Lake Tahoe Alternative Media

Lake Tahoe Alternative Media Guide

Select Listings of Cool Publications and Radio Stations

Publications

Lake Tahoe has tons of tourist maps, entertainment guides, and other assorted publications in front of supermarkets and in hotel/motel lobbies. Some are geared to the average tourist, while others target the locals, frequent visitors, and part-time residents. The Tahoe Daily Tribune (only five days per week) is the only almost-daily paper produced at the Lake. Their Friday weekend edition for $1.00 is a rip-off; it contains those free real estate and entertainment guides, and lots of filler (at least they dropped those tacky front-page ads they used to have). It's the best source of local news, if local news is your main interest. Even many locals prefer to get their daily news From the Reno Gazette-Journal (which covers some Tahoe news) or the San Francisco Chronicle.

In the last decade, several weekly and monthly papers have born and died. Lake Tahoe is an advertiser's and publisher's nightmare. The Lake is fragmented by North and South shores; two different states; and many states of mind. As I discover and examine other publications relevant to the area, this list will grow. Meanwhile, there's plenty of free newsprint available for starting those fireplaces.

Tahoe Mountain News

Monthly
Distributed free, primarily on the South Shore.
This is the best-written alternative paper aimed mainly at South Shore residents. Contains excellent articles on local hiking, mountain-biking and other outdoor activities. Some good stories about political corruption, local police brutality, and environmentally incorrect legislators make this paper a great source of news the Tribune does not have the guts to cover. Publisher Taylor Flynn has created a great local watchdog, outdoor guide, and alternative paper -- too bad it only comes out once a month.

Lake Tahoe Entertainer

Monthly
Free distribution on the South Shore
The Entertainer is a good source for South Shore band and night club happenings. Having improved its typography and photo quality this, upstart paper could now almost be mistaken for the Tribune's Lake Tahoe Action insert (printed by the same company). The big difference is the "local slant" and lack of prefabricated press releases. This one-year-old entertainment guide is strictly produced by locals with a local perspective. Its biggest appeal probably is still the ads with 2-for-1 coupons and local club information. Dozens of photos of locals in their native habitat are featured. This paper is finding a niche on the crowded news racks; it's free; and the contributors are working for free; it has recently been downsized under the new publisher.

Reno News & Review

Weekly, every Wednesday
Distributed free throughout Lake Tahoe and Reno areas.
Reno's premiere alternative weekly contains many items of interest to its neighbors at the Lake. Although the focus is on Reno, their nightlife guide includes happenings on both North and South Shores of the Lake. Great in-depth articles, movie reviews, and editorials; and don't miss Life In Hell (by Simpsons creator Matt Groening) and Tom Tomorrow's This Modern World. For the unattached, you will find the Talking Personals. News & Review has sister publications in Sacramento and Chico.

Radio Stations

The choice of radio stations in the Lake Tahoe area is better than ever, but reception in the mountains can be inconsistent. The stations listed here can be heard in most areas of the Lake Tahoe basin. Some excellent Sacramento stations not mentioned can be picked up in the higher elevations; particularly west of the passes. Stations tend to change their formats faster than I can keep up with them. If you feel that a station with great programming belongs on this page let me know. This is the alternative guide to the airwaves; sorry, no Top-40 or Country on this page.

KZZF ("The Zephyr") 102.9 FM ~ Lake Tahoe: Alternative Rock: Finally there is a format on this frequency worth listening to. The Zephyr is trying to establish a local presence in the now-crowded alternative rock market. The tunes are good and the ads target the Tahoe listeners. The question now: Will they attract enough listeners from the regional stations listed below?

KTHX ("X Radio") 100.1 FM ~ Incline Village/Reno

Adult Alternative: Anything goes in this innovative station. You can hear modern rock, reggae, blues, Zappa, Grateful Dead, and Tori Amos in the same hour. It's almost hard to believe this is a commercial station (no censored lyrics).

KRZQ 96.5 FM ~ Reno/Tahoe

Alternative Rock: The rock of the nineties, with some retro 80s alternative thrown in during certain time slots. Their web page is worth checking out.

KOZZ 105.7 FM ~ Reno

Classic Rock: You get the immortal rock classics from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, Eagles, Yes, and Rolling Stones rule here.

KQPT ("The Zone") 92.7 FM ~ (100.5 FM in Sacramento)

Adult Alternative: An excellent alternative rock station from Sacramento. It has a local frequency in Tahoe for superb reception around most of the lake. They have a good blend of 90s music and alternative ("new wave") classics. After all, bands like The Cure, XTC, and the B-52s have been around since the 70s.
KTHX ("X Radio") 100.1 FM ~ Incline Village/Reno: Adult Alternative: Anything goes in this innovative station. You can hear modern rock, reggae, blues, Zappa, Grateful Dead, and Tori Amos in the same hour. It's almost hard to believe this is a commercial station (no censored lyrics).

KRZQ 96.5 FM ~ Reno/Tahoe

Alternative Rock: The rock of the nineties, with some retro 80s alternative thrown in during certain time slots. Their web page is worth checking out.

KOZZ 105.7 FM ~ Reno

Classic Rock: You get the immortal rock classics from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, Eagles, Yes, and Rolling Stones rule here.

KQPT ("The Zone") 92.7 FM ~ (100.5 FM in Sacramento)

Adult Alternative: An excellent alternative rock station from Sacramento. It has a local frequency in Tahoe for superb reception around most of the lake. They have a good blend of 90s music and alternative ("new wave") classics. After all, bands like The Cure, XTC, and the B-52s have been around since the 70s.
KRZQ 96.5 FM ~ Reno/Tahoe: Alternative Rock: The rock of the nineties, with some retro 80s alternative thrown in during certain time slots. Their web page is worth checking out.

KOZZ 105.7 FM ~ Reno

Classic Rock: You get the immortal rock classics from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, Eagles, Yes, and Rolling Stones rule here.

KQPT ("The Zone") 92.7 FM ~ (100.5 FM in Sacramento)

Adult Alternative: An excellent alternative rock station from Sacramento. It has a local frequency in Tahoe for superb reception around most of the lake. They have a good blend of 90s music and alternative ("new wave") classics. After all, bands like The Cure, XTC, and the B-52s have been around since the 70s.
KOZZ 105.7 FM ~ Reno: Classic Rock: You get the immortal rock classics from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, Eagles, Yes, and Rolling Stones rule here.

KQPT ("The Zone") 92.7 FM ~ (100.5 FM in Sacramento)

Adult Alternative: An excellent alternative rock station from Sacramento. It has a local frequency in Tahoe for superb reception around most of the lake. They have a good blend of 90s music and alternative ("new wave") classics. After all, bands like The Cure, XTC, and the B-52s have been around since the 70s.
KQPT ("The Zone") 92.7 FM ~ (100.5 FM in Sacramento): Adult Alternative: An excellent alternative rock station from Sacramento. It has a local frequency in Tahoe for superb reception around most of the lake. They have a good blend of 90s music and alternative ("new wave") classics. After all, bands like The Cure, XTC, and the B-52s have been around since the 70s.