RocxyMounrnrr,r PBS GeleeRAres 50 Yenns I U\4#, Lookingback at the First Decadeof KRMA- January30, 1956 to 1966 By LauraSampson, SAM Chair Throughout2006, as RockyMountain PBS celebrates 50 vibrantyears of publicbroadcasting, Volunteer Visionpresents a glanceinto the history of RockyMountain PBS. Informationand photographs have been providedby the Station'sArchived Memories ln Aprilof 1952, Public Schools petitioned the FederalCommunications Commission to re- serveChannel 6 exclusivelyfor non-profiteduca- tionalprograms. The "DenverArea Councilfor EducationalTelevision" was formedthat same year. lt was determinedthat a studioin the Emily GriffithOpportunity School would be the best venue,in that it was ownedby the districtand was centrallylocated.

KRMAwas the 17thEducational Television (ETV) stationin the nationand the first ETV stationli- censedto and ownedby a schooldistrict. From 1956-1987,DPS was the officiallicensee of KRMA-TVas an ETV station.

-- "Knowledge Dr. KennethOberholtzer, In 1953,the call lettersKRMA for In the early1950s, -- DenverPublic Schools Superintendent, was the the RockyMountain Area" were assignedand drivingforce behind establishing Denver's Edu- constructionstarted on the KRMAstudios in the cationalTelevision station. KRMA-TV. parkinglot adjacentto the EmilyGriffith Opportu- nitySchool at 1261Glenarm Place. KRMA initially beganbroadcasting in the auto bodyshop of that schoolbecause cameras needed lots of lightto operateeffectively. Conveniently, the auto body shop had largebright lights used to highlightcar dents.

KRMA-TV'soriginal location adjacent to the Emily GriffithOpportunity School on Glenarmin Denver.Remember volunteering here?

The Denver Symphony Orchestra with conductor SaulCaston presentedseveral live half-hour telecastfrom StudioA on the first floor. To thedelight of theresidents of metroDenver, KRMAwent on theair at 6:45p.m. on Monday, January30, 1956,with a two-hourslate of live black-and-whiteprograms. The first program on the airwas a 1S-minutelive show, Earl Reum's "Children'sStory House."

In theearly years of EducationalTV, programs wereprimarily done "live" from the Glenarm stu- dios.ETV was intended to be an educationalclass- roomtool for teachers. Most television programs werestudio-based because it was manyyears be- foremini-cams or electronicfield production units becameavailable. CowboysWest, a popularprogram with both kids and In theearly years, programs produced by the Den- adults,depicted cowboy life duringthe last half of the ver PublicSchools were selected on thebasis of 19thcentury. lt was hostedby and,yes, theirdemonstrated need for supplementing class- he is sittingon a livehorse in StudioA. roominstruction or providingadult education to ac- commodatepeople on thelarge waiting list at Emily GriffithOpportunity School.

Outstandingeducational and entertainment produc- tionswere done at KRMAin thelate'50s and early '60s.KRMA attracted viewers with entertaining and instructionalprograms such as daytimemillinery andcooking instruction, performances of the Den- ver SymphonyOrchestra, Ragtime Era with Max Morath,Zoo Time,in-studio performances by local highschool choirs, Cowboys West, Synopsis, Glory Trailandmany, many more.

On Sunday,January 30, 1966,KRMA celebrated its 1Othanniversary. To markthe occasion, Channel LorraineQuarve, Daisy Geick, Louise Sinton and 6 createda milestonein itshistory by goingon the Kate Marinoff pose with one of the early GE black- - and-whitecameras. These ladieshosted programs airon Sunday a daywhen it didnot normally abouthomemaking, cooking, millinery and upholstery telecast.In ten years, Channel Six had grown from producingten hours a weekto telecastingmore than40 hoursof programsduring its five-day weeklytelecasting schedule. By 1966,KRMA was clearlyidentified as a "significantinformational and educationalforce in thecommunity it serves."

Nextlssue: Volunteers became a cornerstoneof KRMAin the 1960s.Read the Spring Volunteer Visionto learnabout the development of thevolun- teercorps of KRMA-TV.

SAM Committee - Organizedin 2000,the Sfafion'sA rchived

Memoies Commifteeis dedicatedto the future of our past. ruffiinii r: . : itffi4 i'i+iF$1sHffiii- Due to the commitmentand diligenceof this group of volun- Scotty Gullenand Jim Gasewith a newAmpex teers,the historyof RockyMountain PBS is beingpreserved Tape Recorderin 1959.lt allowedProduction to for futuregenerations of communityviewers, staff and volun- reducetheir need for constantlive programming. teers Call 303-620-5734to volunteervour time and talentsto The milestonetechnology allowed stations to SAM. tape programsand ship them acrossthe country. oo oo6.ooa

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EDITOR:Pat Hoeft SPRING2006 Rocrv MoururruNPBS GonrrruuEs To CeLeenrrE 50 Yeans . o o I By LauraSampson, SAM Chair

Thisis the secondof four VolunteerVision articles reviewing the historyof KRMA.This one covers 1966-79.

