View source for KCSN

{{short description|Public radio station at California State University, Northridge}}
{{distinguish|KSCN-TV}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name                = KCSN
| logo                = KCSN-SoCal-Sound-2022.png
| city                = [[Northridge, Los Angeles, California]]
| area                = [[Greater Los Angeles area]]
| branding            = ''88.5 The SoCal Sound''
| frequency           = 88.5 [[MHz]] {{HD Radio}}
| translator          = See {{section link||Translators}}
| airdate             = {{start date|1963|11}} (as KEDC-FM)
| format              = [[Adult album alternative]] ([[Public broadcasting|Public]])
| subchannels         = {{ubl|HD2: [[Jazz]]|HD3: [[Latin alternative]] "Bilingual Sounds"}}
| erp                 = 370 [[watt]]s
| haat                = {{convert|501|m|ft|sp=us}}
| class               = [[List of broadcast station classes|B1]]
| licensing_authority = [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
| facility_id         = 62949
| coordinates         = {{nowrap|{{Coord|34|19|10|N|118|33|18.3|W}}}}
| callsign_meaning    = '''C'''alifornia '''S'''tate University, '''N'''orthridge
| former_callsigns    = KEDC-FM (1963–1973)
| affiliations        = 
| owner               = [[California State University, Northridge]]
| webcast             = {{ubl
| {{Listen live|url=https://www.thesocalsound.org/listen/}}
| HD2: {{Listen live|url=https://radio.saddleback.edu}}
| HD3: {{Listen live|url= https://www.bilingualsounds.org/live}}
}}
| website             = {{ubl
| {{URL|www.thesocalsound.org}}
| HD2: {{URL|ksbr.org}}
| HD3: {{URL|www.bilingualsounds.org}}
}}
}}

'''KCSN''' (88.5 [[FM broadcasting|FM]], "88.5 The SoCal Sound") is a [[non-commercial educational]] [[radio station]] licensed to [[Northridge, Los Angeles, California|Northridge, California]], and owned by [[California State University, Northridge]]. The station [[simulcast]]s with [[KSBR]] from [[Saddleback College]] in [[Mission Viejo, California|Mission Viejo]]. The station primarily airs [[adult album alternative]] (AAA) and [[Americana (music)|Americana]] music with a mix of legends, new music, and local music with some specialty programming on weekends.

[[KSBR]] simulcasts this station on 88.5 FM in Orange County.

==History==
KCSN came to air as KEDC-FM in late 1963. The station signed on with 10 watts, using a transmitter donated by [[Saul Levine]], and broadcast four hours a day of [[jazz]] and [[classical music]], in addition to hourly news bulletins produced by San Fernando Valley State College journalism students.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31839472/|work=Los Angeles Times|title=FM Station Operating at Valley State|date=December 9, 1963|access-date=May 22, 2019}}</ref> Power was increased to 320 watts in 1967 and 3,000 watts in 1970. The 1970 power increase shut out a proposal by the Mexican-American Communication Foundation to build a station on the frequency in [[East Los Angeles, California|East Los Angeles]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31839552/|work=Van Nuys News|date=October 13, 1970|title=Valley State Given Permit for Bigger Radio Station|access-date=May 22, 2019}}</ref> It became KCSN on February 1, 1973, months after the school became California State University, Northridge; the station was known as "Radio Free Northridge" since 1971.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31839591/|work=Valley News|date=February 6, 1973|title=Call Letters Changed on CSUN Station|access-date=May 22, 2019}}, KEDC-FM program guide</ref>

Beginning in 1987, KCSN aired an [[country music|all-country]] format, "Kissin' Country" (a play on how the call letters "KCSN" might be pronounced). The format switch was controversial, earning the station additional donations but alienating it from its student body base.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31839741/|title=It's Country—but Is That Cool?|work=Los Angeles Times|first=David|last=Wharton|date=September 15, 1989|access-date=May 22, 2019}}</ref> The station also took fire from students who worried that they had less and less of a role in its operation as professional staff were added, in part because KCSN received [[Corporation for Public Broadcasting]] grants.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31839664/|work=Los Angeles Times|first=Pamela|last=Moreland|date=November 9, 1987|access-date=May 22, 2019|title=New Signals at KCSN}}</ref> In November 1989, two months after classical music station [[KRRL|KFAC-FM]] (92.3) was sold to Evergreen Media and flipped to a "rock with a beat" format, KCSN made a play for those listeners and went all-classical, drawing the ire of the country fans.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31840065/|title=Classic Confrontation Splits KCSN Country|work=Los Angeles Times|first=Michael|last=Arkush|access-date=May 22, 2019|date=November 24, 1989}}</ref>
As a classical station, KCSN also aired specialty shows on weekends and in late night. As the "Best of Public Radio," KCSN's specialty shows were devoted to German music, Broadway showtunes, children's music, soundtrack music, hip-hop, Hawaiian music, blues, folk, the Beatles, surf music, cocktail tunes, electronic music, and more.

