KPCW founder Blair Feulner announced July 15 that he would likely be off the air for six months.
He resigned as the president of Community Wireless of Park City in March, but remained an “at-will” employee of KPCW, according to Joe Wrona, a Community Wireless executive committee member.
It’s unclear why Feulner left, but in a recent e-mail to The Park Record he stated that he was “hopeful that an agreement will be reached that will mean I’ll be behind the microphone and back on the air doing news six months from now.”
Feulner had a rough year in which the organization he established to oversee public radio stations in Park City and Salt Lake City was forced to sell its Salt Lake frequencies. The newsman was also criticized when reports revealed his past six-figure salary at the radio station.
Community Wireless board members reportedly met behind closed doors last week to discuss Feulner’s status as an employee at the station.
The board of trustees of Community Wireless of Park City confirmed Tuesday that Blair Feulner is no longer associated with the station.
Text from the release follows:
The Board of Trustees of Community Wireless of Park City confirms that Blair Feulner resigned from the organization on July 15. Given his resignation, board members are not currently involved in negotiations regarding a sabbatical or other form of ongoing employment.
“Blair Feulner has done so much for the community by founding KPCW and nurturing it for 30 years into one of the nation’s highest regarded stations,” said Bill Mullen, president of the station’s board. “While it is always difficult to see a founder and icon step aside, the KPCW team is very strong and fully staffed, and now we’ve moved into a great new studio and are truly ready for a new day in our new digs.”
Founded nearly 30 years ago, KPCW is one of the smallest National Public Radio affiliates and one of the most successful. Market research conducted by Paragon Research, a leading media research firm in Denver, Colo., found that nearly 70 percent of the Park City and Summit County community listens to KPCW one or more times a week.
On behalf of the KPCW staff and board of directors, we thank Feulner for his many years of hard work, dedication and service. KPCW is one of the institutions that make Park City such a special place to live. We look forward to continued success and an ever deepening commitment to our listeners and supporters in Park City and Summit County.