Who: “Colorado Matters” host Ryan Warner
When Dan Drayer, the most public voice of Colorado Public Radio, left to seek his over-the-air fortune in Washington, D.C., listeners were left to wonder what would become of “Colorado Matters.” Enter Warner, who slipped seamlessly behind the mike as host of
KCFR’s low-key interview program. Warner, whose professional background includes whistle stops in Yellow Springs, Ohio; Columbia, Mo.; and Sioux City, Iowa, moved to Denver from Fort Myers, Fla., in October and immediately was confronted with a format change, as well the challenge of fitting in with a new staff and finding his way around a new hometown.
Have you settled in as a Coloradan? Settled in? More than settled in. I found my niche in snowshoeing, taking weekend trips. Part of the appeal to move here was that my family used to come here to ski, and it’s closer to my family in California.
The format for “Colorado Matters” is evolving. How is that going? It’s working well. The idea was to become a newsier program. We’re a half hour right now, but we’re in the midst of hiring more producers, so when we return to an hour we will renew that commitment.
Any other changes? We would like to have more geographic diversity. We’ll be seeking to bring voices from around the state, from the Western Slope and the Plains. We’re hoping to work with local musicians for a theme song. The other thing is more interactivity, using listeners and previously used experts.
So, more, shorter topics? The show will be a mix of the conversation folks have come to expect from the show. We’re going to be more selective. There will be fewer 40-minute book interviews. The question is, at what point do we lose a listener?
Are you ever afraid you’ll run out of topics to discuss? My God! There’s no doubt there’s no shortage. I remember being a weekend news anchor in Sioux City and praying for a lead story. Now it’s, “How do we cover it all?”
Are there similar issues in Colorado and Florida? One big connection is environment and growth. Here it’s mining, drilling and water. There it’s the Everglades and water. A question in both places is population growth.
Anything you’ll miss about Florida? I will tell you that I am pleased not to cover another hurricane storm again.
TUNE IN
Colorado Matters listeners breathed a collective sigh of relief earlier this year when the fresh local interviews began to outnumber the repeats.
You can tune in to KCFR 1340-AM and 1490-AM to hear new reports by Ryan Warner and other hosts and producers at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The station also makes its broadcasts available online at kcfr.org, and access to its audio archives is free.
