KCOU
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| City | Columbia, Missouri |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 88.1 MHz |
| First air date | 1973-10-31 on 88.3 MHz, 16 watts, monaural |
| Format | College |
| ERP | 430 watts |
| HAAT | 44.0 meters |
| Class | A |
| Facility ID | 28513 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 38°56′23″N 92°19′20″W / 38.93972°N 92.32222°WCoordinates: 38°56′23″N 92°19′20″W / 38.93972°N 92.32222°W |
| Former callsigns | KEJJ (1993–1994) |
| Owner |
Missouri Students Association (The Curators of the University of Missouri) |
| Webcast | radio.kcou.fm - shoutcast stream |
| Website | kcou.fm |
KCOU (88.1 FM) is a radio station broadcasting the College radio format. Licensed to Columbia, Missouri, United States, the station is currently owned by the Missouri Students Association at the University of Missouri.
Originally known as KCCS (the Kampus Carrier Current Station), the station was founded in a dorm broom closet in 1963 as a carrier current AM station at 580 kHz. In 1973, the Independent Residence Halls Association was granted a broadcast license by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to operate in monaural at 88.3 MHz FM with 16 watts. Historically, this was the first license ever issued to a student group within a university, instead of to a university's administration. Operation began Halloween evening, playing the oddball tune "They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha-Haaa!".
In the mid-1990s, the Missouri Students Association bought the station from the Residence Halls Association, who deemed it a financial burden for the organization.
The student-run station gained notoriety during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s by promoting alternative music/college rock and providing a platform for new artists and new trends. It has broken or been among the first radio stations to play bands such as Death Cab for Cutie, Uncle Tupelo, White Rabbits (band) and Ditch Witch.
In 1993, the station reunited the cult favorite Big Star as part of its annual Springfest concert. That show featured original bandmembers Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens, along with Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow of the Posies. A recording of that reunion show was released as Columbia: Live at Missouri University 4/25/93.
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