Article content credited to KCSU's Historian Shay Dite
History
1943
It All Began in 1943: The War and the Corn Collide
World War II. Not the most romantic of beginnings for a college radio station, yet Colorado State University’s radio station owes its birth to this world event . Colorado State University, (known as Colorado Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, Colorado A&M for short in the mid 20th century) was serving upwards of..Read More
1950
The 1950’s: CSU Explores Radio Opportunities
The 1950’s was a time of change for the university, such as the expansion of the school, the name change from Colorado A&M to Colorado State University, and the exploration of a student radio station. The university felt radio would be a beneficial learning opportunity to students involved in drama,..Read More
1960
The 1960’s: Resignation, Reforms, and LSD
In March of 1960, KCSU ran its first test program with a pre-recorded segment via carrier-current to Newsom Hall. The program had music, campus news, and interviews with the radio staff that students could listen to through the phone lines. In 1964, KCSU finally received its’ FCC building permit and..Read More
1970
The 1970’s: The Aggies Strike Back
The 1970’s was a fresh start for KCSU, with new equipment and the move to the basement of the Student Center, in the heart of campus. Getting a new receiver for the station boosted their status and attracted Northern Colorado listeners. They also transitioned to an FM transmitter, which produced..Read More
1980
The 1980’s: Too Risky to be Student-Run?
The 1980’s presented the debate of whether the station should be student-run or not. Some believed that it was too risky to have a student-run station because of mismanagement, and there was no direction on how a station was supposed to run if it wasn’t by professionals. Others believed that..Read More
1990
The 1990’s: KCSU Becomes Aquatic!
In the summer of 1997, northern Colorado was hit with a flood that destroyed much of CSU- including the radio station. About one quarter of the music library was destroyed, meaning old recordings of KCSU broadcasts were lost forever. The station had to relocate to the old Fort Collins High..Read More