Perhaps
you are aware of Sun Radio, the
amalgamation of six FM frequencies (and one AM) that is the talk of Austin,
Texas.
Sun Radio [link] goes by the
call letters KDRP. It is a low power FM station based in the Austin exurb of
Bee Cave.
In a few short years Sun Radio has become an inspiring success story and is MVP in Austin
music and cultural scene. And it operates on pennies a day because it is almost totally solar powered.
Sun
Radio founders Daryl O'Neal and his son Denver literally made something out of
nothing. It started when the O’Neal’s acquired defunct KDRP-LP in 2009. At the time KDRPwas a silent 5-watt construction permit that didn’t even
have a studio.
Today
KDRP/Sun Radio is the fastest growing
noncommercial station in the area. On the left are the February Nielsen Audio
PPM ratings. When compared to February 2017, Sun Radio increased their number
of estimated weekly listeners by 39%.
The
story behind Sun Radio is a
remarkable climb that is a lesson in perseverance and radio smarts.
Daryl O'Neal |
In
the 1990s Daryl O'Neal was sales manager at Shamrock Communications, a
respected commercial radio group owner. Shamrock sold out to corporate
consolidators. O’Neal left and became the CEO of Independence Media Holdings
(IMH), a private company that specialized in fattening-up commercial stations
so the owners could sell them for big bucks.
It
was soulless work. O'Neal hated it because it was so far from the kind of
people-to-people radio he had known. Then came an Oh Wow! Moment.
One
of O’Neal’s clients was Brad Hockmeyer, owner of KTAO, a commercial station in
Taos, New Mexico. KTAO was the world’s first solar powered radio station. After
seeing KTAO and talking with Hockmeyer O’Neal decided to build a similar
operation in the Austin area, a much bigger market than Taos.
Daryl O'Neal (right) with sons Josh & Denver |
O’Neal
founded a nonprofit organization that bought KDRP’s license in 2009.
O’Neal was
still working for IHM then. To avoid a
conflict of interest, Daryl O’Neal brought his son Denver into the business.
Denver O’Neal became the legal director. O’Neil left IHM in 2011 to concentrate
of Sun Radio.
After KDRP, Sun Radio acquired frequencies at 88.9FM in Johnson City, 99.1FM in Fredericksburg,
100.1FM here Austin, and 107.1FM south of Austin. In every location they put
solar power to maximum use.
As
Sun Radio expanded, personalities from other Austin stations began knocking on
the door.
The first person jump on board was the late KUT disc jockey Larry
Monroe, an Austin legend. The story goes that Monroe had just one question for
O’Neal: Can I play what I want to?
O’Neal said “Yes” and that sealed the deal.
The
next person to jump on board was Jessie Scott, a founder of the Americana Music
Association and the person credited with coining the term "Americana.”
Then
came Kevin Connor, a popular morning host on an Austin AOR station, followed by
Bo Chase from Z102, KLBJ’s John Dromgoole, Roger Allen defected from KGSR and
Ed Miller for KUT. Some of these folks left high-paying corporate jobs to work
at Sun Radio for pennies. Sun Radio
meant that much to them.
Since
then Connor has become the Program Director and Denver O’Neal now runs the
operation. Daryl O'Neal is still Sun Radio’s visionary, working on expanding
coverage by finding new signal.
Ryan Schuh |
Another
person who has been part of the organization from the start is Ryan Schuh. Schuh
has had an amazing career in commercial rock radio. He was there for the
beginning of Z-Rock, programmed stations for Infinity/CBS and hosted a radio
show with Larry the Cable Guy, but nobody holds that against him.
Schuh
was the first employee at KDRP. According
to local lore, to get to work he drove over 60 miles a day for two years. He is now Director of Affiliates for Sun Radio.
Sun
Radio is still run on a tight budget where every dollar counts. That is one
reason to rely on solar power. According to a local source,
last September Sun Radio’s electric bill was negative $17.12.
STEWART VANDERVILT IS NEW
PRESIDENT OF COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO
Stewart Vanderwilt |
Since
we are talking about Austin radio, we say congratulation to longtime KUT
manager Stewart Vanderwilt who has accepted the job to be President of Colorado
Public Radio (CPR). As you might know CPR’s founding President, Max Wysick, announced
his retirement in 2017. Vanderwilt
begins his new gig on July 1, 2018.
Vanderwilt
is a perfect choice to lead CPR. We’ve know him since he was at Ball State.
Congratulations!
While I certainly applaud the overall intent of Sun Radio. And I don't want to be the fly in the ointment, but how is Sun Radio legal with KDRP involved? You can't rebroadcast another radio station's programming on an LPFM license.
ReplyDeleteKDRP broadcast its own programming and is not Sun, takes music programming and local news from the Sun Network, a feed provided for small NCE an LPFM stations to supplement their programming choices in Texas. Sun and KDRP are separate entities/boards/studios etc. Sun is a vendor. LPFM stations can (and do) receive many NCE network and show options. PRI Pacifica NPR (lessor but available) and others. LPFM stations can also provide their programming to full service stations via leasing HD channels or from their translator-LPFM can own translators. Not all LPFM stations are required 8 hours a day of local programming...only those who won based on points in an Auction. even those LPFM must find programming for the other 16 hours a day
ReplyDelete