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Commissioners say county will not buy local radio station; discuss gaps in emergency communications after KRLN shutdown
Summary
Following the shutdown of local radio KRLN, commissioners discussed the loss of an audio channel for emergency information, said county will not buy the station with taxpayer funds, and encouraged residents to sign up for reverse 911 alerts.
Commissioner Grantham raised concerns about the recent shutdown of local AM station KRLN and the loss of a long-standing channel for county information and emergency notifications. He said the county and other local entities will need to find alternative ways to disseminate urgent information to residents, particularly those in rural areas who rely on AM radio.
Grantham said the idea of the county taking over the station had been raised in public conversation but stated explicitly that the county would not purchase and operate a government-owned radio station. He encouraged community members to engage with other private options and said the county would “facilitate” efforts to reopen the station if a non-governmental operator appears.
Commissioner Bell and staff noted that residents should sign up for the county’s reverse 911 emergency-notification system (the county’s “COM 911” reverse alert service available on the Fremont County website) and confirmed that the county uses multiple channels (texts, emails, phone calls) for those alerts. Commissioners said they will continue to evaluate alternative communication channels, noting bandwidth and rural broadband limitations can hinder live-streamed audio options.
No formal action was taken; the discussion centered on outreach, emergency preparedness and the county’s policy not to use taxpayer funds to purchase local media outlets.
