Bend community radio station adds offering

A community radio station in Bend is expanding its reach to listeners to tell them more of what’s happening in our area.

KPOV, a non-profit station, began airing a new news program five weeks ago.

KPOV has been broadcasting to Central Oregonians since 2005, and its latest program has been on the minds of many staff since Day 1.

It took from September 2012 to May of this year for the station, at 88.9 FM, to find and recruit people to serve as co-hosts for the new program, called The Point.

“It’s 9 a.m on Tuesday, June 4th, and this is The Point,” said Michael Funke, KPOV announcer.

“I think we are the only show of this type in Central Oregon,” Funke said. “We are certainly the only non-profit radio station doing this type of programming in Central Oregon.”

KPOV is broadcast in downtown Bend from a storage building rented from Bend-La Pine Schools, behind the Boys and Girls Club.

And since it hit the air, a top priority for the radio station has been to create a daily community affairs program..

“I should tell you a prescribed fire is planned for the experimental forest down near Sunriver and La Pine for today, tomorrow and Thursday,” Funke said during Tuesday’s show.

The program features a rotation of two co-hosts and guests from the community, like Tuesday’s guest: Jeff Perin talking about fly fishing, and Deschutes County historian Vanessa Ivy discussing Bend’s long baseball history.

“Probably one of the best places to fish right now in Central Oregon is East Lake, as we talked about,” Perin said.

The station struggled with money over the last few years, but as the economy has picked up, so too have the pledges.

“Fundraising for non-profits in Central Oregon is always a struggle in a downturn like the recession we just had,” Funke said.

KPOV exceeded expectations for its spring pledge drive, bringing in $19,000 to help fund the programs.

Federal grants have helped too, allowing it to expand its reach from just a 2-kilowatt station to a full-powered station that reaches all across the High Desert.

“Our goal is try to get voices in here that you are not going to be able to get on mainstream radio, on commercial radio,” Funke said.

While many of the mainstream radio daily programs have paid staff, The Point is run by volunteers.

“That was really the only way that we could do a show like this, is to really rely on volunteers who are willing to put some time and energy into making this show happen,” Funke said.

“I think The Point is going to grow,” said Rick Miller, another KPOV announcer. “As a signature show, that’s what we need — the idea that The Point provides, helps to provide more of an identity for the station.”

Some of the other programs on KPOV include a weekly program called Center Stage, showcasing regional and local music talent, hosted by Rick Miller, and Juniper Roots, discussing bluegrass music.

There are new ways you can listen, too. You can stream KPOV online at www.kpov.org or even download an app for your phone.