My inbox and social media feeds were buzzing today, with the release of another best college radio stations list. In the post, “10 of the Most Influential College Radio Stations in the US,” Soundfly lists off ten radio stations: WERS, WFUV (see my tour), KALX (see my tour), WRSU, KCRW, KUTX, KUSF 90.3 FM (see my KUSF.org tour), WICB, WKDU (see my tour), and WASU.
Names on the list are largely familiar stations, with a handful more properly in the “public radio” category than in the “college radio” category: the professionally-run KCRW, KUTX and WFUV (although students are heavily involved at the Fordham station).
Fact-checkers are also quibbling about the inclusion of KUSF 90.3 FM (initially, the frequency was stated on the list, before being edited later). As Radio Survivor readers are well aware and as discussed last week, KUSF lost its FM license in 2011. The student-run station is now the online-only KUSF.org. After the FM license was lost, long-time DJs and supporters started a new non-profit, which just launched KXSF-LP over 102.5 FM in San Francisco.
My favorite part of the Soundfly story? The glimpse of a Leo Blais sign in the uncredited photo of community radio station WPKN (it used to be a college radio station before going independent) that accompanies the article.
Read more of my ranting against these types of lists in this timeless piece from 2015.
