Palomar’s radio station, KKSM, is gearing up for the IBS awards in New York City where it has received seven nominations including one for Best Faculty Adviser.
KKSM faculty adviser Zeb Navarro will be representing the station at the March 7 ceremony at the New York City Conference Center. This is the first year Palomar has been a finalist for the awards, he said.
Navarro said he was surprised at the announcement of his nominations since nominations must be submitted by students. For those who work with Navarro at KKSM, the announcement came as no surprise.
Brianna “Charles” Harley, nominated for the Best Liner award herself, said Navarro “is constantly helping us along to sound really polished and professional without taking away from the fun we can have in our individual shows.”
Navarro said he is the liaison between the station and the students and oversees the whole KKSM op- eration. Navarro said he is undoubtedly proud of the station’s accomplishments and said the professional sound and alternative music is what sets KKSM apart from other college radio stations.
Navarro sets a high standard for all students who work at KKSM. The work environment is a structured, organized, and well-oiled machine. It is this standard that makes KKSM so successful, he said.
Despite its relatively small size, KKSM packs a big production-quality punch. KKSM has received seven awards over the years, including awards for best on-air personality, best news documentary and best audio production.
However, what truly makes KKSM successful is Navarro’s active role in giving students full creative freedom. KKSM encourages students to explore and develop their radio personalities. From alternative music stations, to a nerdy talk show, students said they are allowed to express themselves on the air.
Harley said students have the freedom to talk about “whatever suits their fancy.”
KKSM also boasts a varied selection of music. Navarro said he prides himself on giving students the chance to play music “you won’t hear anywhere else.” KKSM has dedicated airtime to almost every genre imaginable. They play heavy metal, Mexican ranchero, the blues and everything in between. This included a special, album-only Ramones song that KKSM played on a special tribute day for the band.
Station Manager Serena Reid was also nominated for her work at KKSM. Navarro spoke highly of Reid, nominated for Best Program Director and said she is “great with the program” and gives students guidance. She is another enforcer of KKSM’s high, professional standards of production quality.
So, what’s next for KKSM? They may bring home golden microphones from the IBS awards on March 7. The IBS awards recognize outstanding college radio stations from all over the country, and KKSM was one of only three finalists for Outstanding Community College.
KKSM’s future also includes continuing the excellence and professionalism, but due to department budgets, the station has no immediate plans to expand to FM radio. KKSM can currently be heard on 1320 AM, and the signal reaches from San Juan Capistrano to La Jolla. Despite their relatively limited reach, Navarro said they have a dedicated listener base. KKSM can be live streamed online, and listeners can tune-in with the Live365 app.
The station’s success is felt beyond the station and its listeners. Navarro said that many of the students who have graduated from the program have gone on to hold positions at professional radio stations. KKSM strives to give students the experience and skills needed to start a career in the industry.
Article by staff writer Erin Eskens.
