From 1963 until 2011, KUSF was a community and student-run broadcast station owned by the University of San Francisco. At 10am on January 18, 2011 USF Deans informed the on-air dj that the station was going off the air and he was to cease programing and leave the studio at once. There had been virtually no warning that the station was to be sold. The dj and the rest of the volunteer staff and students were escorted off the premises by campus police. Following the frequency's abrupt sale to USC, USF announced plans for a stripped down form of the station to become an online-only entity. The organization saveKUSF feels the sale is an injustice to the community KUSF served and is fighting to block the sale of the broadcasting rights to 90.3fm.
The station is located in the basement of Phelan Hall on the University of San Francisco campus, and is funded by the University of San Francisco, local and merchant underwriting, individual donations, and foundation grants.
KUSF began in 1963 as a campus-only AM station managed by the Associated Students of the University of San Francisco (ASUSF). In 1973, USF was offered an FM radio station by a small local Bible college that wished to discontinue its radio operations. USF accepted the offer and on April 25, 1977, KUSF became an FM station broadcasting on the 90.3 frequency. The old AM station later became the student-managed KDNZ, now defunct.
Originally broadcasting six hours a day, KUSF began broadcasting 24 hours a day in 1981. In its early days KUSF was a conventional college station, broadcasting programs of interest to the university and greater San Francisco community. However, KUSF soon garnered attention by playing new underground music: it was one of the first radio stations to play punk rock. Many now-famous acts also first gained exposure on KUSF, most notably Metallica and Primus.
KUSF 90.3FM was a cultural oasis that featured community-based programming along with a wide variety of musical formats. On January 18, 2011 KUSF's transmitter was abruptly shut off and the volunteer staff were informed that the University of San Francisco had conspired to sell the frequency to L.A.-based Classical Public Radio Network with no input from the students, volunteers, or local community.
We are fighting to stop the sale and keep KUSF on the airwaves!
