KSLU (90.9

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...

) is an FM

radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...

broadcasting a

classic rock Classic rock is a radio format that developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, it comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the early-1990s, primarily focusing on comm ...

format on the campus of

Southeastern Louisiana University Southeastern Louisiana University (Southeastern) is a public university in Hammond, Louisiana. It was founded in 1925 by Linus A. Sims as Hammond Junior College. Sims succeeded in getting the campus moved to north Hammond in 1928, when it beca ...

Hammond, Louisiana Hammond is the largest city in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States, located east of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge and northwest of New Orleans. Its population was 20,019 in the 2010 United States census, 2010 U.S. census, and 21 ...

, United States. The station is broadcast from studios in Cardinal Newman Hall. KSLU began broadcasting in 1974 and has provided a mix of campus-oriented and alternative public radio broadcasting to the Hammond area. In 2023, responsibility for the station was moved under the university's athletics department in support of the school's sports communication program.

History

On December 14, 1973, Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU) applied to the

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(FCC) for the

construction permit Planning permission or building permit refers to the approval needed for construction or expansion (including significant renovation), and sometimes for demolition, in some jurisdictions. House building permits, for example, are subject to bu ...

to build a new 10-watt educational radio station on the campus. The FCC granted this permit on May 21, 1974, and KSLU began broadcasting on November 11, 1974, from studios in the Humanities Building. In the early 1980s, Robin Roberts—later of

ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...

and ''

Good Morning America ''Good Morning America'', often abbreviated as ''GMA'', is an American breakfast television, morning television program that is broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends wit ...

''—was a special assignment reporter for KSLU while a student at the university. The station began airing public radio programming in 1982, providing the format for the first time in the Hammond and Tangipahoa Parish area. KSLU increased its power to 3,000 watts in 1984 and increased its coverage of SLU athletics. In 2021, the university began a renovation of D Vickers Hall, presenting logistical concerns for the future of the station. However, after Hurricane Ida in 2022, the station was knocked off air as the facility sustained substantial damage; streaming was resumed from studios in Cardinal Newman Hall. In Ida's wake, the station manager successfully campaigned for the station to be transferred to the university's athletic department in support of a recently established sports communication major. KSLU resumed broadcasting at reduced power of 600 watts on May 4, 2023. The renovated D Vickers Hall will contain a new broadcast and media center. Ground was broken for the new facility, to be named for Roberts, in November 2023. That same month, after stunting for 39 hours with " Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley, the station shifted to a

-based music format emphasizing the 1980s and 1990s.

Funding

In fiscal year 2022, KSLU was predominantly funded by the university, by way of contributions and student fees, and by grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The latter provides funds for the purchase of syndicated programming from various public radio distributors as well as support the station's local news reporting and a weekly community affairs program.

References

External links

* {{NPR Louisiana Radio stations in Louisiana College radio stations in Louisiana NPR member stations Southeastern Louisiana University 1974 establishments in Louisiana Radio stations established in 1974