KVNF station manager Ashley Krest, news director Gavin Dahl, and news reporter Kate Redmond attended the annual Rocky Mountain Community Radio conference Nov. 10-12 in Crested Butte, hosted by KBUT. 50 individuals from Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming gathered to share ideas, discuss strategies, and catch up in person for the first time in two years.
Sen. Michael Bennet sent a letter of support, saying, "I deeply appreciate Rocky Mountain Community Radio's dedication and thoughtful approach to delivering local news." RMCR board president and KBUT program director Kelley Dole asked keynote speaker Sally Kane, the director of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, about COVID impacts on station operations, wellness and morale during the pandemic, and the role of community radio journalism in building trust.
The news track led by KBUT news director Christopher Biddle featured trainings with NPR's Mountain West Bureau Chief Eric Whitney and NPR newscast editor Carol Anne Clark Kelley, plus conversations about collaboration with KUNC news director Brian Larson, Capitol Coverage reporter Scott Franz, and Terence Shepherd of WLRN.
Other conference sessions included youth programming, membership engagement, and idea sharing on fundraising. Local music showcases are a tradition at RMCR conferences, and bluegrass duo Lizzy Plotkin and Natalie Spears did not disappoint, opening for funk act Millk at the Crested Butte Center for the Arts on Thursday night. The RMCR board of directors held their annual meeting on Friday.