The 1960sand '70s brought many changes to KRMA-TV.Having established itself in the com- munitysince 1956 as Denver'sonly educational , it expandedits telecasting, programmingand means of raisingfunds, and initiated its volunteer corps. Throughout this time period,KRMA was licensedto DenverPublic Schools and was broadcastingfrom its studiosat 1261Glenarm Place. From 1966-1979, KRMA had several Executive Directors: Russ Case- ment(1963-1971), Gerald Willsea (1971-1975), Paul Blue (1975-76) and Richard Holcomb (1978-1980).Don Johnson was appointed the "Acting General Manager" from 1976-78 (and be- cameGeneral Manager in 1983.

Severalmilestones in the station'shistory occurred during the '60sand '70s. ChannelSix re- ceivedfunds that permitted it to telecastprograms in color.In December1966, KRMA telecast approximately25o/o of itsevening programs in color.On November5, 1967,KRMA expanded its telecastingweek to includeSundays from 5:30-10:30 PM. "SoaringOver the Rockies"was its firstfull-color production, shown that evening.

In June1966, KRMA, Channel Six, began the only televised summer school in thenation giving creditfor highschool courses. Offerings included American History, Business Arithmetic, and Notehand.Thirty different elementary school subjects were also televised, teaching Art, Ameri- can History,Geography, Math, Science, Spanish and more. Other non-credit educational sub- jectsincluded afternoon programs on Americanand Frenchcooking, draperies, home accesso- ries,knitting, reading preparation, sewing and upholstery.

Somevery popular evening productions by KRMAduring the 1960s and '70s in- cluded" Wildlife," "Open End," "Gene'sJunction" with Gene Dolph, and "FeedForuard," a 1S-weekstatewide televisionseries on the environment.At thatsame time, KRMA put itself on the mapby producingnumerous outstanding programsfor nationaldistribution, among (still) Creditslide forAmeri- them"Racing on ThinAir," "Soaring Over Televisedgeography course with canHistory summer school theRockies," "Trial," "Fryingpans West," hostGene Dolph and cameraman class. and"The Naturalists." DaveJohnson. (Continuedon pages6,7) &

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Thevery first KRMA Auction was televised in 1966in blackand white from June 1-3. lt waspublicized as "bringingthe auction block into the home."Unique auction items included an autographedjacket worn by VinceEdwards, star of "BenCasey," boots worn by ChuckConnors of "TheRifleman," a hatworn by ErnestBorgnine in "McHale'sNavy," a 500-poundbuffalo yearling, and an Africanspear. A 1966Denver Posf article said that "if enough funds are raised, it will enableKRMA to extendbroadcasting hours to Saturdayand Sunday." A whopping$25,000 was raised during the first auction! Very impressive.

Thefirst auction was the informal starting block for today's award- winningvolunteer corps of RockyMountain PBS. Thevolunteers were laterformally organized - thanksto GeraldWillsea, Don Johnsonand TrudyFowler who made a proposalto the Councilfor PublicTelevision to developa "women'sauxillary." The volunteers were known in thefor- ffi. mativeyears as "TheLadybugs." The Volunteer Board was fondly re- Phonebank volunteers at Auc- ferredto as "TheLadybug Board." tion1968 in StudioAat1261 GlenarmPlace. Sincethe inceptionof Auction,volunteers have been a cornerstoneof KRMA,Rocky Mountain PBS. lt tookhundreds of volunteersto procure the donationsforAuctions since its inceptionin 1966.Going business- to-businesscanvassing the cityfor donationswas a majoraccomplish- ment! Knownas "Go-Getters,"the volunteers brought in thousandsof piecesof merchandiseto raisefunds for KRMA-TV.

As the licenseeof KRMA, provided money for daytimeinstructional programs. To raiseadditional money for evening programming,KRMA held non{elevised membership campaigns. In the early1970s, 2,000 volunteers scoured the Denverarea door-to-door to sell"Booster Buttons" and tax-deductible memberships. This was fol- lowedby a mailcampaign. By the mid'70s, on-air Festivals (known to- dayas MembershipDrives) were made possible by the supportof com- BoosterButton sold door-to-door munityvolunteers. Phone banks, food distribution, the calculationof do- by Membershipvolunteers in the nations,and more were handled by volunteers. early'70s.

