If you’ve tuned into a local radio wave lately, you’ve probably noticed some new voices and perhaps even changes in music and programming. On Jan. 1, five local radio stations — including KGTL, KPEN FM/AM, KXBA, and KWVV — relaunched under the collective ownership and management of Peninsula Radio Group, which purchased the group of stations in June 2024 from former owner David Becker of Peninsula Communications.

Peninsula Radio Group identifies as a family-run venture, with host Michael Dukes serving as chief broadcaster and president. Dukes is a third-generation Alaskan and hosts a statewide syndicated radio program called The Michael Dukes Show. He says he first got started in radio when he was 16, back when things were still run on carousals and carts, tape decks and record players.

“I’m an early adopter and firm believer in technology,” Dukes said.

The plan is to continue to update the building and studios, but the stations themselves have already transitioned onto a new automation system, one which allows for easier control, production, programming changes, and the ability to partner with other transmitters, allowing their signal to broadcast throughout Alaska.

“We probably have the largest broadcast footprint of a single station in the country,” said Dukes. “A single broadcast signal from KGTL or KPEN can be heard from Unalaska Dutch Harbor all the way to Delta Junction.”

Peninsula Radio Group broke down the newly revitalized, local radio stations for prospective and former listeners in its Jan. 7 press release. KGTL-620 AM will cover local news and talk shows. KPEN-840 AM will be a 100% simulcast of KGTL for the Kenai/Soldotna area. PEN-FM (CHET FM) will be dedicated to 1980s and ’90s country music. KXBA-FM (KBAY) will all-day run classic hits from the 1980s and ’90s. KWVV (KWAVE) will shift from the self identified “indie powerhouse” to “pure Adult Alternative.”

It’s been a busy month as they transition technology, programming, and their personal lives to Homer, but Dukes said he’s passionate about the intersection of community and radio in the area.

“To me, that’s what radio is all about. It’s about being part of the community,” he said. “My goal here is to be as engaged as we can be. There are more things that bind us together than divide us, right? My show is about politics, so I understand the divisiveness, but it’s something that I’ve railed against for years, you know?

“I always end my show with, ‘Be kind, love one another, live well.’ We can always find somebody or something to disagree with — that’s not hard — but finding that commonality? That’s what binds a community together, and I think radio can highlight that.”

Chloe Pleznac is a general assignment reporter for the Homer News. You can reach her at chloe.pleznac@homernews.com or by calling 907-615-3193.

An older, momentarily retired studio at the station on Diamond Ridge Road is photographed on Jan. 28, 2025. A great example of how radio technology has developed and adapted over the years. (Chloe Pleznac/Homer News)