Robert “Doc” Pelzel’s career spanned more than 40 years, during which he oversaw Foothill College’s KFJC, a free-form noncommercial radio station which evolved and survived through the years under his leadership.
Many of Doc’s students went on to successful careers in broadcasting and the recording industry. Doc described the celebrated KFJC as a “local, community homebrew, as opposed to the high-powered, high-budget commercial stations. It is encouraging people to expand and try stuff other than what they’re used to. We try to get our jocks to not only get out of their own comfort zones, but also get the listeners out of theirs, so you never know what you’re going to get next.”
The station website proudly describes KFJC as “radio that’s weirder than you, but not by much.”