Free access to flagship program supports KRZA amid significant federal funding loss
Centennial, Colo., Sept. 30, 2025 - Colorado Public Radio (CPR) announced today it will begin providing its flagship daily news and interview program, Colorado Matters, to KRZA in Alamosa, Colo. The program will air on KRZA at no cost to the station as part of CPR’s efforts to support public media organizations most impacted by the defunding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
KRZA, one of Colorado’s smallest public radio stations, serves the San Luis Valley and northern New Mexico with local journalism, civic information and emergency alerts. While all public media organizations recently lost critical federal funding, that funding accounted for more than half of KRZA’s operating budget. With a staff of only two full-time employees, the station plays an outsized role in delivering news and public safety information to a largely rural, underserved region that in many areas has no alternative source of timely or locally relevant broadcast journalism.
"We believe deeply in the role public radio plays in keeping communities connected and informed – especially in regions where there may be few other options,” said Stewart Vanderwilt, president and CEO of Colorado Public Radio. “We’re proud to make Colorado Matters available to KRZA. The public media system only works when we stand up for each other."
Colorado Matters, CPR’s daily news program since 2001, offers in-depth conversations on issues that matter to Coloradans. Hosted by veteran journalist Ryan Warner, a multiple Edward R. Murrow Award winner, Colorado Matters features interviews on politics, public health, the arts and more. The show amplifies voices from all corners of the state and is known for its interviews with Colorado’s governor, which have spanned the last four administrations. In 2021, longtime journalist Chandra Thomas Whitfield joined as co-host, adding a new perspective to the program’s statewide coverage. Whitfield’s work has appeared on NPR, The New York Times and Essence, and she was a 2019-2020 Nieman Fellow at Harvard University.
The program will begin airing on KRZA Wednesday October 1, giving local audiences access to statewide stories and perspectives while allowing KRZA to stretch limited resources. CPR will continue to share State of the State and other public affairs content with public radio stations across Colorado.
"KRZA is excited to collaborate with CPR to bring Colorado Matters to a new audience!” said Gerald Rodriguez, KRZA general manager. “Together we will connect cultures along the upper Rio Grande region."
"Public radio exists to serve the public, not compete with one another,” Vanderwilt added. “We will continue to look for ways to share resources and ensure Coloradans in every corner of the state have access to trusted news and information.”
Colorado Matters airs on CPR News and KRCC at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. every weekday and at 10 a.m. on Sundays. KRZA plans to air it at 1 p.m. Monday to Thursday. The show is also available on podcast platforms and on-demand at cpr.org.
Media inquiries: [email protected]
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About Colorado Public Radio
- Colorado Public Radio is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization delivering meaningful news, music, and cultural experiences to everyone in Colorado using the power of the human voice in all its forms. More than 95 percent of CPR’s funds come from the private support of listeners, businesses and foundations. For more information, visit www.cpr.org.
- CPR News delivers in-depth, insightful and impartial news and information from around the world, across the nation and throughout Colorado, examining its relevance to our state and connecting it to our community.
- CPR Classical takes listeners on an in-depth exploration of thoughtfully curated music – with an emphasis on Colorado’s classical community – providing context to a broad range of meaningful and compelling works from past to present.
- Indie 102.3 takes listeners inside the world of new and independent music – exposing them to up-and-coming artists and highlighting Colorado’s local music scene.
- Denverite is an online news source dedicated to Denver's curious and concerned.
- KRCC is a public radio station in Colorado Springs, Colorado, serving Southern Colorado. KRCC is operated by Colorado Public Radio in partnership with Colorado College.
