Station Closures Leave a Void – Radio World

Colorado station held an open house before turning off the signals

Normally I share tech tips with Radio World readers, but today I just wanted to reflect on some sad news.

Radio stations come and they go, but it’s particularly notable when a small town loses a local AM/FM that has been there for decades.

KRLN(AM)/KSTY(FM) in Canon City, Colo., was just such a case. The AM was news/talk, the FM played country and covered high school sports (read a history of the station). 

The stations — a 1 kW AM and 8.6 kW FM — are licensed to Royal Gorge Broadcasting. According to news reports, going dark was a last resort after the company tried to market the stations for some months. 

The stations held an open house last Tuesday for community members to stop by. You can learn more about the station in this article and video from a TV station in Colorado Springs.

The closure reflects bigger trends in the region. Many of the local restaurants and other businesses did not survive COVID shutdowns. A local landmark, Mr. Ed’s restaurant on the main street through town, was demolished recently. National chains have been squeezing the local economy for years. 

These kinds of stations are especially missed when a storm is coming, a school is closed, an accident closes a busy intersection, or a local news issue needs coverage. But like it or not, commercial radio stations are businesses, not charities. Until there is a way for such small stations with tiny sales staffs to reach giant corporate sponsors, the trend will continue.

[Related: “Stephen King’s Station Not Going Silent After All”]