KLON makes waves

By Grace Camacho, On-Line Forty-Niner

Thursday, October 8, 1998

KLON-FM, Cal State Long Beach's renowned jazz station, is hosting its last membership drive for the year.

The station, which is located on Upper Campus, is a nonprofit organization that depends on member and listener contributions to run the station.

The station has decided against a monetary goal, but does hope to raise around $600,000.

The drive, which began Oct. 2, has raised approximately $210,000. It will end Oct.17.

"People know that if they want to listen to jazz on the radio they need to support it," said Nick Roman, KLON news director.

Roman said that the station tries not to do anything special during this time, because they want their listeners to support them day in and day out. However, the station did air The Smithsonian Jazz Master Works Orchestra live from The Terrace Theater in Long Beach and is planning to air Poncho Sanchez live from the Hollywood Park Casino tonight.

With the 14 years that Roman has been with the station, he said that this year's drive has been more successful than in previous years.

"This is probably because of the increase of listeners, which have tripled since 1991 due to on-air talents, Chuck Niles and Gary Wagner," Roman said.

KLON-FM, which has a current membership above 30,000, can be heard throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties on 88.1 FM.