California Central Valley Station Survives

In January 2009, the Federal Communications Commission approved a transfer of the license for radio station KUOP-FM 91.3 from the University of the Pacific to Capital Public Radio (CPR), solidifying the nonprofit organization’s service to audiences in Stockton and Modesto.

Capital Public Radio operates four FM stations with news and jazz formats, and three classical stations. KUOP serves Stockton and Modesto with programming that includes news reports and interviews from National Public Radio, local news coverage and interviews, and jazz music.

Capital Public Radio has managed KUOP for the past eight years under a license-sharing agreement with the University of the Pacific. The University of the Pacific Board of Regents put KUOP up for sale in 2005, looking to use the proceeds to improve the University’s facilities. They were also looking for a buyer who would continue to offer high-quality local news and arts coverage in California’s Central Valley.

Public Radio Capital was hired as broker for the sale and transfer of the station in 2006. A sale agreement was reached in 2008, ensuring that this early, Central Valley California noncommercial educational radio station, established in 1947, would survive.

Capital Public Radio expects to hire at least one fulltime reporter in the next several months to be based in Stockton and envisions as many as four or five correspondents in the future, ramping up the coverage as the community grows.

“We’re extremely pleased to continue the tradition of community service that KUOP has enjoyed for more than 60 years,” said Rick Eytcheson, Capital Public Radio president and general manager. “The Stockton and Modesto communities have been very supportive of KUOP and we intend to do everything possible to improve the service and earn ever greater support going forward.”

Over 300,000 listeners tune into classical, jazz, news and public affairs programming each week on one of Capital Public Radio’s 7 stations serving California’s Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada. Beginning in 1970 as student-operated KERS at Sacramento State, the organization has seen many changes over the years. In 2004, Capital Public Radio moved in to its new state-of-the-art broadcast studios and offices on the campus of Sacramento State.