On-airset for Membership(Festival), 1978 TheAuction Warehouse (at the old Denver Dry warehouse on Kalamath)lookedmuch the same in 1968as it doesto- o day.LC Gowenwas Warehouse Coordinator through 1990. ThePublic Broadcasting Act of 1967was a majormilestone in the historyof publictelevision. The first timea nationwidenetwork of EducationTelevision (ETV)stations, including KRMA-TV, was established fora livetelecast occurred on January10, 1967. lt focusedon PresidentLyndon B. Johnson'sSfafe of the Unionaddress. After the speech,the networkstayed on the air for two hoursto bringviewers an entertain- ing,informative, provocative round-table discussion by a groupof nationally-knowncommentators.

Moreinteresting historicalfacts about KRMA in the 1960sand'70s include:

. In 1967,the DenverBoard of Educationapproved a motionto changethe nameof KRMAto KKEOto honorKenneth E. Oberholtzerwho fostered and developed ETV as an educationaltool. No documen- tationhas beenfound to explainwhy this neverbecame official. Do any VolunteerVision readers know?

. In 1971,Mrs. Bird (the mascot of KRMAwho was officially known as BigBird's mom)added three new playmates: Amanda Suella Ostrich, Olive Owl and WilburWeird Bird. All of thecharacters were created and built by volunteers. Thecostumed volunteers made appearances throughout the regionat schools, hospitals,museums, churches, community fairs, business groups, clubs, shop- pingcenters, parades and local celebrations as a wayof promotingthe many worthwhilechildren's programs on Channel6.

. ln 1977,KRMA Pages (tour guides) began giving tours every weekday at GlenarmPlace studios. Hundredsof tourswere performed annually by a dedicatedgroup of volunteers.

. In 1978,Don Kinneylaunched the KRMAproduction "The State of Colorado,"which ran for 23 years.

. On September27, 1978,the Councilfor PublicTelevision approved the purchaseof a postagema- chineso thatPROMO and press releases did not have to be hand-stampedand licked. A majormile- stone!

. Beginningin 1979,Channel 6 offeredfull-day broadcasting on bothSaturdays and Sundays.

Staytuned! The next Volunteer Visionwill present more inter- estingfacts about the 1980s.

Actionon the 1976Auction studio Auctionvolunteers in 1970.SAM has floorwith runners delivering bids and identifiedonly Patty Christy (2ndfrom scribessorting them. Movers set up right,back row) and Julie Walter and thenext table in the background ConnieSchafer (4th & sth fromleft in SAMknows that Sheri Bergin is frontrow. lf youcan identifyothers, seatedin front.Do you knowany of oleaselet SAMknow. 1974poster designed by theothers? SAM needs vou! graphicartist Joe Haney.

Allphotos and information inthis article were provided by STATION'S ARCHIVED MEMORIES (SAM). History is beingmade daily.Volunteers continue to be needed.lf you'dlike to helppreserve the station's history, contact SAM Chair Laura Sampson,or RuthSmith at RockyMountain PBS, 303-620-5734 or e-mailRMPBS_SAM@krma..org. foo. 3a.8066.ooB

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EDITOR:Pat Hoeft SUMMER2006 Rocxv MoururerNPBS Got.trrruuEsTo CeLeeRrrE50 Yenns ByLaura Sampson, SAM Chair , Oo I Thisis the third of four Volunteer Vr.slon articles reviewing the history of KRMA.This one covers 1980-1992.

By 1980,KRMA-TV was a well-recognizedand productive contributor to the Denvercommunity, having broadcastfor nearlya quartercentury. During the '80s the station, at 1261Glenarm Place in downtown Denver,continued to provideexcellent locally-produced programming, introduced many new programs, expandedvolunteer activities, severed ties with Denver Public Schools and initiated plans to moveto a newlocation.

Threedifferent people led during that period. Richard Holcomb was thegeneral manager from 1978 until September of 1980.Mary Lou Rayserved as InterimManager until Mike Mottler was hired as generalmanager on January11, 1981. When Mottler left the station in January1983, Don Johnson assumed the interimGM position untilhe waslater officially hired as presidentand general manager of KRMAin April1983. Don hadworked in variouscapacities at KRMA ffiRichard job Holcomb for20 yearsbefore diving into his new duties, and held the GM for tenyears until his retirement on June30,1993. ^-. --l From1956-1987 KRMA's license was owned by DenverPublic -,d DonJohnson with the Schoolsand served its community of viewersas wellas thousands lateAnn Loveduring a w of studentsthroughout Colorado. ln the early1980s, nearly half of all membershipdrive. the schooldistricts in thestate were using instructional television &&m(lTV)in theirschools with a majorityof schoolstaping programs for lateruse. All schools Mike werebenefiting from ITV resources in the areasof languagearts, science, health, music, art Mottler andcareer and economic education.

