# KSUA

KSUA (91.5 FM) is a student-run college radio station licensed to Fairbanks, Alaska. Broadcasting from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) campus with 3,000 watts effective radiated power (ERP,) it serves the Alaska Interior area. When first on the air in 1984, it was one of a few commercially licensed college stations. Reorganized in 1993, KSUA now operates under the FCC non-commercial educational license public radio rules.

## FCC Programming Requirements

Noncommercial licenses are available only for "educational" purposes. TV stations must show that the licenses will be used "primarily to serve the educational needs of the community; for the advancement of educational programs; and to furnish a nonprofit and noncommercial television broadcast service." This includes transmitting "educational, cultural, and entertainment programs." FM radio licensees must be nonprofit educational organizations that advance "an educational program."
In practice, though, the FCC has allowed the stations to determine for themselves whether they have produced programming of this sort. The commission has intentionally left "educational programming" undefined, describing public broadcasting instead in terms of what it is not: Public stations "are not operated by profit-seeking organizations nor supported by on-the-air advertising," with their "positive dimensions" determined by "social, political, and economic forces outside the Commission."
Because noncommercial stations have an educational mission, whose contours have been left unspecified, the FCC has never adopted public interest programming rules for noncommercial stations, such as requiring that a certain amount of airtime be dedicated to local news KSUA has won statewide and national broadcasting awards.

## History

KSUA-FM did not go on the air until the mid-1980s, but the station's roots stretch back for two decades before that, to the first UAF radio station, KUAC-FM. KUAC, the Fairbanks North Star Borough's public radio station, went on the air October 1, 1962, operating out of the Constitution Hall studios KSUA now occupies. KUAC was the first public radio station in Alaska, and also the first FM station serving the Interior. It would blaze the trail for other stations to come. In 1971, KUAC moved its radio and new TV broadcasting facilities into the lower level of the UAF Fine Arts Building.
KUAC was joined a decade later by carrier current outlet KMPS, the precursor to KSUA. Established by the UAF student government, KMPS went on air March 24, 1971. It was a "Progressive rock" campus radio station. The existing AC electoral wiring in the dorms and other campus buildings were used as a broadcast antenna; only AM radios near the buildings could receive its signal.
KMPS quickly tired of its limited listener base. In the mid-1970s, the push to become a licensed on-air broadcaster began. For that, a new call sign would be needed. Unlicensed carrier current stations have no claim on or requirement for a call sign, and in 1978, the FCC assigned the KMPS-FM call sign to a station based in Seattle, Washington.

## Commercial years

On September 6, 1984, KSUA-FM came on the air at the frequency of 103.9 MHz, operating under a commercial broadcast license from the FCC. Both KMPS and KSUA took in advertising revenue. The licensee was called Student Media, Inc. (SMI). That nonprofit corporation had been formed to operate the station.
Playing what is referred to in the radio industry as the "album-oriented rock" or AOR format (focusing on 'deep albums tracks' in addition to more popular singles), KSUA-FM began as one of the few commercial college stations in the country, as are WHUR-FM at Howard University and WPGU at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The early KSUA operated with relative autonomy, with few direct ties to the university, as a culture had existed since the 1940s at UAF of providing student services independent of the university.
KSUA "Rock for the Great Land" quickly became the most popular station in the Greater Fairbanks area, with a format of playing a wide range of music that included classic rock, Alternative, Heavy Metal, Industrial, traditional Chicago and Delta Blues, Grunge (well before the genre became widely recognized) and a host of Independent recording acts. The format and content of each show was left largely up to the DJ of that show. The station served as a launching pad for 'Glenner and Jerry' (aka Glen Anderson and Jerry Evans), popular local announcers who enlivened the morning show format in Fairbanks. They would leave the station in 1987 for KWLF in Fairbanks. In 2013 they still worked in local radio but at different stations. D.J. Jamie Canfield, went on to work for several independent record labels including Rounder Records, Rykodisc and Righteous Babe Records, voice work for several Rockstar Games, including Grand Theft Auto Vice City, and in 2011, he was program director at KSKI-FM in Hailey, Idaho.
KSUA's fortunes began to decline in the late 1980s. In 1987, commercial contemporary hit radio station KWLF began broadcasting; it then hired away Anderson and Evans. With new competition and decline of the Alaskan economy during the same period, KSUA's stability as a commercial radio entity diminished. As Fairbanks's radio market expanded with more new stations in the early 1990s, acute financial troubles began to plague KSUA. The station's advertising revenues steadily declined amidst an increasingly competitive broadcasting landscape. KSUA was eventually unable to meet its payroll demands to both management and on-air staff. The formerly-paid DJs were asked to volunteer, but in protest, one of them filed a wage claim with the Department of Labor, and KSUA was forced to give out almost $45,000 in unpaid wages. Out of money, KSUA went dark March 8, 1993.

