With a revamped weekend lineup, CSUN’s official radio station, KCSN 88.5 FM, is proving itself as a fresh alternative to Southern California’s more well-known radio counterparts.

“We’re trying to do what we call ‘smart rock,’ where we play more than the same 200 songs,” said KCSN General Manager Karen Kearns. “We’re trying to curate for you.  We have 6,000 songs in our library, and (Sky Daniels, KCSN’s program director) is always adding more.”

Three new weekend shows feature some well-known personalities of the radio and rock worlds.

Terri Nunn, lead singer of Berlin, hosts the new show “Unbound” alongside comedienne Wendy Liebman.

Akin to being a fly on the wall of a college dorm room, Nunn and Liebman entertain listeners with personal stories about everything from first boyfriends to favorite movies between sets of classic songs from bands like Nirvana, The B52s and The Rolling Stones.

“Unbound” airs Saturdays from 6-8 p.m.

Former Indie 103.1 Music Director Mark (“Mr. Shovel”) Sovel ‘just says no’ to the overplayed bubble gum pop and rock mainstream ad nauseam.

His playlists on new KCSN show “City of Night with Mr. Shovel” showcase a variety of music genres, from rock to indie to electronica.  Sovel exposes listeners to both new releases from all over the world and the music of local bands and plays lesser-known songs of popular artists from multiple musical eras.

Sovel’s passion for music comes through in his show, and he keeps listeners abreast of opportunities to connect with musicians through meet-and-greet events at local record shops and other venues.

“City of Night” airs Saturdays from 8-11 p.m.

Sat Bisla’s internationally syndicated import show, “Passport Approved,” is like a musical trip around the globe. A blend of folk, rock, indie, modern and alternative, the show transports listeners to the coffee shops and music clubs of Europe, South Africa, Australia, the United States and beyond.

Music aficionados who thrive on discovering new bands need look no further than “Passport Approved,” which airs Sundays from 5-7 p.m.

KCSN’s new weekend lineup adds to its already diverse offering of Americana, bluegrass, roots, rock, and talk radio programs.
Kearns is excited about the new shows and stands behind the quality of KCSN’s programming.   “Unbound,” “City Lights” and “Passport Approved” could help establish KCSN as one of L.A.’s more listened to radio stations.

“We’ve been one of the best kept secrets,” said Kearns, hoping the new program additions will help change that.