Report: Gen Z Is Learning to Love College Radio

"That story? Someone young discovering their new favorite musician from listening to a college radio station. The Replacements memorably wrote about college radio in their song "Left of the Dial," and college radio has long been a way for cult musicians to find their audience. Despite one prominent symbol of college radio's presence - the CMJ Music Marathon - ceasing to exist a decade ago, it turns out that college radio is still finding dedicated listeners out there."

"In a recent installment of her newsletter, Emily White chronicled a growing phenomenon: Gen Z following in the footsteps of earlier generations and discovering the joys of a good college radio station. White reached this conclusion after speaking with dozens of college radio DJs as well as several stations' general managers. What White learned from this was that colleges and universities around the country are seeing a significant growth in interest from students in taking part in their campus's radio station."

"The upswing in interest in radio led the general manager of Lexington, Kentucky's WRFL to tell White about the "exponential growth" they had seen in interest in station activities. White connects this trend to something that's become apparent in recent years: Gen Z is embracing physical media in a host of forms. This is also why, for instance, public libraries are seeing an influx of attention from a younger generation."

Gen Z interest in college radio is rising, with many students seeking out campus stations and joining station activities. Colleges and universities across the country report increased student involvement in programming and operations. Some general managers describe the surge in participation as exponential, tied to a broader embrace of physical media and communal cultural spaces among younger listeners. Regular shows and consistent programming foster a shared listening community that draws repeat tune-ins. Analog institutions like public libraries are also experiencing renewed engagement from younger generations, reflecting a wider revival of tactile and local media experiences.

Read at InsideHook