South Bay College Radio Sees a Gen Z Revival

"Amid declining FM listenership, these stations report a surge in student and volunteer interest, with applications for DJ slots overwhelming capacity. "We're averaging about 120 students per semester in our classes. We're pretty close to rivaling the numbers that we had in the early 2000s at our last peak," says Nick Martinez, KSJS' general manager and coordinator of operations. "Things are looking up. Our thing is serving the community. We're not worried about the bottom line.""

"Broadcasting 24/7, KSJS' programming includes specialty shows spotlighting emerging indie acts and coverage of campus events. Its charts also provide feedback to labels tracking regional popularity. Martinez, who also teaches at SJSU as part-time faculty, said of his students, "They're actively finding the music. They're engaged in the music. They're engaged in the local music scene. They are doing something that is greater than themselves.""

South Bay college radio stations are experiencing a Gen Z revival, with surging student enrollment and volunteer interest overwhelming DJ-slot capacity even as FM listenership declines. KSJS 90.5 FM operates 24/7, centers on independent and wide-ranging music, runs specialty shows that spotlight emerging indie acts, covers campus events, and produces charts used by labels to track regional popularity. Enrollment in station-related classes has climbed to about 120 students per semester, nearing early-2000s peaks. Longstanding stations such as KFJC, KSCU, and KZSU continue to provide eclectic, listener-funded programming and platforms for underrepresented sounds.

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