KEOL
| Frequency | 91.7 MHz |
|---|---|
| Programming | |
| Format | Defunct (formerly "free form") |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Eastern Oregon University |
| History | |
First air date | September 1973 |
Last air date | July 19, 2021 |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 54806 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 310 watts |
| HAAT | -228 meters |
Transmitter coordinates | 45°19′16″N 118°05′26″W / 45.32111°N 118.09056°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
KEOL (91.7 FM) was a radio station broadcasting from Eastern Oregon University (EOU) in La Grande, Oregon. KEOL operated at 91.7 MHz with an operating power of 310 watts. Programming on the station, operated primarily by EOU students, was generally freeform rock.
History
[edit]KEOL was conceived in early 1967, when two employees of what was then known as Eastern Oregon College envisioned a campus FM radio station offering classical and jazz music—genres not readily available on local radio at that time.
After a construction permit was received on March 1, 1973, it first took to the air that September. The station originally broadcast on a frequency of 91.1 MHz, with 10 watts of power from a Gates tube-fired transmitter.[2]
KEOL was first located in the newly completed Hoke College Center, before moving to the Walter M. Pierce Library in 1976. A second move placed KEOL in a one-story bungalow, with a basement, just north of Pierce Library. In October 2015, the station moved back to Hoke College Center.
KEOL La Grande was operated by the students and faculty of Eastern Oregon University. Staff included a faculty adviser, station manager, program and music directors and assistants. The station was funded by student incidental fees, fundraising activities and underwriting.[3]
At its peak, there were more than 100 DJs on KEOL. That number had dwindled to four by 2021, when a student committee—citing low participation and a shift to digital listening[4]—voted to stop funding the station with incidental fees, resulting in a shutdown at the end of the 2020–2021 academic year. KEOL had received $33,481 a year in student fees.[5] On July 19, 2021, EOU submitted the KEOL license for cancellation.[6] The station's license was reinstated on August 18, 2021, but then surrendered again and cancelled on October 18, 2023.
References
[edit]- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KEOL". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ FCC History Cards for DKEOL
- ^ "Student Handbook - Eastern Oregon University". Retrieved 2008-03-15.
- ^ Dick, Mason (March 30, 2021). "KEOL alumni reflect on value of college radio". The Observer. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
- ^ "Former Managers Hoping KEOL Can Survive As University Decides To Defund Station". Inside Radio. April 7, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
- ^ "Cancellation Application #153302". enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov. July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
External links
[edit]- Facility details for Facility ID 54806 (KEOL) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- KEOL in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- Radio stations established in 1973
- College radio stations in Oregon
- Radio stations in Oregon
- Eastern Oregon University
- La Grande, Oregon
- 1973 establishments in Oregon
- 2023 disestablishments in Oregon
- Defunct radio stations in the United States
- Radio stations disestablished in 2023
- Defunct mass media in Oregon