February 13 was marked globally as World Radio Day, and what better way to mark it than to look at the beginnings and progress of USIU Radio, which started in the Spring semester of 2010, after being granted the broadcasting license by the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA), in 2009. It falls under the Media and Communications department, providing an opportunity for students to hone their skills in radio broadcasting and training on media techniques and technologies.

USIU Radio airs on the frequency 99.9 FM, which is typically allocated to community radio stations and transmits over a radius of 5 kilometers from the USIU-Africa campus.

All day-to-day functions in USIU Radio are student-run and led by a student team called Radio Management. The Broadcast Technologist oversees operations, while the Patron (Journalism Faculty) is a mentor who champions our cause in higher places.

The university’s campus is home to two studios, the recording studio and the on-air studio, which serve USIU Radio both passively and actively. The recording studio, located in the Cinematics Centre, opened its doors in the year 2007 and is used exclusively by the BA Journalism students to develop their skills. The recording studio is also used for the training of incoming presenters in addition to the production of station ID’s, programs, promos, drops and jingles, and drops.

The on-air studio, located on the first floor of Lillian K Beam currently houses the USIU Radio station. Shows are from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. with 24-hour coverage.

Since its establishment in 2010, USIU Radio has had a number of radio presenters joining mainstream media, including Andy Young (Homeboyz Radio), Rae Kiragu (Homeboyz Radio) and Darya Kish (NRG Radio). As the station continues with efforts to renew and adapt, USIU Radio carries on nurturing and growing talent not only in the radio presenters, but the talent of the in-house producers and deejays.
Current shows
USIU Radio boasts of a diverse range of shows which play a vast spectrum of music and tackle a wide variety of topics geared towards the USIU-Africa community and its environs. Presently, the station runs 8 shows:

1. The Afterskool ShowDay: Mondays & Wednesdays

• Time:4pm-6pm
• Hosts: Kennedy, Cate and Vall
• Afterskool is your go-to show for the most interesting conversations on the hottest topics of the day mixed with the hottest selection of music to keep the good vibes flowing.

2. The Brief Show

• Day: Tuesday
• Time:1-3pm
• Host: Justin Mureti
• This is the brief show the most controversial, brief, and funny show, with a boatload of banter, real talk, and jokes while you have lunch.

3. The Hotspot Show

• Day: Tuesday
• Time:3pm-5pm
• Hosts: Sandra Marondo and Osteen Maina
• This is where we bring you the hottest trends in pop culture, current affairs, matters arising in our communities as well as conversations with guests from different career paths. The show features music from all genres inspired by different events like black history month focused on bringing awareness to the black artists out there.

4. The Connect

• Day: Wednesday
• Time:1pm-3pm
• Hosts: Saleef & Peace
• The Connect is a one-stop-shop for all rock, indie, EDM, alternative, and punk music lovers. We talk about rock culture, anime, tv shows, movies and do some pretty interesting interviews with people in the community.

5. The Unspoken Show

• Day: Tuesday & Thursday
• Time: 7am-9pm
• Hosts: Flod, Lisa & Mumbua
• We open Pandora’s box to society’s issues. We discuss the ins and outs of the hidden conversations in our society.

6. The Rebels Show

• Day: Thursday
• Time:3pm-5pm
• Hosts: Gizzy Supreme, D.C and Pappi
• Founded on unpopular opinions about topics that millennials would normally discuss behind closed doors. Backed up by good urban music, the Rebels flavor will keep you laughing, learning, and reflecting.

7. The Mid-Morning Show

• Day: Friday
• Time:10AM-12PM
• Host: Daisy Atino
• Your no. 1 source of great music & conversation. The Mid-Morning Show brings you fresh music, interesting news stories, and cool interviews on a variety of topics.

8. Ungo

• Day: Saturday
• Host: Clay
• Time: 6pm-7pm
• This is your Saturday evening cup of tea driving you home with the hottest Bongo Flava tunes letting you relive the oldies, vibe with the new generation, and join the banter as you navigate the weekend.