The demise of Cheney jazz station, KEWU 89.5 FM , saddened many, but the end of one historic broadcast era has opened doors for another nonprofit radio operation.

In an effort to keep oldies music alive and thriving on the local airwaves, in 2012, Bob Fogal and his wife Pati launched KOOL 107.1 FM. They say video killed the radio star, but for Bob Fogal, his biggest headache was audience reach. Plagued by a weak signal which barely touched the outskirts of Spokane, he once lamented the plights of being a “low-powered David against the giant Goliaths of radio.”

His 10,000-watt fix finally arrived.

When Eastern Washington University put KEWU up for sale, Fogal seized a golden opportunity. As a board member for the Oldies Preservation Society, which owns KOOL, he made a bid on that license

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