KVOD's classical format and call sign were originally on 99.5 MHz from 1969 to 1995. KVOD was a commercial radio station, marketing as the "Voice of Classical Music" (or Classical Voice of Denver) for the Denver metro area, powered at 100,000 watts. It was acquired by Henry Broadcasting in 1983.[2] Even earlier in Denver radio, AM 630 had used the KVOD call letters (that station is now KHOW).
In 1995, with ratings in decline, especially among young adults, Henry Broadcasting decided to sell the station to Tribune Media. Tribune was not interested in continuing the classical format, switching the 99.5 frequency to classic rock KKHK (now KQMT). Meanwhile, Chancellor Media, the owner of a 57,000-watt country FM station in the suburbs of Denver, 92.5 KZDG in Greeley, decided to pick up KVOD's format and call letters.
In May 1999, 92.5 was acquired by AMFM Inc., a forerunner of today's iHeartMedia.[3] AMFM announced a format switch for 92.5 to Jammin' Oldies as KDJM (now KKSE-FM), and moved the KVOD call sign and classical music format to AM 1280 (now KBNO). Within a four-year timespan, KVOD's classical music and call sign had moved from a 100,000-watt FM station to a 57,000-watt FM station, and then to a 5,000-watt AM station.
In September 2000, the owner of 1280 AM, Clear Channel, sold the station to a Spanish-language broadcaster. At the same time, Colorado Public Radio acquired the KVOD call letters and the station's extensive music library, and in March 2001, KVOD relaunched at 90.1 MHz, as a listener-supported, non-commercial station.[4] The new KVOD 90.1 was powered at 44,000 watts. KCFR, a news and information station, relocated to 1340 AM (now KDCO).
In 2008, CPR decided to go FM-only and restore the news and information format to 90.1 FM. To maintain classical programming, CPR acquired the 88.1 frequency, which the Educational Media Foundation had built and signed on in 2005 as KFDN with its K-Love programming, for $8.2 million. (The original construction permit was held by Colorado Christian University and had been acquired by EMF along with a string of construction permits and translators.[5]) On July 9, 2008, CPR moved KVOD's classical programming and call letters to the former KFDN, a Class A station with an effective radiated power of 430 watts, while 90.1 became the new KCFR-FM, the new home of Colorado Public Broadcasting's news and information programming, previously heard on AM.[6]
The move of classical programming to 88.1 put CPR's classical music service on a significantly less powerful signal, effectively limiting the station's coverage to only the greater Denver area[7] and causing many former listeners to lose service.[8] The station was granted three power increases—in 2010, 2012, and 2017—and now is a Class C3 station broadcasting with 4,400 watts.
