KSFS: SF State’s Unknown Radio Show

San Francisco State Radio (KSFS) is one of many hidden gems at SF State. Located toward the back of Marcus Hall is a studio mostly known by Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts (BECA) majors, and is home to many radio talents who just want to share some music with the world. Shows go live every week from the small studio, including Ear Extension.

Live every Tuesday from 3:30-4:30 p.m., Ear Extension is a variety show hosted by BECA students Angus Johnson, Grant Brumm and Dominick D’Anna. The show began streaming earlier this semester. The theme changes every week, resulting in a diverse range of setlists for listeners to immerse themselves in.

Each playlist is curated by the hosts in accordance with the week’s category. For example, when the theme was live music, each host chose their favorite live performances — such as Mac Miller’s Tiny Desk Concert — and talked about the set in between songs.

Their passion for the music is palpable. The trio aims to provide a welcoming vibe for fellow students to enjoy, whether it’s in their car, while doing homework or to brighten up a busy school day.

The three hosts were able to bond over their shared interest in rock music.

“We all kind of had a sense for rock, specifically 70s rock,” said D’Anna, a third-year student. “I actually had never really known Angus or Grant until that class, but they definitely feel like close friends now.” 

BECA 305, otherwise known as KSFS Radio and Podcasting, helps upper-division students develop their skills with hands-on experience. 

“My [other] professor mentioned that the course had a radio station, which I had never even heard of before,” Johnson said. 

In addition to Ear Extension, Johnson hosts his own show called The Hip Hop Hour, live every Friday from 3-4 p.m. The show is also part of KSFS.

All three of the students expressed their feelings about wanting the station to have more exposure for all students.

“I think there needs to be an updated website you can click on and it takes you to a list of all the clubs and a list of all these kinds of programs and things that the school offers because we are paying to access this stuff,” Johnson said.

He believes that radio has lost some relevance due to the rising prominence of streaming in the digital age.

“Most of the time, if you’re just streaming, you’re listening to what you know and what you want to listen to,” Johnson said. “But if you’re listening to the radio, you’re kind of surrendering a little bit of that choice to someone else for a little while.”

The Ear Extension hosts are given a lot of creative freedom with their show, which is something that took some getting used to.

“For the first couple of shows, we just kept it loose, just using that common ground to pick songs,” Brumm said. “But it was just all over the place, which I think we all like a lot because it gives us so much freedom and so much breathing room.” 

The class and radio station give students the opportunity to get used to the workload that comes with being a host. “I know it can be overwhelming at other schools…I think it’s a nice way to get used to working with other people.” 

According to the Pew Research Center, the decline in radio listenership coincided with the beginning of the Coronavirus in 2020. Despite the decline in radio listenership, D’Anna believes that radio is an important institution to uphold.

“I never thought I was actually gonna do something in radio,” D’Anna said. “But I think radio does have a place. It’s really cool that there’s a class in place where you can kind of bring that back, especially in a campus environment.” 

All of the KSFS shows can be found here on the BECA Media website.