The stereotypical college radio station that I conjure up in my mind looks a lot like KDVS 90.3 FM at University of California, Davis. Its spacious digs are full of musical ephemera, from posters of bands that I’ve loved over the years to packed shelves housing recorded material on every format imaginable (even carts). Rumored to have one of the largest record collections in the west, KDVS has an enviable stash of vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, carts, and more. The station even ticks off many of my radio station scavenger hunt boxes with its Leo Blais sign, sticker-covered cabinets, comfy couches, and potty-mouth graffiti.
Sticker-covered cabinet at KDVS. Photo: J. Waits
Mix of Students and Long-time DJs
Beyond the alluring college radio trappings is a station with a fascinating history (it’s celebrating 50 years on FM this year), diverse programming, and a deep connection with the local music scene in Davis, California. Comprised of student and non-student staffers and volunteers, KDVS has a tradition of having a multi-generational roster of DJs that includes high school students as well as long-time volunteers who have been at KDVS for decades.
Hall and Oates cart at KDVS. Photo: J. Waits
I was amazed to learn that one reggae DJ, Gary B. Goode, has been doing a program there since 1972! On-air DJ Mindy, who was in the studio when I visited, joked that Gary was an already an old timer when she joined in 1987. She also told me that another blues host first joined the station in 1967, although he hasn’t been on the air continuously since that time.
On-air studio at college radio station KDVS. Photo: J. Waits
Summertime at KDVS
Although I’d visited KDVS a couple of times in 2011, it has become one of my lost station tours that was never written up. Determined to rectify that, I reached out to the station this summer when I had plans to be in Davis. Lucky for me, General Manager Jacob Engel had just returned to town after spending the summer on the East Coast at an internship. Groggy from his flight the night before, he graciously met up with me on the morning of Sunday, August 26. Despite being physically away from the station, he had been managing KDVS remotely for three months and was back in time to start preparing for the fall quarter, which was about a month away at the time. As one would expect early on a Sunday during summer break, KDVS was still a bit sleepy as many students were away.
KDVS General Manager Jacob Engel. Photo: J. Waits
General Manager’s Introduction to KDVS as a Teen
Now 20, Engel first learned about KDVS when he was 13 years old. Seeking out news about Occupy and an infamous protest in which demonstrators were pepper sprayed at UC Davis, he turned to the station to try to learn more about the incident and its aftermath. He stopped by the station in 9th grade while on a school trip to UC Davis, eventually joining the station his freshman year of college. He told me that on that first visit, he was amazed by the place, recalling that he thought, “this is something I’d love to be a part of…it was a perfect fit.”
KDVS sign on the wall outside its building at UC Davis. Photo: J. Waits
Since that time, his music taste has broadened even further and he’s witnessed how fellow KDVS participants have had their taste expanded. He talked about his prior job at the station as Staff Development Coordinator, in which he trained new DJs. Engel recounted that he enjoyed, “just seeing these excited…music lovers turn into really cool DJs…and just fall in love with music that they didn’t even know existed…and fall in love with genres that they couldn’t even imagine,” adding that for KDVS DJs, “The love of music just explodes.”
Music genre color codes sign at KDVS. Photo: J. Waits
Touring the Station
KDVS’ expansive basement home includes a welcoming lobby, comfortable office with couches, file cabinets, and a wall collage of the station schedule. Beyond that room is another office where T-shirts and other promotional items were being readied to send to fundraiser donors. Past the lobby is another doorway that leads into the on-air studio that also has enough room for a small record library of mainly items in current rotation.
Music collection in the on-air studio at college radio station KDVS. Photo: J. Waits
Beyond that room are a series of hallways and alcoves housing even more of the record library. There is also a production studio that overlooks a “dead room” where bands have recorded in the past, including for KDVS’ one-time record label. A few smaller rooms are used as listening stations where DJs can preview new releases and mark bad language and other potential FCC violating content. Interestingly, that task is called “censorship” at KDVS. The studio that we ducked into had turntables, CD players, and graffiti scrawled all over the walls.
Music censoring room at KDVS. Photo: J. Waits
Rumored Station Move
Engel said that there’s talk that the station may have to move at some point for seismic work, as the buildings nearby are already undergoing renovations. It’s a daunting prospect, particularly with so many layers of history on the station walls alone. He remarked that a move would change the aesthetics of KDVS and that the paper posters and flyers on the walls would likely not return because of fears that they pose a fire hazard.
Posters and flyers on the wall at KDVS. Photo: J. Waits
Additionally, the station’s vinyl library doesn’t currently meet ADA standards; so the arrangement of the music collection will likely change so that it is accessible to individuals with disabilities. Plans are already in place for an elevator to replace KDVS’ “dead room.” Since prior talk of KDVS moves never materialized, Engel and others don’t know the timeline for the rumored renovations.
LPs in KDVS music library. Photo: J. Waits
KDVS’ 50+ Year History
Before launching KDVS over FM in 1968, students ran a dorm-based AM carrier current radio station at UC Davis. Beginning in 1964, KCD pumped out transmissions at 880 AM from the laundry room of the all-male Beckett Hall. Engel shared that even though the station was initially in a male dorm, women were always involved. Because of that, station participants spoke up for gender equality, leading to the first women’s bathroom and first co-ed bathroom in a male dorm on campus.
Leo Blais sign and view into production studio at KDVS. Photo: J. Waits
Today, KDVS broadcasts over 90.3 FM at 13,000 watts, reaching listeners well beyond Davis. With around 85 participants, the station broadcasts live 24 hours a day every day of the year, with no automated programming. About 60% of volunteers are students and around 40% are non-students, including some UC Davis professors. As a freeform station, KDVS doesn’t place too many rules on its show hosts beyond adhering to FCC guidelines and playing new material from the “current stacks” at least twice during one’s shows. DJs are also expected to put in 40 volunteer hours doing station work during each 10-week quarter.
Sign on KDVS wall about volunteer hours. Photo: J. Waits
Freeform Philosophy at KDVS
Engel explained, “The great thing about freeform is each DJ does something completely different…we will not tell you what to play.” With that in mind, some DJs will focus on a particular genre, whereas others will play a mix. With its strong devotion to music, KDVS also puts on a lot of shows, the biggest being Operation Restore Maximum Freedom. The annual festival includes upwards of 30 bands and is the station’s main spring fundraising event. Other creative projects at the station have included the KDViationS quarterly program guide/ ‘zine, which received national attention for its nude staff centerfold in 1986.
1995 copy of KDViationS program guide at college radio station KDVS. Photo: J. Waits
The creative spark fueled by participation in KDVS had taken many of its alums into other community radio pursuits. Former General Manager Todd Urick founded community radio advocacy organization Common Frequency and KDVS alums have played a big role in the launch of new LPFM community radio stations, particularly in Portland, Oregon. In Radio Survivor episode #41, we hear stories from Freeform Portland participants who were inspired by their time at KDVS.
Heavy metal stand at KDVS. Photo: J. Waits
Thanks to Jacob Engel for touring me around KDVS and for sharing his personal history of the station with me. This is my 102nd posted college radio station tour and 149th radio station tour report overall. See the full collection of tours on the Radio Stations Tour page and start placing your bets on who will be my 150th tour.
1/9/19 update: Hear audio from my tour of KDVS on episode 175 of the Radio Survivor show/podcast.