KCSN went to an [[broadcast automation|automated]] [[adult album alternative]] (AAA) format from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in 2008, removing most of the specialty shows.

==="Smart rock"===
On March 1, 2010, KCSN moved all classical music from its primary FM signal to its [[HD radio|HD2]] channel. The main FM/HD1 channel was switched to an all-[[adult album alternative|AAA]] programming format without news.

Under the guidance of radio and record company veteran Sky Daniels, some of Los Angeles radio's legendary hosts were hired to host shows on KCSN, including former [[KCRW]] host [[Nic Harcourt]]; [[Mr. Shovel's Check One Two|Mark Sovel]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mr. Shovel joins KCSN as part of revamped lineup |url=https://buzzbands.la/2012/01/11/mr-shovel-joins-kcsn-as-part-of-revamped-lineup/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nic Harcourt to take over daily morning show at KCSN; Mark Sovel named station’s music director; Jackson Browne to headline big benefit on Nov. 18 |url=https://buzzbands.la/2012/01/11/mr-shovel-joins-kcsn-as-part-of-revamped-lineup/}}</ref> the founding music director of [[Indie 103.1]]; long-time [[KROQ]] host [[Jed the Fish]]; and [[Robert Hilburn]], the thirty-year Music Editor for the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''.

In the same time period, [[Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers]] played two small-hall benefit concerts for the station.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2011/10/tom-petty-kcsn-benefit-concert.html|title=Tom Petty on lending a hand to underdog radio station KCSN-FM* [Updated]|date=2011-10-12|website=LA Times Blogs - Pop & Hiss|language=en-US|access-date=2017-11-01}}</ref> Subsequently, [[Jackson Browne]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-xpm-2012-oct-03-la-et-ms-jackson-browne-kcsn-benefit-nic-harcourt-radio-20121003-story.html|title=Jackson Browne headlines benefit for the still-expanding KCSN-FM|last=Lewis|first=Randy|date=2012-10-03|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2017-11-01|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}}</ref> [[The Rides]], [[Ryan Adams]], [[Conor Oberst]], [[David Gray (British musician)|David Gray]], [[Sarah McLachlan]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-kcsn-announces-benefit-concerts-feat-ryan-adams-sarah-mclachlan-more-20141012-story.html|title=Ryan Adams, Sarah McLachlan to headline KCSN-FM benefit gigs|last=Roberts|first=Randall|date=2014-10-13|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2017-11-01|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}}</ref> and [[Bonnie Raitt]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/arts-and-culture/kcsn-88-5-fm-benefit-concert-to-feature-bonnie-raitt/|title=KCSN 88.5-FM Benefit Concert to Feature Bonnie Raitt {{!}} CSUN Today|website=csunshinetoday.csun.edu|date=December 2015 |language=en-US|access-date=2017-11-01}}</ref> performed at the station's annual benefit concerts. [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] also premiered new songs from the station in August 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-sting-album-kcsn-premiere-20160831-snap-story.html|title=Sting unveils new album during intimate KCSN radio session|date=2016-08-31|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2017-11-01|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}}</ref>

Harcourt, who stewarded KCRW's ''[[Morning Becomes Eclectic]]'' to international recognition, hosts the 6-10 am slot, which he sometimes refers to on-air as "Mornings Are Electric."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/92831/nic-harcourt-to-join-kcsn-los-angeles|title=All Access|website=All Access}}</ref> KCSN is also the L.A. radio partner of ''[[World Cafe (radio program)|World Cafe]]'', the program hosted by Raina Douris of [[WXPN]]/Philadelphia.

KCSN also supports local music in the Los Angeles market. Kevin Bronson, the director of Buzzbands L.A., has a show devoted to supporting local musicians. The station's new music library typically is represented with local artists by upwards of 30% of the playlist. KCSN has a roster of shows that include [[adult album alternative|AAA]], [[Americana (music)|Americana]], and [[blues]] genres.

KCSN also supports music by hosting live music sessions and interviews with new, local, and legendary artists, the majority recorded by audio engineers Tristan Dolce and Matt Blake.