Manyof thestudio sets used during the early years were first modeled in miniature beforethe life-sizedset was constructed.Program sets were designed by the art departmentof KRMA.Many hours were spent in drawingthe setdesigns that are nowdone more efficiently by ourtalented computer graphic designers.

Manynew programs were produced by KRMAin the 1980s."Super SixSchool News" was first aired on February6, 1980.Today, "SuperSchool News" remains the longest-runninglocally produced programon RockyMountain PBS, beginning its 27th consecutive yearwith the 2006-07season. Do you happen to knowany of the childrenin this1980 photo? SAM would like to identifythem.

In 1981,six college-credit courses were broadcast on KRMA, offeredin conjunctionwith eleven regional universities and colleges. Knownas "telecourses,"each course was designed around a series (Continuedon pages 6, 7) ,# cK3""ROCKY MOU!{IAIN P8S (continuedfrom 1) 50VfnnS Page of halfhour video lessons. Guides, manuals, nationallytelevised PBS effortto involvelocal textbooksand supplementarymaterials were communitiesin a campaignto fightdrug abuse. available. Staffmembers Sally Reed and Arla Watkins rememberthe day Mrs.Reagan visited. The popular"Season Ticket," about the burgeoning culturalscene in Colorado,premiered September Coloradochildren were highlighted in 1986in the 10, 1980. Thirtythreehalf-hour segments were series"At Rainbow'sEnd," which featured 2^ to 3- producedin its first year, offeringa fresh new look at minutebook reviews written and deliveredon the arts in Coloradoand showingoffbeat glimpses cameraby Coloradochildren. lt was a supplement of people,activities and events. to the popularPBS "ReadingRainbow" series. Two childrenfrom eachof 25 librarieswere featuredon In an effortto highlight the program. eventsand activitiesin the metroarea in 1980, By 1986,KRMA, Channel Six, was broadcasting18 KRMAproduced an hoursa day.Outstanding programs, many of them outstandingpr:ogram locallyproduced, were titled"Showtime On lce." airedin the 1980s: Crews spent 309 hours * "Stateline"premiered filmingthe skatersat the on KRMAin January Coloradolce Arena. 1983. lt was a weekly programthat dealtwith "Smithand Muse,"a weekly the Coloradostate productionof the Culturaland legislature. CommunityAffairs Unit of * The DenverSymphony Orchestra was airedlive KRMA,premiered September from the Glenarmstudios in 1983. 11,1980. The program * "OurCentennial State" was producedin 1986 featuredHarry Smith and usingon-location footage and historicphotographs ReyneldaMuse exploring to depictthe historyof Colorado. issues,ideas, personalities and * A documentaryabout the 1OthMountain Division opinionsaround the state. duringWW ll, "Soldiersof the Summit,"was producedin 1987. KRMA'scommitment to * In 1988,KRMA produced the award-winning"First conservingenergy was the DegreeMurder Trial," directed by Susan Kinney. lt incentivefor the 1983series is stillused by the ColoradoBar Associationas a "HouseFor All Seasons."The teachingdevice. programshowcased trend- settinghome construction and designideas, energy efficient remodelingand more.lt aired for severalyears and was distributednationally in 1985. Thestation even sent a crew to Europeto shootsome of theepisodes.

