KCUR History

In the spring of 1956, CJ Stevens, then Director of Radio and TV at the University of Kansas City, submitted a budget request for the establishment and operation of an educational FM broadcast station. This request was turned down. Stevens and Sam Scott then decided to raise money outside the university and, with the approval of then President McGrath, a modest fundraising campaign was undertaken and a separate FM fund was established. According to a letter written by CJ Stevens to Jack Morgan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Kansas City, "KCUR-FM was in its conception and continues to be a community station..." KCUR began broadcasting October 21, 1957 from the third floor of Scofield Hall with a signal range of 4 miles, 2 full-time employees and a budget of $15,000 from the University. It was the first university licensed educational FM station in Missouri and the second FM in Kansas City. In 1961, the University of Kansas City Board of Trustees decided to drop operation of KCUR from the 1962 budget along with the elimination of the intercollegiate athletic program. This was a time of financial problems for the University of Kansas City, leading to its inclusion in the University of Missouri system a few years later. An Editorial in the Kansas City Times suggested several reasons why the university should reconsider its decision including, "In the community, (KCUR) it is a source of education, culture and pleasure." The decision to eliminate funding for KCUR was reversed at the next meeting. In 1963, KCUR's license was transferred to the Curators of the University of Missouri. Two years later, the station moved to 524 Pierce Street. The Board of Curators approved purchase of $24,000 worth of transmitter equipment allowing KCUR to broadcast with 40,000 watts of power in a 60 mile radius of Kansas City. In 1970, KCUR was awarded a grant of $7,500 from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for Community Service. National Public Radio broadcasts began the next year with KCUR as a charter member. In 1976, KCUR moved to 5327 Holmes and the signal was expanded to 100,000 watts stereo with 10 full-time employees. Each semester, 15 UMKC students participated in the radio station. In 1985, KCUR moved to its current location in the Student Services Building. By this time the current manager, Sam Scott, was no longer Chairman of the Speech Department and students were no longer used on the air in a training situation. After Sam Scott retired in 1986, the station was without a General Manager for a year while Jim Costin, UMKC Associate Vice Chancellor oversaw the station. Patricia Cahill, a former KCUR reporter in the early 1970's was hired in 1987 as General Manager. She had formerly managed the public radio station at Wichita State University. Over the next few years, the public radio programming was streamlined and most of the volunteers were either eliminated from on-air responsibilities or became employees of KCUR. The station began broadcasting 24 hours a day with the British Broadcasting Corporation satellite delivered to the station and automated for live broadcast overnight. In 1992, national and local news programming was added to the broadcast schedule, eliminating classical music during the day. These changes along with more sophisticated fundraising success enabled the station to increase its listening audience and local news staff.