‘Western Skies’ Episode Wins First Place in National Competition

KRCC, Colorado College’s NPR-member station, took first place in the Public Radio News Directors, Inc., competition with an episode produced on the news show “Western Skies.” The episode, titled “Agriculture,” won in the Best News/Public Affairs Program category in the “small newsroom” division. The show, produced by news director Andrea Chalfin and Noel Black, originally aired on Sept. 5, 2010.

KRCC’s “Western Skies” also received a second-place award from the Colorado Associated Press in the Documentary category for the same episode. The Associated Press competition was among large market stations and not limited to public stations. The “Agriculture” episode, which sought to connect listeners with the people who produce food, interviewed people ranging from those who advocate community-supported agriculture to traditional ranchers. The full episode can be heard at: http://radiocoloradocollege.org/2010/09/western-skies-september-5-2010-agriculture/

‘Western Skies’ to Ride KRCC’s Airwaves Once Again

The much beloved news magazine “Western Skies” returns at 11 a.m. Sunday, June 6 after several years of dormancy. Produced by KRCC News Director Andrea Chalfin and “The Big Something’s” Noel Black, the hour-long, monthly show addresses a single topic facing the region and the West. The show will air on the first Sunday of each month.

“Tourism” will be the subject of this Sunday’s “Western Skies” and will feature:

  • A roundtable discussion about the past, present, and future of this vital industry with Terry Sullivan, CEO and president of Experience Colorado Springs, Leah Davis Witherow, archivist at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, and Susan Wolbrueck, board president of the Manitou Springs Business Improvement District.
  • A segment on the burgeoning agritourism in Colorado by Michelle Mercer.
  • A conversation with Capitol Reporter Bente Birkeland about proposed legislation pitting whitewater rafting against private land owners.
  • A feature on Pikes Peak’s famous donuts.

Tune in to 91.5 FM, and make sure you check the KRCC website for additional web-only features, including a video of donut making, a history of Balanced Rock in photography, and much more.