## Transformation, transition, and growth

The station stayed off the air until the end of 1993. During its downtime, SMI was dissolved, and the license for KSUA was transferred to the UA Board of Regents, to be held in trust for the students of UAF. In September the Associated Students University of Alaska Fairbanks (ASUAF) bill, called "Governance Agreement For The KSUA Media Board", was passed. It recreated KSUA as a public radio station, under the authority of the new KSUA Media Board. The station's chief engineer brought the system up to FCC standards. A new antenna was purchased, placed on the Moore Residence Hall on the Upper Campus. When KSUA came back on the air, it had new equipment and new management. The new KSUA came back on the air December 2, 1993, playing the same song the station had shut down with: Pearl Jam's "Alive."
Until 1982—just years before KSUA went on air—the portion of the FM band below 100 MHz, including the typical noncommercial educational reserved band of 88–92 MHz, was reserved in Alaska for telecommunications purposes. As a result, KSUA and KUAC, as well as other public radio stations in Alaska such as KSKA, operated on licenses that, if sold, could be converted to commercial operation. With KSUA now operating as a public radio station, Borealis Broadcasting, a local media company wanted its frequency for a new commercial station. Borealis purchased the defunct KUWL, a Christian radio station that had operated at 91.5 FM from 1985 to 1993, and swapped it to the university for the 103.9 frequency, which could be operated commercially. In exchange, the university received a new antenna and transmitter system valued at $26,000, as well as $10,000 in additional payments—all extremely valuable in the face of budget cuts. As a result, in April 1996, KSUA moved to 91.5 FM, and Borealis started a new commercial station, also named KUWL, at 103.9 with the former KSUA license.

## Sports

KSUA provides live play-by-play coverage of University of Alaska Nanooks hockey. Veteran broadcaster Bruce Cech is the play-by-play announcer for all Nanook hockey games. KSUA streams all games live on their website. KSUA is the only radio station to provide Nanook hockey game coverage as no commercial radio station throughout the Fairbanks radio market airs their games.

## General managers

There can be anywhere from 30 to 100 volunteers at one time, normally managed by 6-9 paid student staff members (depending on the needs at the time). These positions are normally kept for a year or two and are reviewed annually by the general manager. The general manager in turn is reviewed by the Media Board. The Media Board is a small board of volunteer UAF students and UAF staff who oversee the monthly operations of the station and the general manager. They also approve the annual budget and assist in helping the general manager make large decisions.

