Draft:Dana Jang

• Comment: Large sections of article lack citations, or need further citations. Reads like it's been generated from a LLM. Paul W (talk) 19:05, 2 May 2026 (UTC)

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Dana Jang (born July 18, 1948) is an American radio broadcaster and programming executive associated with rock and adult contemporary radio in the San Francisco Bay Area. Over a career spanning more than five decades, he served as a music director and program director at several Northern California stations and was among the founders of KKUP (91.5 FM) in Cupertino. In 2021, he was inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Education

Jang was born in San Francisco and raised in Palo Alto, California. He attended Santa Clara University, where he studied marketing and became involved in campus broadcasting at KSCU.

He later continued graduate studies at San Jose State University while working with student and community radio stations in the region.

Career

Broadcasting

Jang began his broadcasting career in the early 1970s, initially working in student and community radio while completing his university studies. His early involvement coincided with a period of rapid transformation in FM radio, particularly in Northern California, where album-oriented rock and free-form formats were reshaping programming practices. His experience in campus radio provided foundational training in music selection, format development, and audience engagement.

He soon transitioned into commercial radio, joining KSJO in San Jose. During this period, KSJO was developing its identity as a prominent rock station in the South Bay. Contemporary reporting and later retrospectives have documented the station's growth and evolving programming strategy, with Jang serving in on-air and music programming roles as the format matured.

Music director and programming leadership

Jang held music director and program director positions at several Northern California stations, including KSJO, KOME, KBAY, KUFX, and KEZR. His work placed him in leadership roles during a time when radio formats were increasingly research-driven and competitive.

Founding of KKUP

Parallel to his commercial radio career, Jang was among the founders of KKUP (91.5 FM) in Cupertino in 1972. The station emerged after a broadcast frequency became available and was organized through the Radio Club of Cupertino.

Retrospective coverage marking KKUP's anniversary has described its early years and its development as an independently operated community station. These accounts reference Jang's role in its founding and governance.

Historical documentation in publications of the California Historical Radio Society has also discussed the station's early leadership and operational model.

His involvement in both commercial programming leadership and non-commercial community broadcasting distinguished his career within the regional radio landscape.

Programming leadership and later career

During the late 1990s and 2000s, Jang continued in program director roles as ownership groups consolidated stations into larger clusters. Industry publications reported on his appointments and transitions during this period.

Recognition

In 2021, Jang was inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame. The organization cited his long career in both commercial and community broadcasting and his sustained presence in Northern California radio.