Denver's KUVO Named Major Market Jazz Station Of The Year

Press Release from KUVO, 89.3 FM -

DENVER--The radio industry is jazzed about Denver's jazz89 KUVO, Celebrating 20 Years of Public Radio.

The station was voted the Major Market Jazz Station of the Year by radio industry peers during the Jazz Week Summit, held last weekend in Syracuse, NY. In winning the prestigious award, the station bested outlets in sizable markets, including stations in New York, San Francisco, Boston and Long Beach.

jazz89's Arturo Gómez, who has been at the station for two years, also was named the Major Market Music Director of the Year for the second straight year. Formerly the music director of WDNA in Miami, Florida, Gómez brought an encyclopedic knowledge of music to the station, surpassed only by his passion for its performance.

"This recognition is long overdue," said Florence Hernández Ramos, jazz89 President and CEO for twenty-two years. "The awards are a tribute to the professionalism of our on-air personnel and our engineers. The ability of our development and administrative staff and volunteers to raise the funds for us to operate at such a high level, and the members and program sponsors whose support sustains our unique multicultural format make this possible."

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year, jazz89 KUVO is the only public radio station in Colorado with a 24-hour program format of jazz, Latin jazz, blues. On the weekends, the station expands the format to include culturally diverse musical programming.

jazz89 broadcasts at 25,000 watts serving Colorado's Front Range. Community organizations maintain translators in Breckenridge and Laramie, Wyoming because they want to receive KUVO. The station's current operating budget is $1.3 million and is supported by approximately 9,500 members and over 350 volunteers.

Throughout its history, jazz89 KUVO has become known for community involvement and innovation. Locally, the station has forged partnerships with numerous non-profit organizations, high schools, universities and local artists.

Nationally, the station has been lauded for its state of the art Performance Studio and has earned kudos for becoming the first FM station in Colorado to begin broadcasting in high-definition.

"It's great to get this national recognition as we celebrate our 20th Anniversary," said Program Director of eighteen years, Carlos Lando. "To be recognized by one's peers is a humbling gift and a rewarding experience in a long journey that has been simultaneously exciting and challenging."