The University of Southern California is adding to its collection of stations in the Bay Area with the purchase of KCNL 104.5 in San Jose. The goal is to increase the coverage of classical KDFC into the South Bay area. If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll recall that KDFC switched from commercial to public early in 2011. You can read about it at Radiosurvivor.com and and a little more clearly at Radio-Info.com.
It’s probably one of the most convoluted arrangements in the radio universe:
KDFC used to belong to Entercom, who sold the brand and the programming to CPRN (Classical Public Radio Network) which is 90% owned by USC. (Entercom wanted the powerful commercial signal and didn’t want to be in the classical radio business.) USC then leased and took over KUSF at 90.3 FM. The FCC hasn’t approved the sale yet, but it probably will. Sadly, the action has enraged the loyal KUSF listeners who are still fighting to get their indie programming back.
KDFC/USC then added a translator in Los Gatos in December 2011 to expand to the south, but the signal doesn’t reach South Bay. KDFC also owns 89.9 KDFC in wine country.
With this new purchase, KDFC will be able to cover the southern part of the Bay.
KCNL is currently a Spanish news/talk station that is all paid programming. The goal eventually is to convert it from commercial to non-commercial once the sale is complete. USC is offering $7.5 million for KCNL. KDFC plans to start airing classical music through an LMA while the sale goes through the long process to completion.
The upshot of all this horse-trading is that KDFC will soon be able to provide classical programming to the entire Bay Area and its Presiden Bill Lueth will have good news to tell all those community members who are calling and yammering at him.
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