KCNL Studios in San Jose (Photo: J. Waits)
On Friday, May 25, the sale of KCNL to University of Southern California (USC) was officially consummated and classical music programming began airing on 104.9 FM in the San Jose area. These preliminary broadcasts are just a hint of what’s to air on the future home of KDFC programming in the south bay.
According to KUSC President Brenda Barnes, “…we closed Friday and are just airing classical music selections without an announcer until we are ready to begin broadcasting.” Barnes explained that they plan to officially launch this south bay station after KDFC’s membership drive.
Barnes said, “Since listeners in the South Bay and Peninsula have been waiting for classical music for more than a year we want to be sure they do not hear a membership drive right out of the starting gate.”
The membership drive is scheduled to run from June 7 to June 15. When it is completed, it is expected that KCNL will begin airing programming from classical KDFC. KDFC is owned by Classical Public Radio Network (which is 90% owned by USC), the same group that is also awaiting word from the FCC on its hoped-for purchase of University of San Francisco-owned KUSF 90.3 FM.
In the meantime, KCNL’s former owner, Principle Broadcasting Network, is working to migrate some of the old brokered Spanish language programming from KCNL to its other FM station, KSJO 92.3 FM. KSJO was formerly all Chinese language brokered programming, but it now is expanding to include shows in a variety of languages, including Spanish and Russian.
According to the China 92.3 website,
“Representing the beginning of a new era for International languages in the Bay Area, U92.3FM – The Universal FM is developing and airing a number of programs in Mandarin/Cantonese, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Persian and Filipino languages to be broadcast over the entire Bay Area on its powerful 32,000 Watt FM signal.”
Based on 92.3 FM’s posted schedule today, the range of programs on KSJO now include, “Chinese Music Time,” “La Voz de Jesuscristo,” “International Spanish Language Music,” “Russian Music,” as well as a range of other programs in Spanish and Chinese.
