Hey everyone!
It’s with so much excitement that I welcome everyone back to 1190 News for the CU Boulder fall semester. My name is Samyukta (Sam) Sarma, and I’m the station’s new News Director! I’m so happy to finally introduce my amazing co-worker Ethel Yagudayeva as the new Assistant News Director.
Ethel and I have known each other since our freshman year and while her bright attitude first stood out to me, her immense talent speaks for itself. I’m confident for the year ahead and eager to begin working with her and the rest of our team!
I want to highlight another new team member, Grace Moore, who is beginning as Co-Print Editor alongside Nick Merl this semester. Grace’s writing and organizational skills are sure to be an asset to our team and I can’t wait to see what our Print Editors accomplish together this year!
As you may have noticed, our Summer News Team worked extra hard this year to bring you consistent content despite working with a significantly smaller team and varying summer schedules. This is the first year ever(!!!) that we’ve been able to maintain continuity of programming over the summer.
The News Team’s Lead Producers’ cohort has been planning all summer, and we’re finally ready to start bringing you some content beginning with our first full fall semester show on Sept. 8. While a lot is changing, a lot is staying the same as well. Our commitment to community-relevant, enjoyable and informative content will always remain as well as our innovative and tenacious student spirit.
The 2024-25 academic year was a big year for the station and for News Team specifically. We won over 20 national and regional awards, including the Society of Professional Journalists’ Mark of Excellence award for Best All-Around Radio Newscast. As some of you may know, two of those national awards are for our website, so we encourage you to check in to our online content as well as our airwaves.
We also launched our new translator, bringing 1190 not only into Denver but also onto FM at 92.9. This increased our listening circle population to 3.5 million.
Our momentum hasn’t stopped just yet! Before the 2025-26 academic year even started, we were announced as finalists in the College Media Association Pinnacle College Media Awards in five categories, including Audio Outlet of the Year.
We truly couldn’t have done all of this without your support. Thank you so much for listening, reading and just for keeping us in mind. Ethel and I will work hard to ensure that this year is just as monumental for both us and our community.
We’ll catch you on the air soon, and are looking forward to hearing what you think about our upcoming content! As always, please feel free to reach out to news@1190.radio to submit feedback or suggestions, or call the studio phone during the news hour at 11 a.m. to speak to the host directly at (303)-492-1190.
Yours truly,
Sam
__________________________________
Hello our dear listeners, my name is Ethel Yagudayeva, and I couldn’t be more thrilled and honored to step into the role as Assistant News Director this year!
This team has been such a wonderful source of inspiration and love, and embracing this new responsibility is just as much of a homecoming as it is a new adventure. I have some gorgeous and powerful heels to fill left by Juanita Hurtado and Sam Sarma after they left such a wonderful impact on the Team and on myself. They were my first impression of pure community, support, and leadership in the media world, a truly rare group of people I will remember endlessly.
Now, I am grateful to stand hand-in-hand with Sam, continuing the beautiful legacy of our Radio 1190 News Team. Together, we’re ready to keep the powerful momentum of all the efforts and accomplishments that our lovely volunteers and supporters give us. Radio 1190 News will continue to be the safe and embracing space where our family shines.
To the rest of the News Team, I can’t wait to see what we create together, and hope our family keeps on growing!
Thank you for all of your blessings and support!
Let’s be family!
With love~
Ethel