College radio is far from dead. In fact, at UCLA, the spirit of college radio is still thriving — it’s just that now you’ll hear its heart (and drums) beating online rather than on the FM dial. Although the campus’s low-frequency pirate radio station KLA 91.9 FM shut down decades ago, today’s UCLA Radio stream continues to play a pivotal role in the university’s media landscape. All the hallmarks of college radio are there: authentic, noncommercial and fiercely independent programming that serves the campus community.
Two years ago, the students leading UCLA Radio at the time granted us access to their inviting and intimate cave of a studio. The footage has been retrieved from our video archives and given a fresh UCLA Magazine minidoc treatment. In this story, the team’s managers and hosts let us in on how they put on a show — and maybe more importantly, why they do what they do. Follow them inside their colorful, quirky world. Discover how these passionate and dedicated students are keeping the digital airwaves sizzling with enthusiasm, interesting banter and exciting tunes. All you have to do is press play.
To watch an audio descriptive version of the video, click here.
Read more from UCLA Magazine’s Spring 2026 issue.
