KRML/Carmel Welcomes New Owners
• Tech veterans Craig and Rhonda Howard-Vachon announced they have acquired heritage non-comm Triple A 94.7 KRML-1410AM/K234DH/Carmel, CA, the Central Coast and Monterey Bay’s premier destination for curated music discovery and community connection. This marks the inaugural radio asset for their company, El Avance, LLC.
“After 40 years in high tech, buying a terrestrial FM radio station probably makes me look even more like a knucklehead to my peers,” said Craig Vachon. “But that’s the point. In a world obsessed with frictionless, algorithmic echo chambers, something human, local, relevant, and genuinely alive matters more than ever.”
The good news: There will be no changes to programming, DJs, or the station’s musical direction. Unlike algorithm-driven feeds, KRML’s programming is curated by people who live in and love the Central Coast — people who know the surf report, the small venues, the hidden shows, and the artists passing through town before the rest of the world catches on, whether you are in Monterey, Santa Cruz, Salinas, or points between. “Algorithms treat music like a frozen dinner — predictable, optimized for mass consumption, and fast,” Vachon added. “KRML is your neighborhood restaurant. We serve comfort, yes, but our real specialty is introducing you to a new favorite you didn’t even know you were craving.”
Rhonda Howard-Vachon emphasized continuity and care, noting, “The voices our listeners have grown to trust and love — Jasmine and Jeff, who guide that discovery — and the spirit of the station aren’t going anywhere. We’re simply here to support it, grow it, and invite the community to become even closer.”
Bonus Fun Fact: KRML was the setting for the classic 1971 Clint Eastwood radio/stalker film, Play Misty For Me.