## Awards

As of Fall 2019, KSUA has won over 100 statewide broadcasting awards. In 2012 it was among the top 10 college stations nationwide competing for the MTV college radio woodie award. The next year KSUA won the College Radio Woodie Award.
Alaska Broadcasters Association Awards
| Year | Category | Name | Creator |
| 2001 | Radio, Website, Student division | www.uaf.edu/ksua | Brandon Seifert, Dustin Rice |
| 2001 | Radio Commercial, Series, Student Division | KSUA Job Opportunities | Brad Weber, Jon Johnson |
| 2001 | Radio, Best Specialty Programming, Student Division | Dead Sessions | Channon Price |
| 2001 | Radio, Web Site, Student Division | www.uaf.edu/ksua | Brandon Seifert, Dustin Rice |
| 2001 | Radio Commercial, Single Entry, Student Division | Good Karma Tattoos | Brad Weber |
| 2001 | Radio, Best Spots Never Aired, Student Division | Punk Show Ad | Brad Weber |
| 2001 | Radio, Public Affairs Program, Student Division | Maieutic Radio Featuring Heln Caldicott | Ramey Wood |
| 2001 | Radio, Sports News Story, Single Entry, Student Division | The Russ Kelly Show, Sports Extra Edition | Russ Kelly |
| 2001 | Radio, Uniquely Alaskan Program, Student Division | Alaska Independence Party | H.B. Telling |
| 2001 | Radio, Promotional Item, Student Division | KSUA Watch | Ty Keltner |
| 2002 | Radio, Promotional Item, Student Division | KSUA T-Shirt | Ty Keltner, Trademark Printing |
| 2002 | Radio, Best Spot that Never Aired, Student Division | Rock Til Your Heart Bleeds | Mark Fortunato, Don Bradshaw |
| 2002 | Radio, Web Site, Student Division | www.uaf.edu/ksua | Dustin Rice |
| 2002 | Radio, Promotional Announcement, Series, Student Division | Gadjits Promotion | Matthew Little, Morgan Dufseth |
| 2002 | Radio, Radio Commercial, Single Entry, Student Division | Trademark | Allen Childs |
| 2002 | Promotional Announcement, Single Entry, Student Division | Fruit at the Fair | Susan Steinnerd, Ty Keltner |
| 2002 | Radio, Best Comedy Feature, Student Division | Live from Guelph | Ramey Wood, Jenn Neslund |
| 2002 | Radio, Public Affairs Program, Student Division | Derrick Jensen Interview | Ramey Wood |
| 2002 | Radio, Live Sports Event, Student Division | UAF vs. Ohio State | Bruce Cech, Erik Drygas |
| 2003 | Radio, Web Site, Student Division | KSUA Website | Curt Merrill |
| 2003 | Radio, Promotional Item, Student Division | The People's Radio Sticker | Curt Merrill |
| 2003 | Radio, Best Spot that Never Aired | Governor's Picnic | Isaac Paris, Chip Brookes |
| 2003 | Radio, Best Specialty Programming, Student Division | Jah is My Co-Pilot | Chip Brookes |
| 2003 | Radio Commercial, Single Entry, Student Division | Fantasyland | Isaac Paris, Ginny Tschanz |
| 2003 | Radio, Live Sports Event, Student Division | UAF Nanooks vs. UAA Seawolves | Bruce Cech, Erik Drygas |
| 2003 | Radio, Promotional Announcement, Single Entry, Student Division | Lysistrata | Isaac Paris, Chip Brookes |
| 2003 | Radio, Public Affairs Program, Student Division | Howard Zinn Interview | Colin McClung |
| 2003 | Radio, Best Uniquely Alaskan Program, Student Division | Alaskan Independent's Party | H.B. Telling |
| 2003 | Radio, Promotional Announcement Series, Student Division | Complete Discography | Isaac Paris, Chip Brookes |
| 2004 | Radio, Service to Community, Single Entry, Student Division | Voting PSA | Isaac Paris |
| 2004 | Radio, Website, Student Division | www.ksua.net | Curt Merrill, H.B. Telling, Channon Price |
| 2004 | Radio, Live Sports Event, Student Division | UAF vs. Notre Dame | Bruce Cech |
| 2004 | Radio, Promotional Item, Student Division | KSUA Bumper Sticker | Curt Merrill |
| 2004 | Radio, Public Affairs Program, Student Division | Sugar in the Raw | Kendra Calhoun, Jody Hassel |
| 2004 | Radio, Best Specialty Programming, Student Division | Jah is My Co-Pilot | Chip Brookes |
| 2004 | Radio, Public Service Announcement, Single Entry, Student Division | Literacy Council of Alaska | Isaac Paris, Rachel Garcia |
| 2004 | Radio, Uniquely Alaskan Program, Single Entry, Student Division | Alaska Independence Party | Nick Brewer, Elizabeth Smith |
| 2004 | Radio, Best Spot that never aired, Student Division | Radiohead I.D. | Chip Brookes, Isaac Paris, Shaleesha Ferrari, H.B. Telling |
