College campuses have long been thought of as a place for young adults to investigate the roots of potential professions.
For students at colleges with radio stations, especially community colleges, a firsthand inspection of the powerful media and its influence on the community are available to them.
The student’s experience can either result in a college memory or a professional career, just as the station can either be an electronic toy or a great instructional tool.
Three community colleges in the county have radio stations. The transmission power for each varies from less than 100 watts, such as Grossmont Community College in El Cajon, to the 3,000 watts at San Diego City College on 12th Avenue.
That’s 3,000 watts for now. There is an application in front of the Federal Communications Commission that, if approved, would increase the station’s coverage to 22,000 watts, said Mary Woodworth, the station manager at KSDS and City College faculty member.
The 49-year-old station, known for its dedicated jazz programming, is one of only two San Diego radio stations to enjoy non-commercial status with the FCC. Jazz 88 FM is not allowed to sell ads. Instead, the station is funded by listener contributions, the City College district and corporate program sponsorships.
– Jazz Radio Station Offers Urban Music
That allows KSDS to offer specialized programming, Woodworth said.
“Because we don’t depend on commercials for revenue we can offer a format that isn’t a mass appeal format,” she said. “We’re an urban college and we have an urban format. Jazz is pretty much urban music.”
At Grossmont College, KGFN 89.1 FM general manager and college professor Evan Wirig is lucky if he can catch his station’s signal in his car on the way out of the parking lot.
But that doesn’t mean the station takes itself lightly.
“We are a CNN News Source affiliate,” Wirig said. “We’re the only campus radio station in the country affiliated with CNN.”
The station’s student employees strip the audio from televised CNN segments such as “The Hollywood Minute” and run it during hourly newsbreaks. The 10-minute newsbreaks are scheduled between programs including the music of blues guitarist A.J. Croce and the alternative band, the Bloodhound Gang.
– Broadcasting Over The ‘Net
In June, KFGN applied to the FCC for a 100-watt low power license. Currently, and until the license is approved, the station will continue to broadcast over the Internet at (www.grossmont.net/kgfn).
“We’re hoping with the 100-watt range, which would give us anywhere from three to six miles from the campus, that we can better serve our community and our community college area,” Wirig said.
At Palomar College in San Marcos, KKSM 1320 AM is the epitome of variety in radio programming.
The 500-watt station offers a swing music program followed by a financial talk show hosted by former KUSI financial commentator Jim Puplava, plus alternative and hip-hop music at night, and Palomar’s football games on the weekends.
The radio station operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide a community-based format and work experience for the students, said Pat Hahn, radio and television facilities coordinator at the college.
“(For) Palomar the last couple of years has been the No. 1 junior college football team in the nation,” Hahn said. The station broadcasts games “live from Palomar or from other locations up in L.A. or other parts of California. That gives us great experience of actually doing a live, in the field, sportscast.”
