KPBS loses signal, gains a partner in 94.9

Local public-radio outlet KPBS-FM (89.5 FM) lost its signal, but it gained a partner.

The station went off the air at 5:30 a.m. yesterday when power lines feeding its transmitter were burned in the Harris Fire on Mount San Miguel. Broadcasting resumed three hours later on alternative-music station FM 94.9 (KBZT-FM), which volunteered to air KPBS radio's news programming in place of its usual musical line-up.

"Our intention at this point is to continue to broadcast KPBS for the next two to three days until they have an opportunity to get up to San Miguel and figure out how bad is it is or is not," said Darrel Goodin, vice president and market manager for Lincoln Financial Media, San Diego, which owns the station. "I think their programming is extremely valuable at a time like this."

KPBS-FM has been airing wall-to-wall coverage of the wildfires since Sunday evening. In addition to airing on FM 94.9, the radio station can be heard vial the live Web stream on KPBS.org and on 97.7 FM in Calexico.

-- Karla Peterson