ln August1983, First Lady NancyReagan, visited KRMA to tapepromotional spots for "TheChemical People," a The controlroom, as it existedat the GlenarmStreet stationin the mid-'80s. Friendg.ofPublic Volumescould be written about the eventsthat Broffisting in 1988 weresponsored by KRMAand its award-winning . ln 1990the newstaff volunteercorps. Remember these special events positionof StationManager andmilestones? wascreated and was filled * Thefirst KRMA Wine Tasting was held at the by JamesMorgese (left). Sheratonlnn on September21,1980. There are no He workedwith Don photosin ourarchives. Do you haveone to share? Johnsonduring Don's final The partywas not a fundraiser but a specialevent threeyears as GM learning for membersand volunteers. * KRMAcelebrated its 25th anniversary in 1981 the ropesto become withan outdoorcommunity party. KRMA'sGeneral " The Cookingon Cuecookbook was written, Manager. testedand published by KRMAvolunteers in 1986. . Thefirst Kids' Auction, a 2-hoursegment of the * InJuly, 1991, 190 annualGeneral volunteersfrom KRMA Auction,debuted in pouredbeerjust about 1983and was non-stooin the Coors undenvrittenby Mr. boothsat the first Steak.Students from CherryCreek Arts "SuperSix School Festival.This very News"and children of popularvolunteer activity continuedfor several volunteersworked as years. a auctioneersand anchorsand in auction * TheChannel Six floorpositions. thriftshop, RERUNS, * PROMO,the monthlyprogram guide, was openedin September, typesetusing a computerfor the first time in 1992.at 3260S. January,1986. Broadway.Burp Winter . Thefirst Channel Six Garage Sale was held in (right)supervised 1986at the GatesWarehouse. volunteerswho sorted, * KRMAtreated the entirevolunteer corps to a stockedand sold the donatedtreasures. VolunteerAppreciation Party on November6, As earlyas 1983,KRMA's Council for Public Broadcastingbegan study committee meetings relativeto assumingthe licenseof KRMA,which hadbeen held by DenverPublic Schools since 1956.The station realized it wastime to severits iOU R tieswith Denver Public Schools and becomea -rn r I\J rv' "communitylicensed" station. In 1986,it wassaid PUBL\C thatchanging the licensefor KRMAwould save DenverPublic Schools up to $2.5million.

Afterseveral years of negotiation,KRMA became a 1986,at Gates. community-licensedstation on May1, 1987.Then '1989, * The Mrs.Bird (Big in KRMA-TVsigned a contractwith KUSA, Bird'smother) Project, co- Channel9, to purchasethe current location of chairedby Laura RockyMountain PBS at 1089Bannock Street. Hogansonand Amy Muchwork had to be doneand millions of dollars Carder(pictured at right), hadto be raisedbefore the actualmove could was honoredwith a occur.The 2006 Fall issue of VolunteerVision will

CommunityDevelopment l detailthe moveto our"new" studios on Bannock Awardfrom National .*'r -.- Streetand much more, covering 1992-2006.

Allphotos and information inthis article were provided by STATION'S ARCHIVED MEMORIES (SAM). History is beingmade daily.Volunteers continue to be needed.lf you'dlike to helppreserve the station's history, contact SAM Chair Laura Sampson,or RuthSmith at RockyMountain PBS, 303-620-5734 or [email protected]. EDITOR:Pat Hoeft FALL 2006 Rocrv MoururarNPBS ConrrruuEs To GeLeenArE 50 Yelns ByLaura Sampson, SAM Chair , O O I Thisis the last of four Volunteer Vision articles reviewing the history of KRMA.lt covers19921o the present. ln 1992,KRMA-TV moved from its original home on GlenarmPlace to itscurrent location at 1089Bannock Street in Denver'sGolden Triangle.To kickoff the capital campaign for the newfacility, a grandreception with special guest former President Gerald R. Ford washeld at the StoufferConcourse Hotel on July22,1992. That campaignraised $15.5 million forthe purchaseand renovation of the currentfacility.

KRMA'sGeneral Manager Don Johnson,his governing board of directors,staff and volunteers were applaudedfor accomplishingthis major move. The station never lost on-air time. lt continuedto broadcast seamlesslythrough the chaosof movingdesks, equipment, lights and master control. The donor wall in the foyerof RockyMountain PBS, dedicated in September1995, honors the businessesand individuals who weremajor donors to the capitalcampaign.

Havingserved as the GeneralManager of ChannelSix since January 1983, Don Johnson retired from KRMAon June30, 1993.Don's accomplishments at KRMA deserve an articleall to themselves.Don continuesto be lovedand respected by boththe staffand volunteers who worked with him over his 3O-year careerwith the station.He remainsa goodfriend of RockyMountain PBS, giving his time and talents for Station'sArchived Memories (SAM), Auction and other station activities.

Thestation's current General Manager, James Morgese, was hiredin 1990as StationManager of KRMAto "learnthe ropes."James took over the reinsas GM on July1, 1993.He is widelyknown as a leaderand visionary in publictelevision. He was recentlyelected to the boardof directorsof National Datacast,Inc. That network integrates the broadcastfacilities Above,the BannockSt. building in 1956. andcapacity of morethan 300 PBS stations. Below,after renovation, the newhome for KRMAin 1992. Staffmembers who worked at GlenarmPlace (KRMA's home for 36 years)remember how very proud they were of theirnew digson Bannock.The staff had a fulltraining session just to learnhow to usethe newphones. Along with a totally renovatedbuilding and new computerized studio lighting, therewas also the luxuryof havingample parking for both staffand volunteers. (Continuedon pages 6,7) ,, *1ffik? (continuedrrompage 1) 50Yrms Aftermoving to itsBannock Street location, KRMA celebrated many more milestones and both staff and volunteersgarnered awards:

. In February1993, KRMA hosted an openhouse to celebrateSesame Street's25th Anniversary and KRMA'sfirst anniversary at the newstudios. Theopen house included special guest, Cookie Monster, plus studio tours,activities and information about KRMA. Hundreds of community membersattended the free event. The Telephone Outreach department startedin November1993. Banning(current Director of Suzanne '90s Development)started her career with the station in theearly as the managerof TelephoneOutreach, transforming it into a money-makerby CookieMonster and Laura developingit as a membershiptoolfor other non-profits. Sampson,both 25?

