KUSF.org Returns with Live DJs (Photo: J. Waits)
Just in time for College Radio Day, KUSF.org has resumed operations as an online-only radio station at University of San Francisco (USF).
Although KUSF.org has been providing a stream of music ever since KUSF’s terrestrial signal 90.3 FM was first turned over to Classical Public Radio Network (CPRN) in January 2011, live DJs have not been able to do shows on KUSF.org since the destruction of the old KUSF studio in May, 2011.
While legal wrangling has continued following the FCC’s approval of the 90.3 FM license assignment to CPRN this June, USF students interested in doing radio have had to hold tight while a new studio was built on campus.
KUSF Coordinator Miranda Morris explained that it was rough for students to lose both KUSF 90.3 FM and the KUSF studio. She said that the “break in programming was significant” and “…drove home the real tragedy that occurred when USF took KUSF’s programming off the air and began the transfer process of the 90.3 FM signal. KUSF students were caught in a double bummer situation – first the loss of the signal and then shortly thereafter the KUSF studios were torn out.”
Following the loss of the old KUSF signal and studio, some students have been trekking across town in order to get radio experience at KUSF-in-Exile and others have been working on KUSF projects on campus, including organizing a concert (Late Nights at Crossroads) and working at the nearly 30-year-old KUSF Rock n Swap record fair (which even got some national press recently in the Wall Street Journal).
KUSF.org Studio (Photo: J. Waits)
KUSF.org returned with live DJs at 10am on October 2, 2012 and featured live shows until 6pm that day. The six DJs who were part of the first day of programming from KUSF.org’s new studio included a number of experienced DJs. Two student DJs had been a part of KUSF 90.3 FM, two had volunteered at KUSF in Exile, and one graduate student had previous college radio experience at KUGS in Washington.
Morris told me that she’s received more than 200 emails from students interested in participating at KUSF.org. At this point there are about 50 “very active” participants who have been coming to regular weekly meetings. While Morris works on both training student DJs and establishing a regular schedule, she says that “the energy and the excitement is at high levels.”
Some of the programs in the works for KUSF.org include an international news program, sports programs, a Chinese music and culture show in Cantonese, two Latin American programs, a show focused on local and under-appreciated music, a comedy show, a jazz and early Americana show, and a gardening show.
Additionally, students in an advanced radio production class at USF are working on program ideas for the station. According to Morris,
“The students are learning about and using audio software and equipment and eventually it would be great if they could use their skills to help with some of the production needs the KUSF.org stream will need. This class is also exposing them to the important guidelines and critical thinking that go into the making of good interviews and generating interesting content. From here, if we have students who have a good foundation, then the other students will learn from these students.”
During the station’s re-launch on College Radio Day, KUSF.org held an open studio for interested students. Morris recapped the day, saying, “It was really successful and exposed many of the new and inexperienced students to the fast pace of being a radio DJ…”
Morris said that she’s “excited to turn this corner,” and explained, “There is so much support here on the USF campus for a student-run KUSF.org and we can now move forward with getting students back behind the mics, learning, discovering new music, and creating a special community within USF.”
