Radio station change makes sense
By Timithie Gould
One of the Bay Area's most popular alternative rock stations, KNCL Channel 104.9, recently disappeared. Clear Channel Radio, who owns the station, decided on a changeover that resulted in what you'll find if you tune your radio to 104.9 right now: La Romantica, a Spanish-language soft-rock/pop station.
It was a business decision that happened after former 104.9 listeners were deemed too young to attract profitable advertising, said Kim Bryant, Clear Channel Regional Vice President of the San Francisco Bay Area. The public has not been pleased.
The day after the change occurred, I had three e-mails in my editorial inbox protesting the new station. The messages gave the same argument to express their dissatisfaction: Getting rid of alternative rock and adding another Spanish language station does not reflect the community or target a profitable audience. I could not disagree more.
Despite the Santa Clara "bubble," where almost everyone you see is white and has a fair amount of disposable income, the rest of the San Jose area is extremely diverse.
In fact, San Jose has an Ethiopian population of over 40,000. Over 30 percent of San Jose residents are Asian, and the Hispanic population accounts for over 35 percent of San Jose residents. But out of the top 25 radio stations in San Jose, only six are broadcast in the Spanish language -- one of which includes the new La Romantica.
Latino populations are the fastest growing in California, so why shouldn't our radio media reflect that change? Channel 104.9 listeners have responded poorly to the change, not only mourning their alternative rock DJs but going so far as to call the Clear Channel execs responsible for the decision "racist bums."
Other similar comments have been posted on a Web petition (www.petitiononline.com/1049) to bring back Green Day and Death Cab to the South Bay.
Another of the angry letters sent to me claimed that "KNCL was the only local alternative rock station left for the South Bay." As stated in last week's Metro, a Silicon Valley alternative newspaper, have these angry fans completely forgotten about actual alternative stations such as our own KSCU? This and other college stations like San Jose's KSJS, Foothill and DeAnza's KFJC and Stanford's KZSU played many of the now-popular alternative bands when they were still independent. Tune in there to hear what will probably be on Clear Channel alternative stations next year.
At Santa Clara, it's easy to forget about the rest of the San Jose community. Sure, we want to hear Jack Johnson and Nine Inch Nails just as much as the next guy, but living in the culturally diverse Bay Area means exposure to the lives and traditions of many cultures. That includes media like newspapers and radio.
Give La Romantica a chance. You'll find some of the reggaeton beats just as appealing as the new David Banner song. And if, God forbid, you are in dire need of hearing that new Aqualung song one more time, try an alternative like San Francisco's Live 105.
Meanwhile, consider yourself lucky to have something else to listen to when you just can't stand hearing Yellowcard for one more second.
Timithie Gould is the opinion editor for The Santa Clara.