Radio ElaStation KMAX 107.1 FM Orange County
by Gene Harubin Zygmont
With the opening bars of the Hejnal from St. Mary's Church in Krakow, Radio Ela aired it premiere program over station KORG 1190 AM, in Orange County, on Sunday, August 30, 1992.
The program was conceived in January, 1992, at a Gala Ball, sponsored by the Polskie Rozmaitosci (Polish Variety), in Detroit, Michigan, where Elzbieta Jodlowska was the featured performer. Her colleagues in the American Polish Radio Network persuaded her that such a program was needed on the West Coast.
Over the next seven months, Elzbieta Jodlowska and her husband, Tomasz Heller, developed the program and, with the financial backing of Mieczyslaw Dutkowski, who arranged purchase of radio time, Radio Ela was launched.
Principal programming areas include news and correspondence from Poland, interviews, news commentary and music. Listeners appreciate the positive aspects of the program, as well as the non political stance and avoidance of local conflicts.
In January, 1994 Radio Ela began broadcasting over KMAX 107.1 FM, a station with a greater transmission range. This, and a change of broadcast time to an early Saturday evening slot made Radio Ela accessible to a larger listening audience.
It is apparent that through Radio Ela's association with the American Polish Radio Network, interviews, correspondence and program segments can be exchanged, on a collegiate, non-paying basis with similar programs throughout the United States in Chicago, Detroit, New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Denver, Houston and with Toronto, Canada.
The permanent staff at Radio Ela includes Elzbieta Jodlowska - Heller, Tomasz Heller, Elzbieta Bajon, Elzbieta Libel and Alina Szpak.
From: Polish Americans in California, vol. II. National Center for Urban Ethnic Affairs & Polish American Historical Association. California 1995.