Where Are They Now? 6 Stories Revisited : Music: ‘Bootleg Radio,’ which gives fledgling bands a chance to be heard, is making a name for itself too.

When the year began, “Bootleg Radio” was a homemade weekly program that was as little-known as the unsigned bands it featured.

The radio show was started by Lou Friedman, who had been supplying a Muzak-type service for restaurants and a pop music program for cable television. He and one of his disc jockeys, Rob Raino, decided to build a radio program around fledgling rock bands that weren’t getting airplay. The result was a one-hour show broadcast on KWNK (670 AM) each Friday at 11 p.m.

“Bootleg Radio” soon developed a cult following and a reputation on the music scene as bands from all over the country sent tapes.

These days, the show is carried by KWNK and KFOX (93.5 FM). It is also broadcast over the Playboy Channel’s satellite service, so satellite dish owners across the country can tune in.

“It’s been a wild year,” said Friedman, who weekly gets tapes from more than 100 bands. “We didn’t expect this show to get as big as it did.”

Most recently, “Bootleg Radio” produced 500 tapes of a special show that will be sent to troops in the Middle East. Friedman and Raino also are negotiating with radio stations in San Diego, San Francisco, Chicago and Reno to broadcast the program in those cities.