Article: Pala Rez Radio featured in a KPBS News Article

Article

Pala, CA – The Pala Band of Mission Indians announces that Pala Rez Radio was featured in a KPBS News website article titled “The little radio station that’s keeping Indigenous culture alive on the air.“

“If you drive toward the Pala Reservation on Highway 76, and tune in to 91.3 FM, you might just hear the time announced in words that will be unrecognizable to most listeners — except for some who call the Pala Valley home.

At every top of the hour and half hour, 91.3 KPRI broadcasts a time check in Pá’anexily, also known as Cupeño — the native language of the Pala Band of Mission Indians.

Pala Rez Radio serves the people who live within the San Luis Rey River Valley. At only 150 watts, their broadcast is low-powered. Anything stronger would compete with neighboring radio stations in San Diego and Riverside counties. The station’s signal is just strong enough to reach the Pala Valley, extending to the border of Fallbrook, Bonsall and the crossroads between Highway 76 and Interstate 15.

The station was born of fire. In October 2007, amid extreme drought and Santa Ana conditions, the Harris, Witch Creek and Rice fires broke out. Pala Rez Radio station manager John Fox said communication in the area was terrible.

“Pala was evacuated because there were fires on two sides of it,” he said. “Most people stayed out of town for about four days, not realizing they could have come back after about four hours. The communication was that poor.”“

– Published by KPBS News, June 17, 2025, – Article

Screenshot

Pala Band of Mission Indians

For more information, contact the Pala Band of Mission Indians:
760-891-3500 | www.palatribe.com