Over 30 Years of Broadcasting.
Every year is a chance to reflect on what AINC means, where we were, and where we are going. Our community makes a difference every day. Thank you for our first 30 years, and here’s to our next.
Community Memories…
Shirley Proppe:
30 years ago I was working at a large corporation with great money and great benefits. I hated it. It was a heartless and uninspiring job. I was also extremely busy with home and family: raising my then 7 year old son and everything else that goes with family. Fast forward to today and my son is grown and my life is completely different. I am so thankful for my new joyful and more purposeful life. I attribute a great deal of my joy to working at AIN. I am so happy to work for such a meaningful and worthwhile organization.
Katy Todd:
AIN was my first real foray into the job world. Everyone was very nice. Always my favorite soda in the fridge. People would come back to my warm control room and say hi. Doggies are well loved there and I always enjoyed seeing them. I was taught the system from a few wonderful people and when I left, my replacement was a joy to teach!! Grocery add Carl always made me hungry! They always remembered special occasions. KT’s barbeque was my favorite! Thank you guys!
Matt Kissane:
2019 was a busy time in our suite, with our friends from Trinware transforming our entire technological infrastructure. Jared and Bill were a comforting presence: patient, social, gracious, and generous with their knowledge. They each had a welcoming, sometimes self-effacing, sense of humor. One day Bill came into my office, searching for something. They were replacing our wi-fi routers and one was missing. This search went on all day. We all got involved, climbing ladders and looking above the false ceiling panels to no avail. Near the end of the day, Bill asked me to follow him to a studio. Plain as day, a wi-fi router stood on a studio counter, with one of its two antennae pointing upward, as if thrusting its only finger in the air. Somebody had covered it with a clipboard.
Kat Bradbury:
Where was I 30 years ago? 1991 I was in Polarity Therapy training, working a full time gig, working a part time gig as a clinical specialist, and teaching step aerobics. It was also when first became aware of the Radio Reading Service of the Rockies (original name), as a credit union was in the same building, and I first saw the sign for RRSR. It took me 5 years for my life to slow down enough to where I was ready to investigate what RRSR was all about.
Matt Kissane:
I had never needed to worry about the TP inventory in the men’s room, always well-supplied for our volunteer readers and staff, until we ran out. While the order was in transit, I used paper towels for a few days. Then our audio engineer, Katy, invited a guest: our old friend, her predecessor, Ryan. During his visit, he emerged from the men’s room and announced we were out of TP. I said I had to use the rough stuff all week. Katy immediately said, “Why don’t you take some from the women’s room? There’s a bunch in there.”
Now I know.
Alex Flynn:
6 years ago I walked into AINC studios to do my volunteer audition. I was so nervous – I thought I totally botched it! Kat brought me into her office and began playing my audio back to me. Of course, I was cringing listening to my own voice (who likes hearing their own voice anyway?)… But after some words of wisdom, Kat put me on Gilpin County News. I started volunteering at AINC to challenge myself to be confident in my voice. I then made it my goal to get a job at AINC. I’m celebrating my 4 years of employment at AINC. It has been a wild, but amazing, ride!
Ryan Osentowski:
I never would have become a pet owner if not for my time at AINC. Bethany Gaines rehomed her cat with me and I renamed her Mags. I have many fond memories of sitting in the kitchen over coffee getting good advice on how to be a better cat daddy from my pals Matt and Kim Ann. Adopting Mags was one of the best things I ever did and I adored her until she passed away in 2019. I also gained a greater appreciation of Windows over Linux, but don’t tell Curtis Willoughby.
Kim Wardlow:
I started volunteering in 1999 reading children’s programming. For the first few months, I recorded on reel-to-reel tape. Recorded programs were played overnight using a VCR. I lived and worked in Denver so drove to Boulder once a week to record. By September the recording studios were computerized and I was working in Boulder so I could record over my lunch hour. I had no idea then that I would be joining the AINC staff two years later.
Penn Street:
30 years ago my two stepdaughters were little girls, I was teaching full-contact self-defense class, and I could not imagine what my life could possibly look like in 30 years. If I could travel through time I would tell my younger self to take more time to enjoy the small things because they would become cherished memories. I was so busy preparing for my future I don’t think I stopped often to enjoy the present. I think today I will take a few moments to enjoy the me I worked so hard to become.
Kat Bradbury:
1995: 26 years ago, I came into the AINC studios in Boulder located at 5290 Arapaho Ave. Regina Heger was in charge of auditioning and assigning volunteers. Auditions were recorded on a reel-to-reel tape recorder and checked by Regina Heger. I was assigned at that time to the 90 minute ‘live’ Thursday morning broadcast reading of the Rocky Mountain News with Hyman (Hy) Solomon. There are no pause buttons in “live” broadcast so we always had two readers. I read this weekly for 5 years until I came on board as a staff member in Feb of 2000.
Scroll back through time…
First… set the mood and teleport to the 90s.
1990
Establishment of the Radio Reading Service of the Rockies (RRSR)
David Dawson knew there was a need for greater access to materials for blind and low vision Coloradans. Dawson, who is blind, and a small group of volunteers began recording newspapers, magazines and other materials on reel-to-reel tapes in a tiny studio.
1991
New Bill leads to First Broadcast
The HB 1174 Bill was signed on March 11 in Boulder and Adams County, allowing for the State Library to contract with RRSR. This law made it easier for other counties to fund and contract with RRSR in the near future.
Programming included Rocky Mountain News and Grocery Ads
1992
First LIVE Broadcast
The first live-streamed program was aired on channel 6-KRMA. At this point, broadcasts were running 20 hours every day of the week. Programming expanded to include the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and National Geographic.
1995
Colorado Springs Studio Opens
Due to an increasing demand of programming serving Colorado Springs, RRSR opened up a small studio at the KRMA-TV headquarters. Recordings were taped and had to be mailed to the Boulder location, so there was a 2-3 day delay.
1996
Switch to Analog allows Colorado Springs Services to Expand
The switch from tape to analog allowed the Colorado Springs channel to go 24/7 – with no delay. RRSR was able to include more Colorado Springs newspapers in the programming.
2003
Upgrade to Larger Studio Space
RRSR moves to a larger building at 2200 Central Avenue in Boulder to accommodate the expanding services, and over 100 volunteers.
2007
Name Change
➔ The Audio Information Network of Colorado
2009
Switch to Digital
Rocky Mountain PBS made a major switch from analog to digital. That’s when AINC began leasing out digital receivers to listeners across the state.
2013
AINC Moves
AINC moves to their current location at 1700 55th Street, in Boulder, CO.
2015
Spanish Programming Launches
Within two years there is a full 24/7 Spanish broadcast and over 40 Spanish podcasts.
2018
Kim Ann Wardlow becomes the new Executive Director
She served as Marketing Director for AINC for 17 years before taking over as Executive Director when David retired. Jumping into action to further AINC’s mission, she spearheaded initiatives to modernize AINC. One initiative was adding smart speakers to our listening options. Expanding listener services called for a new, modern logo.
2019
Technology Overhaul
AINC began working with Trinware to upgrade technology, equipment, and complex broadcast systems.
2020 – now
Perseverance through a Pandemic
The historic COVID-19 pandemic presented many unexpected challenges, but AINC’s quick action allowed the mission to continue for the benefit of the vulnerable listeners during this critical time. All 100+ volunteers transitioned to a remote-reading protocol in a matter of weeks. AINC staff contacted every registered listener to offer support and resources. In addition, the AINC Amazon Alexa Skill was made public, allowing listeners to access their local news and COVID-19 updates by voice, safe at home.