A short history of KTSW-FM

KTSW-FM 89.9, the other side of radio, is the official radio station of Texas State University. KTSW is a student-run independent alternative formatted station, providing a mix of college-oriented rock music with local sports, syndicated shows and news as well. KTSW is also host to MR Fest, also known as My Radio Festival, every last weekend of April.

They call us the other side of radio

KTSW's online presence

KTSW was well ahead of the game when it came to streaming its music online. Despite having a web presence since at least 1996, KTSW decided to launch a new website in 2012, the KTSWBlog. In conjunction with WordPress as a platform and CMS, the KTSWBlog allows student journalists and content producers to put out news and articles for the online audience.

The KTSWBlog saw solid growth throughout the years of 2013 and 2014, eventually peaking in 2015 and then leveling off in 2016. Despite this obvious downward trend, it is important to note that 2017 is not yet over.

The 2015 peak is relatively simple to explain. In 2015, there were two disastrous floods that swept through San Marcos. KTSW, being a community focused radio station, was a major source of news to San Marcos and the greater Hays County area, both over the air and online, during these floods. The first flood of 2015, which occurred in May, was later known as the Memorial Weekend Flood. The second flood occurred in October, and was nearly as devastating.

There's more than one reason we're a top 10 college radio station

Our International Audience

While our domestic views far outshine our international views, KTSW does reach a foreign audience. In fact, KTSW reaches every single continent except Antarctica. We even have views from Oceania and other island based regions. In particular, KTSW has numerous views from Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Great Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Australia, and India.

In 2015, KTSW had the most international views it had ever received. Again, this ties in heavily with the major flooding event. People from all across the world visited KTSW to learn more about what was going on in Central Texas.

KTSW's Total Blog Views

It's easy to see the complete audience breakdown below. Just search by country or region name, or sort alphabetically or by views.

Note: 2017 Blog Statistics only as recent as May 6.

  • "It's not my radio station, it's yours."

    Dan Schumacher ― General Manager and Faculty Adviser

  • "KTSW 89.9 put a plan in place after the Memorial Weekend flood one year ago. They were much more prepared for the All Saints Flood in Oct."

    Tara Pohlmeyer ― Former Station Manager

Can I listen to KTSW?

You can always listen to KTSW as long as you have an internet connection. KTSW can easily be streamed from the above web player, or from the Texas State University App, on both iPhone and Android. Of course, you may still want to listen to KTSW from the actual radio broadcast. The map below highlights our approximate broadcasting range. Search your ZIP code, city, or county to see if you can tune in to the other side of radio.

Note: The range is based off of self-reported independent testing and may not be entirely accurate. Additionally, your signal strength and equipment quality may vary, effecting your listening experience.

Our Music

KTSW has always seen itself as an alternative formatted radio station. That's why KTSW puts on the coolest music and comedy festival San Marcos has to offer, MR Fest, aka My Radio Festival. In 2017, the 10th annual year of the concert series, MR Fest was host to 10 venues and 11 stages, with 60 some bands playing. MR Fest is so big and popular now that KTSW DJs often claim that they will be taking over the Square, downtown San Marcos. In the following video, some concert goers will explain why they love MR Fest and KTSW-FM.

While KTSW plays all sorts of music, including hip hop, folk, and even occasional country speciality shows, it is primarily a rock station. In particular, KTSW plays a large amount of indie rock and its many sub-genres such as post-punk revival and shoegaze. The table below contains a total of 4770 songs played on KTSW over a period of two weeks. This vast amount of music was played over the time span of April 17 to May 4. You can search by song, artist, album, or even date played.