Independent bay area radio guide
Discover the magical world of commercial-free, community radio!
Stations
KPOO
89.5 FM San Francisco
KPOO has been a San Francisco institution since its founding in the 1970s as “poor people’s radio.” (kPOO'). KPOO was the first to put rap, salsa, and reggae on the bay area airwaves. There are labor and abolitionist talk shows that interview activists across the state. The station is unapologetically black-run, and everything’s joyfully held together by KPOO's long-time station manager JJ.
- kpoo.com
- Studio: 415.346.5376
KPFA
94.1 FM Berkeley
After dark, KPFA's leftist and liberal daytime talk radio yields to an eclectic mix of music shows. KPFA is actually the OG listener-supported station and reported on Berkeley's significant countercultural moments.
- kpfa.org
- Studio: 510.848.4425
Lower Grand Radio
Oakland (Online)
Lower Grand is to the airwaves what the cool skater gang was to your high school. LGR plays hostess to delightfully intimate conversations, new DJs, and polished sets that could be live from the club. It’s uncompromisingly queer, and home to more BIPOC DJs than most of the college stations.
- lowergrandradio.com
- Studio: 510.422.5401
KALX
90.7 FM Berkeley
Humble and curious, uc berkeley's student radio is a good place to get your first bearings the world of local radio. There's music playing almost 24/7.
- kalx.berkeley.edu
- Studio: 510.642.KALX
KFJC
89.7 FM Los Altos
KFJC is the free-form station of foothill community college. they don’t shy away from playing weird music! Sometimes hyper-local, sometimes international. If your playlists are feeling worn out, see what KFJC is spinning.
- kfjc.org
- Studio: 650.941.2500
KALW
91.7 FM San Francisco
On KALW-FM, every weekday at 7:20am you can hear the daily menu of San Francisco public schools. During the day, it's mostly NPR news and other chit-chat. But from afternoons to the early morning, KALW transforms into a station for music discovery. The weeknight show KALW@25thStreet broadcasts talented djs and their grooves live from Oakland — a consistent radio gem.
- kalw.org
- Studio: 415.841.4134
KCSM
91.1 FM San Mateo
KCSM, better known as “Jazz 91,” is the bay area's jazz station, broadcast from the San Mateo Community College District. The station is deeply connected to the local scene.
- kcsm.org
- Studio: 650.574.6586
KZSC
88.1 FM Santa Cruz
uc santa cruz' radio station is broadcast out of a building tucked in amongst the redwoods. KZSC djs are remarkably amenable to requests, just text in...
- kzsc.org
- Studio: 831.459.4036
Radio Bilingüe
1010 AM (KIQI) San Francisco
Radio Bilingüe is a national latin@ radio network, spanning dozens of FM and AM stations which cover major cities and rural areas. A vehicle of expression and information sharing, Radio Bilingüe has a news bureau in Oakland, and national call-in advice shows. Programming is mostly in Spanish, but also English, Mixteco, and other languages.
BFF
San Francisco (online)
BFF stands for Best Frequencies Forever, an online station based in the mission. They have an impressive lineup of shows. It's usually a little more Valencia than 24th & Mission :p
KKUP
91.5 FM Cupertino
KKUP is an eclectic station out of Cupertino. Their lineup includes a lot of oldies, including — sources say! — some of the best doo-wop on the air.
- kkup.org
- Requests: 408.260.2999
KGPC
96.9 FM Oakland
KGPC was once called “9th Floor Radio,” when was broadcast from the 9th floor of the laney college library building. It’s still part of the college, but now operates under somewhat more formal auspices. KGPC’s lineup has many podcast-format shows.
KGPC uses a newfangled streaming technology we can't tap into. To listen, visit their website:
KXSF
102.5 FM San Francisco
KXSF is trying to stake out a place for community radio on the right end of the dial. (Typically non-commercial radio lives towards the bottom of the FM band.) KXSF sometimes feels like it’s still trying to find its place. Maybe that’s not surprising; an entire generation of artists are struggling to find their place in the gentrified city.
- kxsf.fm
- Studio: 415.648.7327
Suggest a station or show! contact@vxkat.info
Other stations
Why Radio?
Our optimized, algorithm-ified lives can be lonely. Where's the connection and sharing? Has it always been this way?
For generations, people have turned on the radio to feel less alone, break out into unexpected dance, or hear a song that's never been heard before.
This website will help you find some favorite shows and tune in weekly to see what’s new. Just turn on your set (or our O'Matic streams) to tap into the rhythm.
You’ll be sharing the experience with hundreds of people across the city.
About these Stations
These stations are all local, fiercely independent of corporate control, and totally ad-free.
“Put your radio on your windowsill now!” Jean Shepherd, late-night WOR DJ, commanded his listeners one night in 1957.
“Do it now! Now! The loudspeaker pointed out—toward the neighborhood… And when I give you the cue, turn that radio up as loudly as it will go.”
Listeners were astonished to hear other voices in their own apartment building, or across the street, or down the alley, echoing with the same insane shout.
from Something in the Air
A project of K.A.T.