While broadcasting worldwide to an online audience, KSSU – Sacramento State’s own radio station – stays with the honorable traditions of college radio stations across the nation.

For the past 23 years, KSSU has been broadcasting news, talk and music to the campus community and beyond, in a station run by students who train other students in the timeless art of being a radio disk jockey and show producer.

“I like music and I want to share what music I like,” said KSSU DJ and junior computer science major Chris Diel. “Having a campus radio station seems like it would bring the campus together.”

KSSU was founded in 1990 by two communication studies majors, Jim Bolt and Chris Prosio, that wanted to gain broadcasting experience at Sac State, but could not because there were no broadcasting courses offered.

Bolt and Prosio put together a team of like-minded individuals who rallied for about two years to get the licensing for a radio station. They started out as KEDG The Edge on an FM frequency, but switched to AM in later years.

KEDG morphed into KSSU in 1992 to better represent the campus. California radio stations begin with a K and the latter initials stand for Sacramento State University.

In 2004, KSSU headed towards online radio.

“We were actually streaming online before Pandora,” said Station Manager and 26-year-old government alumni Josh Alvarez.

KSSU relies heavily on student volunteers to produce material for the station. It is a free-form radio station so the DJs get to decide what content they would like to produce.

“Students get trained in radio broadcast, get their own show one hour a week and they get to play or talk about whatever they want or do a mixture of both,” Alvarez said. “It is a voice platform for students. Students also host interviews with local musicians, broadcast sports, (talk about) celebrity news and promote businesses.”

Not only does KSSU provide broadcast services, but it also DJs events on campus for programs like UNIQUE, fraternities, sororities and Hornet sports.

“We also do a lot of movie and concert promoting and we are constantly giving out prizes,” Alvarez said. “We also blog so students can experience news that we think is worthy for our peers.”

KSSU provides students with an opportunity they may not otherwise have.

“I joined at orientation and ended up having my own radio station,” said KSSU DJ and journalism major Josh Leeper. “I think it’s important because it gives students a voice. We can relate to students because we are students. If anybody can capture the lives of college students it would be other college students.”

The primary ways listeners catch the Sac State radio station is through KSSU.com and the TuneIn radio app. The TuneIn radio app is available for smartphones and on computer desktops.

KSSU is located between the University Union and Santa Clara Hall. Normal operating hours for KSSU are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. unless otherwise stated.

If you are interested in becoming involved with KSSU you can contact KSSU station manager by email at [email protected]. Walk-ins are always welcome.

Briana Swain can be reached at [email protected]