KTOM 92.7-FM; KDON 102.5-FM; KION 1460-AM and 101.1-FM; KOCN 105.1-FM—Type: All are commercial radio stations owned by Clear Channel Media and Entertainment. KTOM: “Today’s Country”; KDON: “#1 Hit Music”; KION AM/FM: “Power Talk”; KOCN: “K-Ocean”; Address: 903 N. Main St., Salinas, CA 93906; Phone Number: 831/755-8181; Website: www.ktom.com; www.kdon.com; www.powertalk1460.com; www.105kocean.com; Circulation/Listeners/Viewers: N/A; Deadlines: 4 weeks lead time for PSAs Contacts: Mark Carbonaro, Public Service Director, markcarbonaro@clearchannel.com, 831/796-4059; Other Info/Tips: Mark Carbonaro has been involved in local radio for decades and is definitely the “go-to” guy for these stations.
KCDU 101.7-FM: “The Beach” (current hits); KHIP 104.3-FM: “The Hippo” (classic rock); KKHK 95.5-FM: “Bob” (oldies and current adult hits); KBOQ 103.9-FM “Bee” (oldies)—Type: All are commercial radio stations owned by Mapleton Communications; Address: 60 Garden Ct., Suite 300, Monterey, CA 93940; Phone Number: 831/658-5200; Website: www.1017thebeach.com; www.thehippo.com; www.955bobfm.com; www.b1039fm.com; Circulation/Listeners/Viewers: N/A; Deadlines: 4 weeks lead time for PSAs. Contacts: Send PSAs to:; 1017thebeach@radiomontereybay.com; 1043thehippo@gmail.com; Bl039fm@radiomontereybay.com; OtherInfo/Tips: Very little local programming. Long-time radio listeners will remember KBOQ as “K-Bach,” the region’s classical music station. That station no longer exists.
KAZU 90.3-FM—Type: Public radio station, NPR affiliate; Address: 100 Campus Center, Building 201, Room 317, Seaside, CA 93955; Phone Number: 831/582-5298; Website: www.kazu.org; Circulation/Listeners/Viewers: N/A; Deadlines: At least two weeks in advance. Contacts: David Wittrock, Ops Manager and host of Morning Edition: dwittrock@kazu.org; Krista Almanzan, News Director and host of All Things Considered, kalmanzan@kazu.org; OtherInfo/Tips: Station is owned/operated by University Corporation of CSU-Monterey Bay.
KPIG 107.5-FM—Type: Commercial radio station with free-form, eclectic format; Address: 1110 Main St., Suite 16, Watsonville, CA 95076; Phone Number: 831/722-9000; Website: www.kpig.com; Circulation/Listeners/Viewers: KPIG listeners are fiercely loyal, and the station often ranks #1 with adult listeners in the Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz market. Also has a large world-wide streaming audience. Deadlines: 2-3 weeks in advance. Contacts: Hog Call – 831-724-PORK. See below. OtherInfo/Tips: Owned by Mapleton Communications, but operates with more-or-less independence from the corporation. One of the last live, local stations in the area. Reach KPIG listeners through the “Hog Call” by calling 831/724-PORK and recording a short announcement about your event. Keep it fun and entertaining, not hard sell, and you might get some airtime.
KRKC 1490-AM; KRKC 102.1-FM—Type: Commercial radio stations playing country music and play-by-play sports. Address: 1134 San Antonio Dr., King City, CA 93930; Phone Number: 831/385-5421; Website: http://krkccountry.com; http://kc102.com; Circulation/Listeners/Viewers: N/A’ Deadlines: N/A; Contacts: Local news hourly with Chuck Cannon. Contact their news staff through their Facebook page, KRKC News. OtherInfo/Tips: If you can tailor your pitch to South County (King City, Greenfield, Bradley, San Ardo) this could be a good bet.
KRML 1410-AM, 94.7-FM—Type: Both are commercial radio stations, adult contemporary format; Address: 27300 Rancho San Carlos Rd., Carmel, CA 93923; Phone Number: 831/244-0102; Website: www.krml.com; Circulation/Listeners/Viewers: Voted “best radio station” in 2013 and 2014 in the Monterey County Weekly “Best of . . .” annual reader poll. Deadlines: 4 weeks lead time for PSAs Contacts: General Manager Mike Hale mike@krml.com; OtherInfo/Tips: All programming is either music or specialty topics (gardening, restaurants) that are paid for by the individual hosts. Though the call letters are the same, this is not the KRML that used to play jazz and was featured in Play Misty for Me. That station on longer exists.
KUSP 88.9-FM—Type: Public-supported radio station, NPR affiliate; Address: 203 8th Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95062; Phone Number: 831/476-2800; Website: www.kusp.org; Circulation/Listeners/Viewers: Located in Santa Cruz, but easily heard throughout Monterey Peninsula and beyond. Deadlines: 6 weeks lead time for PSAs, send to psa@kusp.org; Contacts: News/Program Director J.D. Hilliard, jd@kusp.org; Morning Edition Host Johnny Simmons, gls@kusp.org; OtherInfo/Tips: 30-second PSAs are offered only to government agencies, nonprofits, and arts events. Get a nonprofit to sponsor your event, or emphasize the arts angle. Tip: Pitch your writing as a “First Person Singular” feature airing Mon-Wed-Fri at 7:33 a.m. and 4:33 p.m. Contact J.D. Hilliard, jd@kusp.org to be considered.
KWAV 96.9-FM—Type: Commercial radio station, soft rock format; Address: P.O. Box 1391, Monterey, CA 93940; Phone Number: 831/649-0969; Website: www.kwav.com; Circulation/Listeners/Viewers: N/A; Deadlines: 4 weeks lead time for PSAs Contacts: Email PSAs to frontdesk@kwav.com; OtherInfo/Tips: Has just been sold to Mapleton Communications.
This list was compiled by Joyce Krieg, June 2014. Please let us know if any information has changed.