KPCW Radio
KPCW Radio is a company.
Financial History
Leadership Team
Key people at KPCW Radio.
KPCW Radio is a company.
Key people at KPCW Radio.
KPCW Radio is a community‑owned, nonprofit public radio station serving Summit and Wasatch counties from Park City, Utah, that delivers local news, NPR and public‑radio programming, music, and emergency information via FM frequencies and digital streaming.[5][3]
High‑Level Overview
KPCW’s mission is to serve Summit and Wasatch counties with local news, information, entertainment and emergency alerts through broadcast and digital platforms as a not‑for‑profit community radio station.[5]
The station’s programming blends locally produced news and public‑affairs shows with national content from NPR, APM and the BBC, and it supports local arts, nonprofits and tourism while providing emergency first‑response information to the region.[5][3]
KPCW builds a public media “product” of daily local journalism, specialty music programming and community affairs shows that primarily serves residents, visitors, local government, nonprofits and businesses in northeastern Utah.[5][1]
The station addresses the problem of regional news gaps by providing the only nonprofit source of daily local news in its coverage area, and it has shown steady audience and platform expansion (multiple FM frequencies and 24/7 online streaming) as evidence of continued relevance and growth.[5][3]
Origin Story
KPCW was founded and first signed on the air July 2, 1980 by radio engineer Blair (Blaire) Feulner as Park City’s first radio station and a volunteer‑driven, community‑owned source of local news.[1][2]
Feulner solicited donated equipment and local support to launch the station and built KPCW’s early identity around holding public officials accountable and amplifying local voices, which helped the station become a community cornerstone as the region grew.[1][4]
Over time KPCW expanded frequencies and digital services, moved into the Spencer F. Eccles Broadcast Center in Park City after modernization, launched bilingual Spanish segments and a daily email newsletter to reach new audiences, and remains owned by Community Wireless of Park City governed by a volunteer board.[1][5]
Core Differentiators
Role in the Broader Tech and Media Landscape
KPCW rides the broader trend of local public media functioning as a trusted community information hub amid decline in local commercial newsrooms, leveraging public‑media partnerships and diversified digital distribution to sustain local journalism.[5][3]
Timing matters because growing tourism, population and seasonal visitor flows in the Park City region increase demand for timely local news, events coverage and emergency alerts — areas where hyperlocal public radio has an advantage.[1][5]
Market forces favor organizations that combine local reporting, community ties and multiplatform delivery (FM + streaming + newsletters), enabling KPCW to influence civic engagement, local nonprofit visibility, and emergency preparedness in its coverage area.[5][1]
By maintaining local reporting capacity and bilingual outreach, KPCW helps preserve local information ecosystems and provides a distribution channel for community voices, cultural programming, and regional issues to both residents and visitors.[5][1]
Quick Take & Future Outlook
KPCW is likely to continue deepening digital offerings (streaming, newsletters, bilingual content) and community partnerships to grow reach and resilience as traditional local news models remain strained; sustaining philanthropic, underwriting and grant revenue will be critical to that strategy.[1][5]
Key trends to watch that will shape KPCW’s trajectory include regional population and tourism growth, funding from public media sources and local grants, and audience migration to on‑demand and mobile platforms — all of which will influence how the station balances live radio, local reporting resources, and digital products.[5][1]
Given its entrenched local role, affiliations with national public media, and recent program expansions, KPCW is well positioned to remain a central civic and cultural voice in the Park City region while adapting distribution and engagement tactics to reach broader and more diverse audiences.[5][3]
Key people at KPCW Radio.