KRML is under new ownership with a ‘growth mindset’ and respect for local radio.

KRML is entering its next era, and the new owners of the radio station aim to respect its past while looking toward the future.

Husband-and-wife duo Craig Vachon and Rhonda Howard-Vachon of Carmel purchased the station from the company that owns Carmel Valley Athletic Club and the Refuge, where the station is located. The couple, who have worked in tech for 40 years and have lived on the Central Coast for more than 20 years, are avid listeners of KRML 94.7, Vachon says. When the opportunity to purchase it arose, they jumped on it.

“We love to build things,” Vachon says. “We decided this would be a great way to have something to contribute to the local community that we love so much.”

From its beginnings in the late 1950s, KRML has offered listeners a mix of local stories and music, along with other programming and live events. Vachon says the goal is to maintain KRML’s programming, with plans to broaden its reach and community involvement in the future. That includes expanding its digital presence and moving its Carmel Valley studio space.

General Manager/Program Director Jeff White, who has been with KRML for 13 years, says he is “very, very excited” about the new ownership, while giving kudos to the previous ownership and the team for keeping the station locally connected.

“Craig and Rhonda love the station,” White says. “They can’t imagine Monterey Bay without it. They really share our vision.”

While listenership grew “exponentially” during the pandemic, according to White, things have plateaued in recent years. The new ownership has a growth mindset and “the tools to do it,” he says.

The radio station plans to reach out to its listeners to learn what they want KRML to offer.

“We listen to our listeners, because we don’t exist without them,” White says. “As we grow we’re going to continue to do that.”

Vachon says in today’s digital age, algorithmic websites such as Spotify and Pandora recycle what is popular at the moment, likening it to buying a frozen dinner at the grocery store for convenience. KRML, he notes, is one of those increasingly rare stations where a human curates the music to allow the listener to discover new tunes.

“We have more fun when we go to our favorite restaurant, and the chef recognizes us and has us try something new,” he says. “That’s KRML.”