KPFZ-FM is an FM

radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...

that broadcasts a

community radio Community radio is a radio service offering a third model of radio broadcasting in addition to commercial broadcasting, commercial and public broadcasting. Community broadcasting, Community stations serve geographic communities and communities o ...

format to

Lake County, California Lake County is a County (United States), county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 68,163. The county seat is Lakeport, California, Lakepor ...

. KPFZ's staff, including board members, programmers, and hosts are volunteers.

History

KPFZ began as a

pirate radio Pirate radio is a radio station that broadcasts without a valid license, whether an invalid license or no license at all. In some cases, radio stations are considered legal where the signal is transmitted, but illegal where the signals are rec ...

station in

Lucerne Lucerne ( ) or Luzern ()Other languages: ; ; ; . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking portion of the country. Lucerne is the capital of the canton of Lucerne and part of the Lucerne (district), di ...

in 1996, broadcasting in a limited fashion (weekends, and evenings mostly). In 1997–1998, the pirate station applied for a full power broadcasting license. In 2000, and while volunteers awaited the

U.S. Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, wi-fi, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains ju ...

's (FCC) decision regarding the pirate's full power license application, the station applied for a low power license. Through grass root efforts, the pirate station was granted an FCC low-power license in 2001. At that time the call letters KPFZ were implemented. The inspiration for these call letters came from

Pacifica Radio network Pacifica Foundation is an American nonprofit organization that owns five independently operated, non-commercial, listener-supported radio stations known for their progressive/liberal political orientation. Its national headquarters adjoins sta ...

's listener-supported stations such as

KPFA KPFA (94.1 FM) is a public, listener-funded talk radio and music radio station located in Berkeley, California, broadcasting to the San Francisco Bay Area. KPFA airs public news, public affairs, talk, and music programming. The station signed o ...

. The station began broadcasting as KPFZ 104.5LP-FM, and was the first station in

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

's radio history to be licensed as such (LP-FM). On April 25, 2005, a construction permit was issued for the broadcasting of KPFZ 88.1fm 'full-power' (100 watts, or more, of signal strength). This effectively ended the stations low-power broadcast as preparing for the larger broadcasting signal and paying for the continuance of the low-power station proved to be too costly. By mid 2006-early 2007 KPFZ began broadcasting as full power KPFZ 88.1fm "Real Radio for Lake County, CA and Beyond." In 2014 KPFZ had four committees (from web-development to fundraising), and more than nine titled volunteer staff positions. KPFZ has experienced growth as a grass-roots community media outlet since its inception in 1996.

Programming

The founders, and volunteers of KPFZ and their collective dream of a full power localized media outlet, concentrating on issues affecting Lake County residents, giving a voice to minorities in the county, and commercial free music had been realized. KPFZ music programs include Linda Gubert's "Denim Alley," "Boogie Sessions" hosted by local resident Brent Bomia, "Reggae Spirit" hosted by local citizen Tee Watts, "Raptured Disc" hosted by L.C. resident Roberto Lozano, "Eclectic Echoes" hosted by local retired jr. high school principal Tim Hoff. Talk shows include "Karma Cola", hosted by one of KPFZ's founding members and current station manager Andy Weiss, "The Voice of White Plume" hosted by Native American/Lake County, CA

Pomo The Pomo are a Indigenous peoples of California, Native American people of California. Historical Pomo territory in Northern California was large, bordered by the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast to the west, extending inland to ...

native tribesmen Clayton Duncan, "The Law Show" (formerly: 'Im Not a Lawyer, but I Play One on the Radio') hosted by local paralegal Herb Gura, "Savings and Trust" hosted by longtime local resident Debbie Bielenberg, and "The Taira St. John Show" hosted by Taira St. John. These programs have been broadcasting on KPFZ since its pirate and/or low power radio days.

External links

PFZ-FM Community radio stations in the United States {{California-radio-station-stub

History

Programming

See also

External links