KKFI continued in 2000 with events and shows which got some publicity.
Robert Barrientos was hired as station manager for KKFI and started out with some positive press on July 11, 2000 in the Kansas City Star.
Newsletter July, 2000
Newsletter August, 2000
In the Fall, 2000 newsletter, Mr. Barrientos now described himself as both “general manager and CEO”. Now KKFI began to transition from called “community radio” to “public radio” perhaps because he was trying to compete with his former employer, KCUR a National Public Radio station, from which he allegedly left in questionable circumstances.
In October, 2001 the KC Pitch – the alternative newspaper for Kansas City, started to observe a disturbance in the Force in KKFI’s universe. Exalted words like “professionalism” and phrases like “. . .needs to start acting like a radio station” were being thrown around by the new manager. Some long-time KKFI volunteers began to get nervous. After all, they thought, KKFI was not supposed to be a mainstream corporate radio station, but an alternative to the puffed-up self-important broadcast world.
People listening on the radio to the the Fall, 2000 on-air fund drive now started to hear hear KKFI identified as “Kansas City’s Public radio Station”.
From the book that inspired community radio station KKFI, people began to be concerned that this might happen soon to KKFI.
Soon, there would be a battle for the soul of community radio In Kansas City which would last for over three years.