Eagle News

Eagle Communications feels that it is very important to participate in the communities that we serve. We take pride in knowing that we not only provide a wide variety of services to many communities, but we also give support to many community functions. We continue to look for new ways to benefit members and organizations within our communities.

One way Eagle makes a difference is through our partnership with the United Way. Eagle not only matches employee contributions to the organization, but we hold a flea market every year in which all the proceeds from sold spaces go to the United Way. Employees from Eagle join together to make teams to participate in the annual mud-volleyball tournament. Eagle and the United Way also team up to “Pack the Pumpkins.” This is done during the FHSU, TMP, and HHS homecoming parades.

Along with our partnership with the United Way, Eagle also sponsors the “Spooktacular” at Cervs during Halloween. Parents can dress their kids in costumes and bring them to Cervs for chances to win prizes, and most importantly, to have a little fun.

During the past few years Eagle has performed rebuilds and upgrades to many of its systems in order to allow them to increase their service capabilities. The most recent rebuild was done in Russell. The Russell cable system is now able to receive Animal Planet, The Food Network, and our newest product, HDTV. We have also done upgrades in Wakeeney, and this summer we launched digital cable there.

Eagle also feels that education is very important. We supply the schools and libraries in most of our systems with free Internet and cable access. This allows for the schools and libraries to integrate many new learning tools into the educational setting.

Eagle is very proud of the services and contributions that we are able to provide not only to our customers but to the rest of the community.

Eagle Communications raises money for the Ellis County United Way

With the innovative Pack the Pumpkin campaign, the Employee Owners of Eagle Communications helped to raise $1338.76 for the 2005 United Way of Ellis County campaign. This project alone saw a 353% increase in giving over last year.

“The United Way campaign is a major priority because it's a very effective and efficient way to assist the local nonprofits organizations in their efforts to continue helping the community become a better place,'' said Eagle Communications President and CEO Gary Shorman. “I am very proud of our staff for dedicating themselves to this fun and worthwhile project.”

In addition, Eagle also generated another $420 in donations for the United Way from the company’s annual “Flea Market.” Total United Way giving from these two projects was $1778.76.

(January 24, 2008) Hays - Eagle Communications announces a corporate transition of Eagle Community Television (ECTV) within the company’s Broadband Division.

The new division will be called the Marketing and Advertising Division. Joe Engel was appointed as director of division affective February 15th. He will continue the management duties of ECTV along with the oversight of the Broadband marketing team.

“The collaboration will allow for improved efficiencies in both areas of the organization,” said Eagle Communications President Gary Shorman. “Our ECTV staff does an outstanding job and we look forward to this constructive way for them to work together and to better utilize their strengths.”

ECTV was created in 2000 and serves WaKeeney, Ellis, Hays and Russell by providing cable advertising. It also produces the popular Streetbeat information program and the Forum interview programs.

Eagle Communications, Inc. is a Kansas based Broadband Services Company with over 250 employee-owners. The company now operates 26 radio stations in Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri as well as cable TV systems in Kansas and Colorado. The company also offers e-business solutions, web hosting, high speed internet, wireless internet and digital phone services in most service areas. For more information log on to www.eaglecom.net.

(January 24, 2008) Wray - High speed cable Internet is now available to the residents of Wray from Eagle Communications as part of the work to rebuild and upgrade of the community’s cable television system.

“We are very excited to offer the community high speed cable Internet service,” said James Miller, Eagle Communications Business Development Coordinator. “The residents of Wray are enjoying further benefits from this rebuild that we started last summer.

Eagle will offer customers two options for Internet speeds including a 256k/256k, a 1mb/1mb, and 2mb/512k. The Internet packages require no phone line, are always on, and include 3 free email addresses. Customers will also receive a significant discount for the service when it is bundled with Eagle’s Expanded Basic cable television service or better.

Eagle Communications, Inc. is a Kansas based Broadband Services Company with over 250 employee-owners. The company now operates 23 radio stations in Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri as well as cable TV systems in Kansas and Colorado. The company also offers e-business solutions, web hosting, high speed internet, wireless internet and digital phone services in most service areas. For more information log on to www.eaglecom.net.

(January 22, 2008) Marion - Eagle Communications has made improvements to the cable television and Internet system with the completion of a fiber build project in Marion.