| 2004 | Promotional Announcement, Single Entry, Student Division | General Manager Vacancy | Isaac Paris, Chip Brookes |
| 2005 | TV, Comedy Feature, Student Division | Star Trek, Sol Searching II, Lords of Time | Star Trek Club of Fairbanks |
| 2005 | TV, Entertainment Program, Single Entry, Student Division | STV | Shaleesha Ferrari, Dan Urquhart |
| 2005 | TV, Newscast, Student Division | UAF Weekly News | Dani Carlson, Kelsa Shilanski, Mike Lord |
| 2005 | Radio, Comedy Feature, Student Division | Fidel Castro Shops at Safeway Punk'd | Chip Brooks, Big Liza, Sally 3000, Ice Cold |
| 2005 | Radio, Radio News Program, Student Division | JRN 215 Final Project | Brian Woster, Dani Carlson, Kelsa Shilanski |
| 2005 | Radio, Live Sports Event, Student Division | UAF vs. Notre Dame | Bruce Cech, Erik Drygas |
| 2005 | Radio, Best On-Air Personality, Student Division | Dr. Nick and Mr. Smart | Nick Brewer, H.B. Telling |
| 2005 | Radio, Best Radio Show, Student Division | KSUA Talk Show | Nick Brewer, H.B. Telling |
| 2005 | Radio, Promotional Announcements Series, Student Division | Angry Young and Poor 2005 | Isaac Paris, Craig Brookes |
| 2005 | Radio, Best Spot that never aired, Student Division | DJ Salt vs. DJ Pepper | Andrew Paris, Isaac Paris |
| 2005 | Radio, Promotional Item, Student Division | KSUA Robot's Radio T-Shirt | Nick Sorum, Nick Brewer |
| 2005 | TV, News Story, Student Division | Stryker Brigade | Dani Carlson |
| 2005 | TV, Public Service Announcement, Student Division | Real TV | Dan Urquhart |
| 2005 | TV, Live Sports Event, Student Division | UAF vs. Nebraska Omaha | Bruce Cech, Erik Drygas |
| 2006 | Radio, Uniquely Alaskan Program, Student Division | Radio Production Students Gone Wild | Jamie Horath, Iris Fabrizio, Mark Pavitt |
| 2006 | Radio, Live Sports Event, Student Division | UAF vs. Minnesota | Bruce Cech |
| 2006 | TV, Sports news Story, Student Division | UAF Basketball Playoffs | Alan Frizzell |
| 2006 | TV, News Story, Student Division | UA Museum Addition | Dani Carlson |
| 2006 | TV, Comedy Feature, Student Division | Cooking with Sean and a Ninja | Sean Holland, Chris Green |
| 2006 | TV, Entertainment Program, Student Division | Tim Fite UAF Performance | Sean Holland, Jason Brewer, Chris Green |
| 2006 | TV, Uniquely Alaskan Program, Student Division | The Town Called Fairbanks | Sean Holland, Chris Green, Jason Brewer, Andrew Pan's |
| 2006 | Radio, Public Affairs Program, Student Division | Dreams - the Everything Bagel Show | Casey Grove, Jose Cruz-Gomez, Rosie Milligan |
| 2006 | Radio, Promotional Item, Student Division | Mr. KSUA Robot Sticker | Nick Brewer |
| 2006 | TV, Promotional Announcement, Student Division | KSUA TeaV | Sean Holland, Andrew Paris, Chris Green |
| 2006 | Radio, Comedy Feature, Student Division | KSUA Talk Show | Nick Brewer, H.B. Telling, Isaac Paris, Jessica Tamez |
| 2006 | TV, Newscast, Student Division | UAF Weekly News | Dani Carlson, Amy Chausse, Kelly Gitter, Laura Lowdermilk |
| 2006 | TV, Best Use of Video, Student Division | Ambient Japan | Sean Holland |
| 2006 | TV, Live Sports Event, Student Division | Woman's Swimming: UAF vs. LMU 10/22/05 | Sean Holland |
| 2006 | TV, Public Affairs Program, Student Division | Governing Alaska's Natural Resources | Sean Holland |
| 2006 | TV, News Feature, Student Division | 9th Annual Mush for Kids | Lauren Adams |
| 2007 | TV, Best Promotional Announcement, Student Division | Subways | Nick Brewer, Sean Holland |
| 2007 | TV, Entertainment Program, Student Division | KSUA Talk Show | Nick Brewer, Sven Gilkey |
| 2007 | TV, Public Affairs Program, Student Division | Outspoken | Kelly Gitter |
| 2007 | TV, Public Service Announcement, Student Division | My UA | Jaime Schwarzwald |
| 2007 | Best Radio Show, Student Division | United Nations of Music | Sean Bledsoe, Yan Matusevich |
| 2007 | Radio, Sports News Story, Student Division | Pre-Game Show: UAF vs. Western Michigan | Bruce Cech, Jim Culhane, Dallas Ferguson |
| 2007 | TV, Live Sport Event, Student Division | Volleyball: UAF vs. UAA | Sean Holland, Nicole Carvajal |
| 2007 | TV, Best Use of Video, Student Division | The Legend of St. Herman of Alaska | Sean Bledsoe, Yelena Matusevich |