. ln 1994,Channel 6, whichhad been "dark" from 2 a.m.to 6 a.m,,began to broadcast24 hoursa day, everyday. This year saw the first Volunteer Recognition Party, honoring 31 volunteerswho had contributeda minimumof 300hours. The station still hosts this recognition each winter. The locally produced"Spirit of Colorado"premiered with its "Home on the Range"segment in September.This award-winningprogram continues to be popularon RockyMountain PBS.

. KRMA's40th anniversary in 1996was celebrated with great fanfare. FormerGeneral Managers Dick Holcomband Don Johnson (at left withJames Morgese)attended an anniversaryparty on January30 in StudioA. Thestriking logo was designed by the station'sArt Department.Memorabilia items for the 40'n anniversary included lunchbags,pins, shirts, coffee mugs and more. In Decemberof that 40thyear, KRMJ went on theair as Channel18 in GrandJunction, an affiliateof KRMA.lt was the firststep toward a statewidenetwork.

A newcorporate name, Rocky Mountain PBS (officially, Rocky Mountain Network) wasadopted in 1997.In addition,"Super Six School News" changed its title to "SuperSchool News." Theword "Six" was dropped when "Super School News" began including tapings at KRMJ,as wellas at the KRMAstudios in Denver.Beginning this fall (2006), "Super School News" will also be tapedat KTSCin Pueblo.

DigitalTelevisionbecame the buzzwordin 1998.In the spring of 1999(March 7-12lthe Denver station hosteda 66-footdigital TV demonstrationtruck in our parkinglot to educatestaff, volunteers and the publicabout the whys and howsof DTV.KRMA-DT began low-power digital television broadcasting on December14, 1999, making it the 12thPBS station to broadcastin digital.

. KTSCofficially became a partof RockyMountain PBS on June29, 2000. (KTSC wasoriginally licensed with the Universityof SouthernColorado and began broadcastingon February3, 1971.)Trudy Fowler (pictured at left),a 35-year employeeat RockyMountain PBS, retired in 2000.On October14 of thatyear, she wasinducted to the HeartlandChapter Silver Circle of the NationalAcademy of TelevisionArts and Sciences. Trudy continued with the stdtionas the headof the capitalcampaign for conversionto digitaltelevision. The Volunteer Leadership Conference,spearheaded by Maftand JaneSchaefer (pictured at left),received the 2001Cultivation and Stewardship Outstanding Public Broadcasting Volunteer Award. ThreeChannel Six volunteers have received the NationalFriends of Public Broadcasting'sOutstanding Public Broadcasting Volunteer Award which honors an individual'soutstanding contributions to publictelevision. Channel Six recipients include:Cora Wall (1987), Laura Sampson (1993)and Joan Johnson (2005). "#, . "ColoradoState of Mind,"hosted by GregDobbs (at left), prerniered on January31, 2003. The weekly Emmy-winning series is a roundtableof opinionatedand passionate people from across the statetackling hot topics from local,regional, national and international news and current events. lts predecessor,"State of Colorado,"was conceived and producedby its host,Don Kinney,and was the recipientof innumerableawards and honors over its long runfor bothits productionand its host.

. RockyMountain PBS announced in February2004 that the digitalsignal transmission of KTSC-DT, Channel26, locatedon CheyenneMountain, would provide quality digitaltelevision to 710,000viewers, the entireColorado Springs and Pueblo regions. In addition,the station launched a newportfolio of web-basededucational services for studentsand teachers. Rocky Mountain PBS partnered with nationalcompanies to provideonline, on-demand services to schools,colleges and other organizations, as wellas to individuals.ln December2004, the networklaunched a digitalstation in Durango.The new station,KRMU-DT, Channel 20, was the 3'd station in ournetwork to broadcastdigitally. KRMU was the nation'sfirst digital TV stationwith no prioranalog assignment, meaning it wascreated from the ground up as a digitalbroadcaster.

