Staff Editor on August 18th, 2022

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Southern California radio outlet 88.5 FM is rebranding as “88.5 FM, The SoCal Sound,” starting Friday.

The announcement comes the week after 88.5 FM was named national “Non-Comm Music Station of the Year” among outlets in the Adult Album Alternative (Triple A) format. It’s also the fifth anniversary of the partnership between 88.5 KCSN, headquartered at Cal State Northridge, and its simulcast twin, 88.5 KSBR at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.

“Winning the award this year is a huge honor,” station general manager Patrick Osburn said of the honor, bestowed at the industry’s JBE Triple A SummitFest. “We thought it was time to reinforce our large geographic reach and appeal in both Los Angeles and Orange Counties, hence our new brand, ‘The SoCal Sound.’”

“The new branding represents our steadfast commitment to music fans and to the artist community,” said 88.5 FM program director Marc “Mookie” Kaczor. “You will continue to hear new music, deep tracks and local music every day of the week. The SoCal Sound will bring you superb video content, exclusive artist interviews, podcasts and unique, members-only events all over Southern California. It’s a new era in public radio.”

Added the station’s marquee DJ, morning show host Nic Harcourt: “We’re beyond fortunate to have a wealth of creative talent in our listening area, and an audience hungry for discovery. When I open the microphone, I’m speaking to people from Hollywood to Mission Viejo, and everywhere in between. That audience appreciates a dynamic mix of great legacy artists and newcomers, who create the new mainstream. After all, Los Angeles and Southern California drives entertainment trends both nationally and internationally.”

The station’s new website, thesocalsound.org, goes live on Friday.

88.5 FM has been home for the past 11 years to the L.A. Buzz Bands Show, the local music hour hosted (currently on Thursday nights) by Buzz Bands LA publisher Kevin Bronson.