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Catholic radio to launch pledge drive
By John Gleason
Catholic radio in northern Colorado might be down, but don’t count them out yet.
Loveland’s KPIO-AM 1570, which has been the area’s Catholic radio outlet since 2008, last month was in danger of being shut down due to financial difficulties. Radio officials said last week it has won an extension.
The station, which broadcasts EWTN programming, is part of the Catholic Radio Network. The network operates seven radio stations throughout the Midwest.
In February Jim O’Laughlin, network founder and president, told the Denver Catholic Register that despite working in partnership with an understanding holder of their mortgage, KPIO had to come up with $790,000 by March 1 or it was going off the air. The station made a direct appeal to listeners and Register readers, who responded to the degree that the station won an extension to April 15.
“Right now, in order to keep the station on the air and meet monthly financial obligations we need a combination of $600,000 in loans or $4,000 per month,” O’Laughlin said.
To come up with the needed cash, the station is launching a 10-day pledge drive on March 30.
“Our goal for the upcoming pledge drive is $200,000,” O’Laughlin said.
The drive will include news about the station, testimonials from listeners and EWTN programming. As a kickoff to this event, priests from across the Archdiocese of Denver will go on the air to talk about their parishes and promote Catholic radio, according to Doug Moberg, director of development for Catholic Radio Network.
“The first three days of our pledge drive will have priests come on, in hour-long segments,” he said. “The parishes have announced the day and time in their respective bulletins that their pastors will be on air. Of course we’ll be promoting who is on the day’s interview list. … This should be a wonderful event.”
One of the biggest challenges KPIO has faced is the relatively low output of its transmitter. Although during the day the station’s broadcast can stretch to the south part of Denver, due to power restrictions at night, the signal cannot reach as many people as station management would like. The purchase of an FM translator located in Loveland could greatly increase the broadcast area and listenership.
“Right now our goal is to save the radio station,” Moberg said, “but we know that an FM translator will go a long way toward increasing the number of people who will hear Catholic radio.”
O’Laughlin said eventually the station hopes to purchase a translator, the cost of which could be as much as $350,000. The result would be the potential of increasing listenership by more than 1 million people.
“Most of the Catholic stations in the country have weak signals and people are faced with one of two choices,” O’Laughlin said. “They can complain and not donate, which can result in the station’s closure, or they thank God for the signal they have and within a few years, a newer—stronger—signal takes its place.”
In addition to tuning in to KPIO-AM 1570, people can also listen online at www.thecatholicradionetwork.com. Pledges can be made online or by calling 1-877-630-1090.
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