| 2007 | Radio, Live Sports Event, Student Division | Playoff Game 3: UAF vs Western Michigan | Bruce Cech |
| 2007 | Radio, Entertainment Program, Student Division | Terra Firma | Tara Delana, Loquin Britton, Christina Sawyer |
| 2007 | Radio, News Feature, Series Entry, Student Division | 9 to 5 | Nora Gruner, Mary Donaldson |
| 2007 | Radio, Public Service Announcement, Student Division | Clucking Blossom | Matt Lynch, Tara Delana |
| 2008 | Radio, Live Sports Event, Student Division | Overtime Win: UAF vs. Western Michigan | Bruce Cech, Giacomo Accardo |
| 2009 | Radio, Public Service Announcement, Student Division | UAF Text2U PSA | Nick Hautman |
| 2009 | Radio, Live Sports Event, Student Division | Overtime Win: Alaska Nanooks vs. Ferris State, 2/21/09 | Bruce Cech, Erik Drygas, Matthew Schroder |
| 2009 | Radio, Best Imaging, Student Division | Home and KSUA.net | Nick Hautman |
| 2009 | Radio, Promotional Announcement, Student Division | Junkyard Ghost Revival | Nick Hautman |
| 2010 | Radio, Live Sports Event, Student Division | Alaska Nanooks vs. Boston College NCAA NE Regional | Bruce Cech, Channon Price |
| 2010 | Radio, Entertainment Program, Student Division | International Talk like a Pirate Day | Nick Hautman |
| 2011 | Radio, Public Service, Student Division | Somalia PSA | Rebecca File, Maduabuchi Umekwe |
| 2011 | Radio, Uniquely Alaskan, Student Division | KSUA Takeout: Local Musician Discusses Life on Rural Alaskan Island | Rebecca File, Willis Fireball |
| 2011 | Radio, Entertainment Program, Student Division | KSUA Take Out: Buskalaska | Rebecca File, Paul Thompson |
| 2011 | Radio, Best Radio Show, Student Division | Foreign Affairs: Kreuzberg | Jack Ewers |
| 2011 | Radio, Best Promotional Announcement, Student Division | KSUA: Like Us | Rebecca File, Jack Ewers, Sam Herreid |
| 2012 | Public Service Announcement, 60 seconds or less, single entry, student division | Good Hygiene | Luke Soren Nielsen, Meghan Packee, Eli Barry-Garland |
| 2012 | Radio, Best Sports News Story, Student Division | Overtime Sports News | Michael Ives, Steve Morrow |
| 2012 | Best Promotional Announcement, 60 seconds of less, single entry | MC Sonny Golden Station ID | MC Sonny Golden |
| 2012 | Best Radio Show, Student Division | General Protection Fault | Jeremy Smith, Ivan Baird |
| 2012 | Radio, Entertainment Program, Student Division | KSUA Takeout: Laura Gibson | Brady Gross, Rebecca File |
| 2014 | Radio, Best Entertainment Feature, Student Division | Netherlands in Alaska | Jack O'Malley |
| 2015 | Student Radio, Best Promotional Announcement | Valentine's Day Party | Jack Ewers |
| 2018 | Student Radio, Best Radio Show | Critical Hits | Luke Soren Nielsen, Rachel Elmer, Amelia Cooper, Josh Tullar |
| 2020 | Student Radio, Best Profile | Speaking of Anthropology: Interview with Dr. Eske Willerslev | Kevin Huo (Host), Dillon McIntire (Host), Eske Willerslev (Guest) |
| 2021 | Student Radio, Best Profile | Two Peas in the Snow | Juancruz Montalvo Rivas (Host), Kristin Gadow (Host) |
| 2023 | Student Radio, Entertainment Program | Afrovibes with SONOFUCHE | Malachi Uche (Host), Moody Pierce (Editor), Kevin Huo (Additional Editing) |
| 2023 | Student Radio, Profile | Desert Crossing - Applying to an MFA in Creative Writing: One Accepted Student's Story | Aaron Salzman (Host), Courtney Skaggs (Guest) |
| 2023 | Student Radio, Promotional Announcement | KSUA Station Bumper - Station Ghost | Moody Pierce (Writer, Voice), Kjrsten Schindler (Voice), Wetherleigh Griffin (voice) |
| 2023 | Student Radio, Profile | Desert Crossing - Applying to an MFA in Creative Writing: One Accepted Student's Story | Aaron Salzman (Host), Courtney Skaggs (Guest) |
| 2023 | Student Radio, Public Service Announcement | KSUA Submissions PSA | Moody Pierce (Writer, Voice) |
| 2023 | Student Radio, Use of Digital Media | Desert Crossing: A Guide to Recommendation Letters (Academic Focused) | Aaron Salzman (Host) |
Radiostar Awards by Radio Flag
| Year | Category | Name |
| Spring 2012 | Best Talk Show | General Protection Fault |
| Spring 2012 | Best Sports Show | Overtime |
| Spring 2013 | Best Music Show | Atlas Rocked |
| Spring 2015 | Best Music Show | MakoBeats |