craigdailypress.com

In a small trailer beside the Ford Auto Body Shop, a big plan is coming together.

It is the new home of Craig's television station, K27FA.

"It has gone from a one-man operation to four people," said Tia Shaw, who recently took over ownership of the station.

Shaw purchased the station, which was formerly located in a duplex, six months ago from former owner Bill Engler.

In the small editing room of the station, Shaw and two of her employees, Michael Phelps and Marty Martinez discuss the new and improved station.

"It (television) is a different visual, people are able to say exactly what they want to say and won't be misquoted," Shaw said.

K27FA has an unspoken motto, according to Martinez, which is, "What is important to Moffat County, is important to us."

The old station aired the American 1 Channel but the new station will air the Sportsman Channel, which Shaw said will have a better appeal. Many of the people featured on the Sportsman Channel, which advertises itself as "all hunting, all fishing, all the time," are located in Northwest Colorado. Along with the Sportsman Channel, K27FA will air local news six times a day, local advertising and high school sports. The station does this on a thirty-minute delay.

"It is very, very popular with the community and it is where we get most of our advertisers," Shaw said. "But it is our goal to get as many local people on air as possible."

The six times a day the station breaks with news are:

• 6:30 and 7 a.m.
• 5:30 and 6 p.m., with a new broadcast
• 9 and 9:30 p.m.

"It (the television station) is all about the community," Shaw said.

She said those working at the station are hoping people from the community will call in with news stories and ideas so that the station can cover those events.

Every hour the station presents local advertisements.

"We would like to expand with more local advertising," Shaw said. "There are a lot of people that haven't been approached."

To expand the advertising base, Shaw and Martinez, who has worked in sales for 19 years, have decided to feature more public service announcements and reach downtown businesses with the chance to advertise in a different medium.

Everyone on staff at the station is responsible for advertising, filming and editing.

Phelps, who was hired a week ago, is a graphic artist who will work on making the advertising up to date.

A typical day for the station is "mayhem," Shaw said. The crew knows when there is going to be planned news events, such as a commissioners meeting and are out on the street selling advertising in between such events.

"We do a lot of feel-good stories," Shaw said.

After that is accomplished the team meets back at the trailer to put together the evening news cast.

Getting the station up and running was no easy task, Shaw said.

"It has taken three and a half weeks to get up and running, but we are finally running," Shaw said.

Problems have arisen from many sides. The satellite signal wasn't reading the cues from the Sportsman Channel, the equipment, that had been sitting in the duplex for many years was attached in complicated ways and was hard to take apart and put back together.

"We would like to thank Les Hutton and Darryl Newell," Shaw said, "Without them I don't' know where we'd be."

But, despite all of the trials, K27FA is back, "bigger and better than ever" said Shaw and they want everyone to know it.

Liz King is an intern with the Craig Daily Press. She may be reached at 824-7031 or eking@craigdailypress.com.