RockyMountain PBS enjoys a wideand envied reputationas an innovatorand producer of qualitypublic television resulting in numerous award-winningprograms. "La Raza de Colorado" and "Jewelof the Rockies"are two recently- laudedprograms generated by thestation's Productionstaff for and aboutthe peopleof Colorado.The locally-produced "Life Wise," "spiritof Colorado"and "Colorado State of Mind" havealso been the recipientsof numerous awards.Rocky Mountain PBS now offers state- of{he-artteleconferencing and three types of videoconferencingservices including satellite downlink/uplink,compressed video and microwave videoconferencing.

Thefuture is brightfor ournetwork! Thanks to theamazing volunteers and staff,Rocky Mountain PBS is respectedby the Coloradocommunity and by all PBSstations. Rocky Mountain PBS reaches one million viewers weekly in Coloradoand the surroundingstates, providing top-quality education, entertainmentand news programming. lt is Colorado'sonly statewide televisionnetwork and its only full-service PBS member broadcaster. Rocky MountainPBS remains synonymous with quality educational programming andoutreach services. There's so muchmore to learnabout this network. Findout about podcasts, Cooks Club, Kids Club and more by visiting www.rmpbs.organd STAY TUNED for manywonderful years ahead. TheVolunteer Board established thgFrom The Heart Award in 1997 to annuallyhonor one outstanding Correction:Barb Winter conceived of, initiatedand supervised RERUNS, theChannel Six thrift shop, during the early to mid-90s. volunteerand one staff member. The 2002recipients were Bill Hicks andEleanor McKeeman. Createdby volunteersin 2000,SAM continues to archivethe collectedhistorical information as we1as the historybeing made daily at RockyMountain PBS. Volunteers interested in photogra- phy, scanning,data entry,and conductingoral historyinteruiews are neededyear round.Contact Laura Sampson(SAM Chair), Donna Dickinson (Photo co-chair) or RuthSmith (Station Research chair)at the SAMOffice - 303-620-5734- to volunteerfor SAM. Or, sendan e'mail to [email protected] 2006-2015: REMEMBERING THE PAST DECADE AT ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS By Laura Sampson, Founder of Station’s Archived Memories

Rocky Mountain PBS has celebrated numerous noteworthy milestones over the past decade, 2006-2015. This list reflects the milestones that have been preserved by Station’s Archived Memories as of January 1, 2016.

2006 Ø On January 30, RMPBS celebrated 50 years of public broadcasting by hosting a Press Party and Open House with greetings & presentations by former Denver Mayor Hickenlooper (now Colorado Governor) and Michael Bennett, former DPS Superintendent, now Colorado State Senator. (photo) Ø Several special events were part of the 50th celebration − A Fall Preview with PBS Producers − Rocky Mountain PBS Night at the Colorado Symphony − Cherry Creek North Gourmet Tasting Event experience − Andre Rieu in Concert at the Pepsi Center − A ticketed luncheon with guest, Jim Lehrer of The NewsHour Ø KTSC celebrated its 35th year with a public open house. Ø KRMJ kicked off its 10th anniversary with an open house in Grand Junction. Ø The KRMJ transmitter project (moving the transmitter from Grand Mesa to Black Ridge) was completed.

2007 Ø In January, state-of-the-art videoconferencing equipment capable of ISDN and IP based video calls was installed at the Aspen Institute. Ø KRMZ first aired as a part of RMPBS. Ø On August 2, Rocky Mountain PBS' KRMA-DT expanded its reach throughout the Front Range by replacing its digital transmitter on downtown Denver's Republic Plaza with a new digital transmitter on Mt. Morrison. Ø Former KRMA General Manager, Don Johnson, received the prestigious Professional Broadcasters of Colorado Hall of Fame Award. Ø Ray Suarez (photo) of the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer was the keynote speaker at the RMPBS Newsmakers Luncheon at the Brown Palace.

2008 Ø Taking a leadership role in the move to incorporate mobile technology into the world of philanthropy, Rocky Mountain PBS announced the launch of a new program designed to capture donations via text message. Throughout the month of July, viewers were able to use their cell phones to donate $5 to Rocky Mountain PBS. Ø Rocky Mountain PBS and collaborated to bring television and live radio coverage during the Democratic National Convention, August 25-29. Ø RMPBS established its presence on Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube. Ø RMPBS began offering an electronic “e-PROMO” to its members and viewers in July 2008. Viewers could opt out of receiving the costly printed version and use only an electronic version.

2009 Ø RMPBS held a digital TV workshop for the community on the digital transition (photo). Ø Judy Woodruff of The PBS NewsHour was the guest speaker for the annual Newsmaker Luncheon. Ø As of 2:45 pm April 29, KRMJ-DT began broadcasting on Channel 18. Ø A major reorganization took place at RMPBS eliminating both the Education and Auction Departments. Ø In June, Pueblo (KTSC) converted to digital. Ø Super School News began the celebration of its 30th season on RMPBS. A major open house was held on February 6 2010 to commemorate the exact day in 1980 when SSN first aired on KRMA.