KCSN's studios are located in the Valley Performing Arts Center on the CSUN campus. The station also opened a satellite studio at The Village at [[Westfield Topanga]] in October 2015.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dailynews.com/2015/09/05/csun-radio-station-to-open-live-studio-at-the-village-at-westfield-topanga/|title=CSUN radio station to open live studio at The Village at Westfield Topanga|date=2015-09-05|work=Daily News|access-date=2017-11-01|language=en-US}}</ref>

==="The New 88.5 FM" and The SoCal Sound===
On September 6, 2017, California State University, Northridge and [[Saddleback College]], owner of [[Mission Viejo, California|Mission Viejo]]–based [[KSBR]], announced the merger of their respective radio stations. The combined operation adopted the branding "The New 88.5 FM".<ref>{{cite news |title=KCSN-KSBR FM merger aims to create new Southland public radio powerhouse |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-kcsn-ksbr-merge-public-radio-20170907-story.html |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=2018-09-06 |access-date=2018-03-22 }}</ref> On September 12 at 10 a.m. PDT, the FM and HD1 signals of both stations began simulcasting KCSN's pre-existing "smart rock" AAA format, while KSBR's jazz programming would move to their HD2 channels. KCSN's [[Latin Alternative]] relocated to both stations' HD3 channels.<ref>{{cite news |title=KCSN & KSBR to Merge to Cover Majority of Los Angeles Market with AAA |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/119613/kcsn-ksbr-merge-cover-majority-los-angeles-market-aaa/ |date=2018-09-07 |publisher=RadioInsight |access-date=2018-03-22 }}</ref>

On March 21, 2018, 88.5 FM announced that former [[KKLQ (FM)|KSWD]] (100.3 The Sound) radio personality [[Andy Chanley]] would host afternoon drive, taking over for Sky Daniels who continued as General Manager and [[program director#Broadcasting|Program Director]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/167270/andy-chanley-joins-kcsn-ksbr-los-angeles-for-afternoons/ |title=Andy Chanley Joins KCSN/KSBR Los Angeles For Afternoons |date=2018-03-21 |work=Radio Insight |access-date=2018-03-22 }}</ref> Prior to this, Chanley had guest hosted in Daniels' place for several weeks since January.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wagoner |first=Richard |date=2018-01-23 |title=Remembering radio legend Joe Frank and a voice from The Sound returns |url=https://www.dailynews.com/2018/01/23/remembering-radio-legend-joe-frank-and-a-voice-from-the-sound-returns/ |newspaper=Los Angeles Daily News |access-date=2018-03-23 }}</ref>

On August 18, 2022, it was announced that KCSN would change its branding to "88.5 The SoCal Sound" on August 19.<ref>{{Cite web |title=KCSN/KSBR to Become the SoCal Sound |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/238423/kcsn-ksbr-to-become-the-socal-sound/ |publisher=RadioInsight |date=18 August 2022 |access-date=2022-08-20 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Current DJ lineup==
''As of August 23, 2025''

* '''Jet Into Work''': Weekday mornings 6-7am. Jet Raskin sets the tone for the day to come.
* '''Mornings with Nic Harcourt and Jet''': Weekday mornings 7-10 am. Regular features include the [[Latin Alternative]] Track of the Day; Nic's Pick (a less-played hit or album cut, often from Harcourt's own collection); and the Fresh-Squeezed Track of the Day, a newly released song.
* '''Middays with Julie Slater''': Weekdays 10 am-2 pm. Each week, Slater selects a different (usually newly or recently released) album for the 88.5 Album Dive; every day at approximately noon, Slater will play one or two tracks from that album, often accompanied by interview segments with or written insights from the featured artists. Slater's partner Jason Friday joins the program Fridays at 1 pm for "Friday on a Friday," a variety segment often featuring clips from their podcast "CUZ I HAVE TO…when living your dream is the only option."
* '''The Drive with Mookie''': Weekdays 2-4 pm. Station program director Marc "Mookie" Kaczor starts the afternoon off.
* '''The [[Matt Pinfield]] Show''': Weekdays 4-6 pm. Pinfield has two regular features: "Cover Me," spotlighting a [[cover song|cover]] of a well-known song (or a lesser-known original whose cover gained more fame); and "120 Seconds," which showcases a song whose video was featured on [[120 Minutes|the MTV show he once hosted]], with background info on the artist/s and album squeezed into the preceding 120 seconds. Pinfield also has the 11 am-2 pm slot on Sunday middays.
* '''Nic at Six''': Weeknights 6-7 pm. Nic Harcourt returns for an hour of music to start the evening.
* '''Evenings with Rob Romero''': Weeknights 7-9 pm.
* '''Bilingual Sounds''': Weeknights 9-11 pm. Byron "The Curator" Gonzalez puts together and plays themed sets of music in English, Spanish, and additional languages.
* '''Saturdays with Hillary Gordon''': Saturdays 10 am-2 pm. Former radio and music executive Gordon takes over the DJ booth.
* '''Peace, Love, and Saturdays with Mimi Chen''': Saturday afternoons 2-6 pm.
* '''Artist in Residence series''': Saturday evenings 6-7 pm. Each month, a different artist takes over the station's airwaves for one hour on Saturdays. The only limits are FCC rules, and participating artists are welcome to combine their playlists with interviews or in-studio guests or more. Previous artists in residence include [[Joe Walsh]], [[Sleater-Kinney]], [[Moby]], [[Dan Auerbach]], [[Chris Shiflett]] of [[Foo Fighters]], [[Wilco]], and [[Beabadoobee]].
* '''Saturday Evening with Barry Funkhouser''': Saturdays 7-10 pm.

