Comments on: 94.7fm KNRK – Give us Feedback? Then "#YouFail"

By: ben(d)

ben(d) — Sun, 15 May 2011 03:54:47 +0000

I was cruising around Portland today listening to 94.7 fm. I don't know all the history, don't know who Tara Dublin is, or Squid, or whatever. And I heard no Marley, Nirvana, Bowie or Pearl Jam. What I did hear was junk like Young the Giant, MGMT, The Joy Formidable and other stuff your great aunt listens to because it makes her feel edgy. And then someone telling me I was listening to "alternative Portland."

For a town with such great independent culture to have a lousy station like 94.7fm calling itself "alternative Portland" is a crime.

By: Dan DeChynne

Dan DeChynne — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:39:33 +0000

I understand what you are talking about. KNRK has gotten to big for its britches. I sent a request letter to help sponsor a benefit concert for Japan disaster relief through Mercy Corps and all the program director did was delete the email without reading. He should of at least read it. That shows me his complete arogance. It will be a great event without them.
Concert is June 18th at the Bossanova Ballroom and will feature 12 original music bands from the Pacific NW. All excellent in their own genre. Smoochknob and the Smoochgirls will headline.
We have received lots of support. Too bad the only station in town that comes close passed. It will be live cast on the webpage for the event. http://sites.google.com/site/headbanginforhope/
I hope you check it out.
Dan DeChynne
DeChynne Enterprises

donation page also
http://www.mercycorps.org/fundraising.dandechynne

By: rkm

rkm — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 23:07:13 +0000

The key word here is ALTERNATIVE, unfortunately, that doesn't mean what it used to!! It might as well mean mainstream. So, for those of you that have no idea what ALTERNATIVE used to be, it was a far cry from what it is considered to be today. So, if you want to cry that 94.7 doesn't play as much new music as you want, then listen to those other stations that do, or just download it. Save 94.7!!! Let them try to be ALTERNATIVE, and realize that if it wasn't for the older classic alternative bands from the 80's and early 90's paved the way, for everything that is happening now, that is considered to be ALTERNATIVE. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM ACTUALLY PLAY A LOT LESS NEW CRAP, AND GET BACK TO BASICS OF REAL ALTERNATIVE THAT HAS SOME SUBSTANCE AND DEPTH AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, ORIGINALITY!!!!

By: amk

amk — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:45:51 +0000

Is 94.7fm owned by the same corp. as 105? I've been looking for a song played a week or so ago, on one radio station… Perusing the various stations playlists I was appalled to see that both 105 and 94.7 have terrible playlists. Unless I'm missing something you can't search back more than a day, or only by artist. wtf?

true, npr and opb do a fantastic job. interviewing new musicians and playing whole albums! whethers is loudon wainright, air, etc. I'd much rather support real 'alternative' PUBLIC radio!

By: Bret Bernhoft

Bret Bernhoft — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:34:10 +0000

Has anyone ever heard of KPSU 1450 AM?

By: Grant Ruby

Grant Ruby — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:23:46 +0000

I'm not defending what Squid and 94/7 did in this case, I'm here to drop some numbers about the base issue: Who plays more new music?

According to BDSRadio.com, Z100 played 189 song titles in the last 7 days, KNRK played 580. On Z, 45 songs are "current" while on NRK 92 songs are considered such. The argument is easy to make that NRK does, in fact, play more new music. Even if it is a smaller percentage of their overall programming (23.8 vs 15.9).

By: Geoff Kleinman

Geoff Kleinman — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:14:55 +0000

Greg is a great guy and I think his Bottom Forty is a great show. I'm sure it'll survive the station.

By: MysticalChicken

MysticalChicken — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:12:58 +0000

@Chris Snethen The Bottom Forty is the only time I ever listen to the radio anymore either (besides that, I haven't listened at all for months). I love that show too much to stop listening to it entirely.

By: Marc

Marc — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:15:58 +0000

I also am a huge fan of the OPBMusic stream. You will not find a better source for independant, local musicians. As for @947fm I'm simply going to add them to my Twitter block list.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:47:48 +0000

I was shocked when I read the #youfail! I remember reading your tweet and thinking that I had sent them similar feedback a year ago after listening to the millionth David Bowie and Bob Marley song. I heard nothing about it and so I tuned out.

And how much time has passed and no apology has been issued?

By: DJ Young

DJ Young — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:44:54 +0000

I am not a regular listener of Portland radio, with the exception of OPB, 89.9 or 89.1. None of the other stations, including KNRK hold any interest for me. Your post only serves to illustrate what a waste of time tuning into them is. I agree with OvertheAir? that satellite radio is highly preferable and there are more musical options to choose from, including alternative (I do find their classical avenues a little wanting…).

I simply can think of nothing relevant about those corporate, commercial stations: what do they offer the public? At best they are a wallpaper of sound to drown out traffic noises on the Banfield. At their worst, they are the smug, self-involved self-referring simpleton crass masters of the corporate jungle gym. Really – who cares what they think, say or do? They are completely irrelevant to culture and society at large. In time they will be replaced by more of the same and no one will know any different.

By: OvertheAir?

OvertheAir? — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:00:32 +0000

Three simple words – Sirius Satellite Radio.

By: Ex-Vegan

Ex-Vegan — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:41:39 +0000

When I first moved to Portland 2 years ago, I asked a colleague where I could find a station that played new, alternative music. She directed me to 94.7/KNRK. When I tuned in, they were playing a song by The Smiths.

Sure, my colleague was a decade younger than I (and perhaps listening to songs from the 80s and early 90s is "kitsch" to Gen Y), but the playlist seemed to be more of the stuff I listened to in college (Pearl Jam, Nirvana, The Pixies, etc.) and was anything but "new."

Luckily, now I have satellite radio in my car, where I can truly find new artists, and if I'm in the mood, I can relive my younger years with some "old school" alternative music.

By: Chris Snethen

Chris Snethen — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:16:00 +0000

Such a weird reaction from the NRK folks. If it really is Squid running that Twitter account, then I've lost a ton of respect for him. That's really too bad.

For me the only time really worth listening to NRK is Sunday nights when Greg does the Bottom 40. I always find something new and interesting in those two hours. Otherwise, it's just the same Nirvana/Pearl Jam/Chili Peppers songs over and over.

It's such a weird station. People genuinely root for them and are really passionate about making it their own. There's a place in town for a KINK for the 25-49, under-$100k crowd. I wish it was 947. Unfortunately it's not.

By: John Shimek

John Shimek — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:54:34 +0000

I read this and think about the commercial stations here in Minnesota. I don't think we have one with bad public relations like this, but the music is not new or fresh. Luckily for us, a couple years ago, we got The Current (thecurrent.org) which is part of public radio. They are always playing new music, they support the local scene.

Good luck with the radio there.