2010 Ø Rocky Mountain PBS partnered with I-News, the Rocky Mountain Investigative News Network, to produce online investigative news projects. Ø The RMPBS production, Living with Dying, premiered on RMPBS. Ø The Volunteer Vision newsletter for RMPBS volunteers was changed to an electronic version in May 2010. Ø In May, Super School News was awarded the National Friends of Public Broadcasting Community Development Award. Ø Cynthia Hessin, executive producer of Rocky Mountain PBS, was inducted into the Denver Press Club Hall of Fame in September. Ø In the fall, Red Green (Steve Smith, PBS personality of The Red Green Show) appeared at Colorado Heights University Theater.

2011 Ø In February, KTSC celebrated its 40th anniversary. KTSC was owned and licensed by Colorado State University- Pueblo, previously known as Southern Colorado State College and later, 1975, as the University of Southern Colorado. Ø PBS’ Nightly Business Report opened a new Denver bureau to cover stories of national interest that involved Denver and the Rocky Mountain Region. Ø In July, Rocky Mountain PBS received an Emmy for The Colorado National Monument: Celebrating 100 Years of John Otto‘s Dream at the 2011 NATAS Heartland . Ø Rocky Mountain PBS contracted with a successful door-to-door fundraising company called Rocky Mountain Voter Outreach (RMVO) to assist the station in recruiting new members and financial support. Ø Rocky Mountain PBS hosted a Live Facebook Chat with renowned PBS Chefs in November. Ø RMPBS joined the PBS multiyear platform campaign known as “Women & Girls Lead.”

2012 Ø Two local RMPBS documentaries were awarded: Living with Dying and Green Up Colorado. Living with Dying was awarded the 2012 National Telly Award. Green Up Colorado received the 2012 National Telly Award. Ø In June, Colorado Parent readers voted RMPBS as 2012 "Family Favorite TV Station." Ø The Gill Foundation announced in July their $1.3 million one-time gift to Rocky Mountain PBS through the donation of its building (The Tim Gill Center) in Colorado Springs. Ø The RMPBS Governing Board approved a merger with KUVO and incorporated I-News into Rocky Mountain PBS.

2013 Ø January 1, I-News officially joined Rocky Mountain PBS. Ø 1/16/2013 LLC’s articles of incorporation with KUVO were filed with the Colorado Secretary of State. Ø 13 half-hour episodes of Colorado Experience premiered on RMPBS. Ø RMPBS.org became a “responsive” site, meaning that it displayed across all devices, from mobile phones to iPads to your desktop computers. Ø December, a collaborative reporting center called “Inside Energy” was established with seven public radio and television stations from the nation’s energy epicenter including the lead station of Rocky Mountain Public Broadcasting Network, Inc. Ø Matchwits was awarded as “Best Mini-Documentary or Series” by the Colorado Broadcasters Association.

2014 Ø The first Rocky Mountain PBS “Masterpiece Costume Ball” was held in celebration of Downton Abbey’s 4th Season. Ø For the first time ever, the high school televised academic quiz tournament, Matchwits -- produced by Rocky Mountain PBS/Pueblo -- went statewide for its 29th season with 80 schools from across Colorado participating. Ø KUVO was ranked number one internet radio station in the jazz and soul category by Pete Naughton of The Telegraph.

2015 Ø Rocky Mountain PBS began its celebration of 60 years of broadcasting! Ø Rocky Mountain PBS was honored with five awards at the annual Colorado Broadcasters Association’s Awards of Excellence banquet on March 7, making it another banner year for our public media network. Ø KUVO celebrated its 30th anniversary. Ø Rocky Mountain PBS teamed up with the John McConnell Math and Science Center of Western Colorado to present Family Science Night on the first Thursday of every month, starting Feb. 5. A new theme is introduced monthly with access to hands-on exhibits and stations that offer opportunities for families to explore science together. Ø The Tim Gill Center for Public Media partners with 21 different organizations and in 2014 provided free meeting and event space to Southern Colorado nonprofits, engaging over 12,000 people. Ø In July, RMPBS received a 2015 Heartland Emmy Award in the historical documentary category for “Colorado Experience: Sand Creek Massacre” Ø Rocky Mountain PBS was named a partner in a national campaign aimed at helping children nationwide read at grade level by the third grade. The effort, known as the More Hopeful Futures Initiative, is spearheaded by the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading.