Background Statement
On February 2nd, 2003, KHEN hit the airwaves in Salida, Colorado. For years, the founders of KHEN ran a grassroots campaign to raise funds and awareness for Chaffee County’s first community radio station. At the beginning, the studio was a small office off an alley with 18 programmers playing 12 hours of content a day. The antenna transmitted from a nearby roof right on F Street.
Today, KHEN hosts 38 local shows and 20 syndicated programs, with content airing 24 hours a day from our antenna atop Tenderfoot (“S” Mountain). Listeners can also stream KHEN online 24 hours a day.
KHEN is proud that our community-based station acts as a cornerstone for other local non-profit organizations and government agencies within Chaffee County. In 2023, we read 200 public service announcements over 3,000 times and we host a “station takeover” with the Chaffee County Community Foundation during Colorado Gives Day.
We’re also proud of our local DJ’s bringing music, news and podcasted content to our community. In a world of algorithms and canned music, our all volunteer DJ crew brings shows with heart and soul. We also host programming that highlights locals like Looking Upstream, a podcast in conjunction with Chaffee County Public Health, and School Zone, a show celebrating the accomplishments of our local school districts.
KHEN is also proud to support the local musicians and venues with our free Live Music Calendar. Created by volunteer DJ Jim Lofgren in 2021, it is now the go-to music guide for locals and visitors alike who want to explore the growing live music scene in Chaffee County.
KHEN operates with a volunteer Board of Directors, 1 part-time staff member, and an Executive Director with many integral services provided by volunteers. Our DJ’s present FCC compliant programs with creativity and passion.
Visit khen.org to learn more about our community outreach, events, or to volunteer. Community Radio–You Belong!