By Assunta Ng
The other day, a man called me saying he was from a group trying to start the Seattle chinese Radio. Although the group claimed to be the first, this would actually be the fifth group trying to start a local chinese radio program. I was involved with the first Seattle chi- nese Radio on KRAB FM, started by a group of University of Washington chinese students in the 1973. Another group split off from Seattle chi- nese Radio and called themselves Seattle chi- nese Broadcast, also on KRAB. Both groups broadcast its programming in cantonese. In the 1990s, Richard chan started Sino- cast with a box. yes, people had to buy a special radio in order to enjoy the program. The program was discontinued after a few years. Another radio group, the Seattle chinese Public Radio, sprang up two years ago. They had more than 20 people involved,
with mostly local chinese immigrants from Hong Kong. Though their name was regis- tered in Washington State, the group voted against launching the radio show. A spokes- person said chinese radio is not sustainable and SPcR will change into a podcast under the Seattle chinese chamber of commerce. The new Seattle chinese Radio is done by around 30 people, mostly immigrants from mainland china. The program, which will be conducted in Mandarin, will start June 25 on channel 1150 AM, and will air Mon- day through Friday from 9 p.m. to midnight. The program will have news, movie re- views, and soap operas, said the founders. Seattle chinese media has been flourish- ing for the past decade.
Aside from seven chinese language newspapers, the area also has AATV, a 24-hour daily television chan- nel on cable 92 and digital TV 44.3 founded by the cho family from Taiwan.(end)
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