WHICH WAY KCLU? TO S.B. COUNTY; SHOESTRING STATION FINDS NICHE.

Byline: Sonia Giordani Daily News Staff Writer

When Jack Roblin moved from Santa Monica to Ventura nearly four years ago, the one thing he thought he would miss the most about Los Angeles was public radio.

``One of the first things I did was tune around on my radio listening for some decent jazz,'' said Roblin, now a devoted member and the newest volunteer of KCLU-FM (88.3), Ventura County's only public radio station.

For thousands of jazz junkies and fans of the syndicated National Public Radio in Ventura County, 88.3 on their FM radio dial is a sacred spot. Since signing on in October 1994, the station has lived the tale of the little station that could.

Despite being the only public radio station in the state not to receive federal funding, KCLU has expanded its programming to offer more specialty music hours - from Latino Jazz to Blues Roots - and more local news coverage.

``In addition to jazz, we're doing traffic and weather four times each morning through NPR's Morning Edition. We're using a helicopter service that flies over Ventura and Santa Barbara counties to give us up-to-the-minute information. We've made a lot of strides even in just the last six months,'' said Mary Olson, station general manager.

Perhaps the greatest stride of all was the station's expansion in January, when it started broadcasting in Santa Barbara County. Now hundreds more listeners tune in to 102.3 FM for a simulcast of the station's jazz and NPR programming.

``We were getting calls from Santa Barbara residents who commute into Ventura County who would listen to the station until they lost the signal,'' said Olson. ``Now we're simulcast so they can continue to tune in.''

Local businesses including Patagonia pitched in more than $15,000 to cover the cost of the expansion. Now the station - broadcast from California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks - is turning to listeners to help raise funds to cover the station's overhead.

With a $254,000 operating budget and no federal funds to help, the station has depended on listener donations and public contributions since its first day.

``The backbone of public radio is really the regular people out there,'' said Olson, who kicked off the station's regular spring membership drive Saturday. The drive will continue through April 4.

Last fall's donations totaled $41,000. With additional listeners from adjacent Santa Barbara. Olson said she hopes to bring in additional pledges to cover the cost hike for National Public Radio programming - which runs $60,000 annually.

``The rest just keeps the lights on, pays for Associated Press services, pays for paper in the copy machine and to keep the computers humming,'' she said.

While the station employs two full-time staff workers and one part-time worker, much of the programming and daily operation of the 24-hour station relies on Olson's staff of about 32 volunteers - among them, one of the station's greatest fans.

``This station is just such a valuable resource,'' said Roblin, who has been hosting a regular Saturday night jazz program from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. since January. ``I know that jazz isn't everybody's cup of tea and it's become something of a rare format. But that's why I really treasure this station.''

After listening to the station for more than three years, Roblin finally joined the team in January as an unpaid volunteer.

``You know, I was a nervous wreck about going on the air at first. Lately, I've started to get a little more daring, describing the music in between sections and throwing my own comments in,'' he said. ``But the station and the listeners are really like a big family.''

THE FACTS

Public Radio station KCLU began its spring membership drive March 28 and the annual fund-raising event continues through Saturday.

Listeners are asked to make pledges. Local companies also may issue challenge grants to match contributions from listeners up to a specific amount.

For more information on the spring membership drive and to pledge, call [phone].

KCLU broadcasts at 88.3 FM in Ventura County and 102.3 FM in Santa Barbara County.