That work began with a meeting with USD 408 Superintendent of Schools, Lee Leiker in the summer of 2007 to develop a working partnership to share and blend Fiber resources for the mutual benefit of the greater Marion Community and Eagle Communications. Following that brainstorming session, an agreement was reached that allows the use of Eagle and USD 408 Fiber to carry Local Origination Programming from Gene Winkler’s downtown studio to the Eagle broadcast site. This traffic travels through the High School in Marion and also giving USD 408 staff and students potential access to that same broadcasting resource for the future inclusion of broadcast journalism into their curriculum, while offloading the current cable system from that same traffic providing positive benefits to the Marion community.

“We were able to provide a direct fiber connection to Marion ’s local television channel 22,” said Dennis Weese, Eagle Communication’s Business Development Director. “This direct connection not only improves the video quality of the local channel but will also improve the speed of the community’s Internet. More importantly, Eagle was able to provide a vital resource to the schools that will allow them to take advantage of the high interest level of today’s students in video broadcasting, and provide real world technical and communication training for tomorrows future community leaders, thus ensuring that we do our best in assisting our community partners in the economic revitalization of rural Kansas.”

Eagle Communications, Inc. is a Kansas based Broadband Services Company with over 250 employee-owners. The company now operates 25 radio stations in Kansas , Nebraska, and Missouri as well as cable TV systems in Kansas and Colorado . The company also offers e-business solutions, web hosting, high speed internet, wireless internet and digital phone services in most service areas. For more information log on to www.eaglecom.net.

(October 29, 2007) Hays - Eagle Communications is introducing a new phone service to Ellsworth. “Eagle Digital Telephone is a technology that allows customers to make phone calls using a broadband Internet connection instead of a regular phone line,” said Dennis Weese, Eagle Communications Business Development Director.

“You can call anyone who has a telephone number—including local, long distance, mobile, and international numbers. The service has been available in parts of the state and we are excited to make available to the residents of Ellsworth.”

Eagle digital telephone allows customers to use the phone they already own in their home or business. Eagle will install the additional equipment and activate the new service for you. Talk to whomever, whenever, and as much as you want, and spend less on your phone bill.

All the convenient features you need at home (including 911 service) and those you want:

• Caller I.D.
• Call waiting
• Call forwarding
• Caller I.D. Block
• Call return
• Repeat dial
• 3-way calling
• Voice mail

Business Phone Products Include:

• Low per minute rates
• Time Packs for business
• Unlimited Long distance packages
• Toll free services
• Integrated technologies
• Travel Cards
• Extremely low international rates
• Free account codes: Control what leaves your business.

Eagle understands “one size fits all” product solutions do not work for everyone, which is why they focus on providing customized solutions to meet individual business telecommunication needs.

Whether you make an occasional long-distance call or dozens every day… Eagle Communications has a product to meet your business phone needs. Bundle your Long Distance with Eagle’s High Speed Internet and save time and money every month with one easy to read bill.

Eagle Communications will customize a plan for any business or organization at no cost.

(September 20, 2007) Hays - Eagle Community TV (ECTV) Hays, Kansas was presented with three broadcast awards during the 50th annual Mid-American Cable Show in Overland Park September 11th-13th, 2007.

Street Beat, the nightly Eagle Cable Channel 14 news program, won 2nd and 3rd place MIDI Awards in the Community Programming category.

The news segments "Cruising’ with Casey” featuring reporter/photographer Casey McAvoy’s coverage of the Star-Spangled July 4th Spectacular in Ellsworth and coverage of three simultaneous fires June 20th in Hays by producer/anchor Becky Kiser and photographer Casey McAvoy were recognized.

Also winning a 3rd place award in the Cable Advertising category was the series of commercials for Holzmeister Liquor of Hays. It was created by Jordan Schaeffer, ECTV Assistant Production Director.

Each year the Mid-America Cable Show sponsors the MIDI Awards to honor excellence in Cable Programming, Advertising, and Marketing.

The Mid-America Cable Show is a non-profit, membership organization of cable system operators based in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

(September 12, 2007) Hays - Eagle Radio announcers have received recognition from the Kansas Association of Broadcaster. Scott Boomer with KKQY-FM received a first place award for thirty second commercial. He also received a first place award for DJ personality aircheck.

Shawn Tiemann, for KAYS, radio received a first place award for sports play-by-play and Gerard Wellbrock earned a second place award for complete sportscast.

Dustin Armbruster, Chase Topliff and Mike Holliday with KKQY-FM received a 3rd place award for sports play-by-play.

The 2007 Kansas Association of Broadcasters awards will be presented October 22, during a ceremony to be held at the Prairie Band Casino, in Mayetta.