 p.m. at La Estrella Event Center 664 NM-165, Placitas, for a dinner accompanied by Red Hot and Red, a Native American jazz trio.
Tickets are available at events.eventgroove.com/event/Palentines-Day-Celebration-With-Red-Hot-Red-104860
On April 4, from 4 to 7 p.m., join KUPR Studios for a free open house celebrating “Ten Years in the Bag.” Enjoy live music by Sandia Swing and indulge in Woolworth-style Frito pies.
Then, on May 4, from 2 to 5 p.m., KUPR will host its Anniversary Party at the Placitas Winery at 26 Camino de los Pueblitos, with a performance by one of Placitas’ favorite bands, Felix y Los Gatos.
Tune in
Tune in to KUPR at 99.9 FM, streaming online at kurp.org or listen through TuneIn and Radio Garden.
To help support KUPR, visit kupr.org/support-kupr.html