===Specialty shows===
* '''The Soundtrack with [[Lev L. Spiro|Lev Spiro]]''': Last Wednesday of the month, 8-9 pm. Spiro typically presents a playlist of music featured in film and television.
* '''Rock n Roll Times with Robert Hilburn''': Wednesday overnights, midnight-1 am. Hilburn blends a themed playlist with his own experiences from six decades of covering the artists within.
* '''Americana Matinee with Kat Griffin''': Saturdays 8-10 am. Griffin covers mainly new music in the diaspora of American roots music, including traditional and contemporary bluegrass, folk, blues, country, and Americana.
* '''Deeper Grooves with Cliff Beach''': Saturdays 10-11 pm. Beach focuses on "all music that grooves"—pop, funk, soul, R&B, disco, and more.
* '''Indie Beginnings with Mookie and Barry Funkhouser''': Sundays 6-7 am. The two DJs spotlight a different pioneer of indie rock each week.
* '''Tangled Roots with Pat Baker''': Sundays 7-9 am. Baker presents an eclectic mix of past and present in American roots music.
* '''The [[Bob Dylan|Dylan]] Hours with Lisa Finnie''': Sundays 9-11 am. A look at the genre-defying discography of Bob Dylan.
* '''The Open Road with Gary Calamar''': Sundays 4-6 pm. A musician and music supervisor for film and TV, Calamar presents a playlist he calls "adventurous pop music both timely and timeless."
* '''Soul Sundays with [[Ty Taylor]]''': Sundays 6-8 pm. Taylor, the lead singer of Los Angeles band [[Vintage Trouble]], presents two hours of [[soul music|soul]] and [[rhythm and blues]].
* '''Ann the Raven's Blues''': Sundays 8-10 pm. Two hours dedicated to the blues genre and its artists past and present.
* '''L.A. Buzz Bands with Kevin Bronson''': Sundays 10-11 pm. A look at up-and-coming bands in the Los Angeles scene.
* '''The Sway Out West Radio Hour with Zach Lupetin''': Sundays 11 pm-midnight. A playlist of singers and songwriters with a western American flavor, curated by the lead guitarist for Americana band [[Dustbowl Revival]].
* '''Galactic Voyager with Meishel''': Sunday overnights midnight-1 am. Electronic, New Age, and ambient music.

==HD programming==
In October 2013, the HD2 channel dropped classical and launched a new format known as [[Latin alternative]], which includes Latin pop, [[modern rock]], [[classic rock]], [[hip-hop]] dance music and salsoul. 
.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://franklinavenue.blogspot.com/2013/10/kcsns-hd2-channel-goes-latin-alternative.html|title=Franklin Avenue: KCSN's HD2 Channel Goes Latin Alternative|last=Mike|date=21 October 2013}}</ref>  This format then moved to HD3 as part of the KSBR programming partnership as KSBR's Jazz programming moved to HD2.

KCSN also mentors California State University, Northridge students in broadcasting, music industry, audio engineering and news production. Students produce six-minute morning news segments that air at 6:30am and 7:30am and three-minute segments at 7am and 8am. A nightly half-hour news program called the ''Evening Update'' airs at 6pm.

The news department of KCSN has received almost 500 news awards under the leadership of Keith Goldstein, who died in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailynews.com/obituaries/20160521/veteran-csun-journalism-instructor-radio-station-director-keith-goldstein-dead-at-61|publisher=Low Angeles Daily News|date=21 May 2016|first=Dana|last=Bartholomew|title=Veteran CSUN journalism instructor, radio station director Keith Goldstein dead at 61}}</ref>

These news programs are heard on the HD3 channel.

==Translators and boosters==
{{RadioTranslators
| callsign = KCSN
| width    =

| call1    = K210EO
| freq1    = 89.9
| city1    = Santa Paula, California
| fid1     = 93735

| call2    = K210CH
| freq2    = 89.9
| city2    = Ventura, California
| fid2     = 90441

| call3    = KCSN-FM1
| freq3    = 88.5
| city3    = West Los Angeles
| fid3     = 137504
}}

==See also==
* [[Campus radio]]
* [[KSBR]]
* [[List of college radio stations in the United States]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|www.thesocalsound.org}}
{{FM station data|62949|KCSN}}
*[https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=69481 FCC History Cards for KCSN]

{{California State University, Northridge}}
{{Los Angeles Radio}}

[[Category:Radio stations in Los Angeles|CSN]]
[[Category:Adult album alternative radio stations in the United States|KCSN]]
[[Category:California State University, Northridge]]
[[Category:College radio stations in California|CSN]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1963]]