The Salt Lake City Library is one of the new gathering places downtown. Last year the library attracted 3.1 million visitors and hosted more than 1,000 community groups.
Now, in what looks to be a perfect complement to the library, KCPW radio (FM-88.3/105.3) has opened a new 1,000-square-foot studio on Library Square, 210 E. 400 South.
In the past, the station has broadcast from makeshift studios scattered across the city. Station manager Mary Fraser-Liddiard said KCPW has an "amazing opportunity" to engage in additional outreach activities important to listeners, ranging from Salt Lake City Library's Dewey Lecture series to the Utah Arts Festival.
While most radio stations had vacated downtown, KCPW and its staff of a dozen full- and part-time workers, are bucking the trend. "Our niche is our local orientation," Fraser-Liddiard said.
The Stephen and Susan Denkers Family Foundation offered a $50,000 challenge grant on July 13, 2003, to help buy the equipment necessary to create the studio. The foundation challenged KCPW listeners to match its contribution — and they did. The Willard L. Eccles Foundation (another foundation related to Denkers' family organization) added another $10,000 toward the facility.
KCPW offers commercial-free news and information from National Public Radio, Public Radio International, the British Broadcasting Corp., World Service and its own local team.
Visitors to the square can check out KCPW's new digs as large windows offer a peek inside. KCPW's new facility is the radio counterpart to KUTV-Ch. 2's downtown TV studios.
KSL WINS FIVE AWARDS — The Radio and Television News Directors' Association has recognized KSL radio (AM-1160) with five Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards. The Murrow is one of the highest honors available to television or radio journalists.
For the second year in a row, the RTNDA selected KSL as the recipient of the Overall Excellence award in its region, which includes Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Wyoming. The award looks at the "depth and scope" of the station's overall news coverage during a given year.
The RTNDA also recognized KSL with Regional Murrow Awards for its breaking news coverage of Elizabeth Smart's return, a news series by Sheryl Worsley that examined how law enforcement deals with children in drug homes, a feature by Ben Winslow on a new trend of camping in rural Wal-Mart parking lots and its Web site, KSL.com.
"The audience knows it, the community recognizes it, and once again our peers across the country have reaffirmed it: KSL delivers the highest-quality news reporting available on the radio," said KSL-AM News Director Russ Hill.
NEW KJQN DJ — Jon Smith, formerly a night personality on KENZ, is now the 3-7 p.m. DJ on "KJQ." He replaces Dom Casual.
E-MAIL: lynn@desnews.com