On many of the shows you hear on 104.1 FM and KZSM.org, hosts share their passion, knowledge, and interest. Music shows such as “Celtic Corner,” “The Latin Energy Show,” “Big Up Reggae,” “Smooth Honey Bear Blues,” and “Metal Mark Live” grow out of each DJ’s years of listening to and collecting the music they love.
Talk show hosts not only share their expertise but also expand their knowledge by creating their broadcasts. Damian Entrican, host of “The Blitz” (Saturdays 11 a.m. to noon), extended his love of sports into the local sports scene. Last week, he talked with Jeremiah Wilkerson, who hosted the wrestling show “Shattered Glass.” Jeremiah’s interview with Thunder Rosa grew into a career as a manager of Mission Pro Wrestling.
Cathy Lara, host of “Raices” (Sundays 7-8 p.m.) brought the knowledge she accumulated as a native San Marcan who attended school here and worked for many years in her late father’s business to community radio. Her bilingual show traces the roots of our changing community, collecting oral histories that might otherwise be lost to time. “You think you know everything about community and family,” she reflects, “but I’m learning a lot doing research.”
“Science Stories” (Fridays 3-4 p.m.) host Mateo Garcia is a research scientist with a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, but his interviews go beyond his own field to span the known universe, with shows about robots, comets, music, and the health benefits of yoga, among many other topics. He highlights the personal experiences of scientists as well as their research to “bust that enigmatic aura [around science] and convince more people to become, or support, scientists.”
In addition to writing this column, I host “Bookmarked” (Tuesdays 4-5 p.m.), sharing my life-long love of books and reading. I can continue exploring books indepth, as I did for years as an English Professor, but I’m no longer confined to “literature.” I’ve come to know biographies, memoirs, histories, and selfhelp books, along with fiction of all kinds.
If you have an interest or a passion, whether professional or personal, you can share, explore, and expand it by creating your own radio show. We’d especially like to add shows about food and cooking or restaurant reviews, health and wellness, or home and garden. To get started, go to KZSM.org or email [email protected].
