KCSM TV

What KCSM TV does

KCSM TV operates as a public radio station (branded as "Jazz 91" on HD1) licensed to and operated by the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD), a public community college district in California. Despite the "TV" designation in its legal name, the entity functions as a non-commercial radio broadcaster that has been on the air since 1964, delivering continuous jazz programming to the San Francisco Bay Area on 91.1 FM with global reach through online streaming at kcsm.org. The station's core technology stack is built on HD Radio broadcast infrastructure operating two channels: HD1 (Jazz 91) carrying mainstream jazz programming and HD2 carrying specialty content including gospel, news, and niche jazz sub-genres. Adjacent products include live web streaming, online playlist access for both HD1 and HD2, and syndicated NPR Jazz News content.

The business model is non-commercial and donation-driven rather than advertising- or subscription-based. Revenue is generated through three streams: voluntary listener contributions (including online, car donation, in-kind, and leadership gift vehicles), corporate underwriting and community sponsorship for on-air recognition, and volunteer labor that subsidizes operating costs. The station has no subscription fees, no disclosed pricing tiers, and reports no publicly available financials because it is a government-owned public institution embedded within the SMCCCD educational mission. Customer segments are primarily individual jazz enthusiasts served free of charge, with a secondary segment of community underwriters seeking brand exposure to an engaged audience. Distribution spans terrestrial HD radio (regional), web streaming (global), mobile apps, and social media channels including Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Strategic positioning centers on being the Bay Area's designated jazz outlet, reinforced by deep integration with the local jazz ecosystem through festival partnerships (e.g., Healdsburg Jazz Festival), live event coverage, and artist interviews. The station's talent base has received industry recognition via multiple Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame inductions in 2026, and content partnerships with NPR extend editorial reach. Operational scale is modest at 11–50 employees, consistent with a small community-supported broadcaster rather than a commercial media enterprise.

Name

KCSM TV

Legal name

San Mateo County Community College District

Website

https://kcsm.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KCSM is a public jazz radio station operating as "Jazz 91" (HD1) and a secondary HD2 channel, owned by the San Mateo County Community College District, serving Bay Area listeners and global online streamers through listener donations and corporate underwriting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Radio Networks (Format-Based) (MPABABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style) (MPABADAB), Radio Content Production & Studios (On-air Production, Imaging, Jingles) (MPAIAEAL)

Keywords

• Public radio broadcasting
• Jazz radio programming
• Community radio station
• HD radio broadcasting
• Online radio streaming

Headquarters

HQ city

San Mateo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Listener Donations: Public support through voluntary donations from listeners, with multiple giving options including online donations, car donations, and in-kind donations.
2. Underwriting/Community Partners: Corporate underwriting and community partnership programs where businesses sponsor programming in exchange for on-air recognition.
3. Volunteer Support: Community volunteers contribute to station operations, reducing labor costs and increasing community engagement.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

KCSM operates as a non-commercial public radio station broadcasting continuous jazz programming through two HD Radio channels: HD1 (Jazz 91) featuring mainstream jazz and HD2 offering specialty jazz, gospel, and news content. The station reaches Bay Area listeners via 91.1 FM and a global audience through online streaming at kcsm.org, with supporting content including NPR Jazz News, playlists, live concert broadcasts, artist interviews, and community cultural programming.

Product overview

KCSM is a public radio station operated by the San Mateo County Community College District, broadcasting as 'Jazz 91' on FM. The station operates two HD radio channels: KCSM HD1 (Jazz 91), the main jazz station featuring live programming, playlists, and interviews; and KCSM HD2, a secondary channel with additional programming including gospel and specialty jazz shows. The station also syndicates NPR Jazz News content. Listeners can access live radio streaming, current playlists, shows A-Z listings, and schedules through the station's website at kcsm.org.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KCSM HD1 (Jazz 91) The main jazz radio station broadcast, operating 24/7 on HD1 via 91.1 FM, featuring continuous jazz programming, playlists, shows A-Z listings, schedule, and interview content for Bay Area and global streaming listeners.
• KCSM HD2 Secondary HD Radio channel featuring additional programming including gospel, specialty jazz shows, and jazz sub-genres for Bay Area and global streaming listeners.
• Live Radio Streaming Real-time audio streaming of KCSM HD1 and HD2 radio broadcasts delivered via the kcsm.org website, enabling global access to jazz programming beyond the Bay Area FM broadcast footprint.
• Community Underwriting / Sponsorship Program Corporate underwriting and community partnership program for local and regional businesses to sponsor KCSM jazz programming in exchange for on-air recognition and association with an engaged cultural audience.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKCSM is owned and operated by SMCCCD as a community service, providing educational broadcasting and cultural programming to the community.

Scale indicators2 records

Direct peers

• WWOZ: New Orleans community-licensed public radio station broadcasting jazz, blues, and roots music. Comparable to KCSM as a community-supported, music-format public station with deep local cultural integration and event-based content.
• KEXP: Seattle-based non-commercial public radio station known for music discovery across multiple genres including jazz. Comparable to KCSM as a listener-supported public station with strong digital streaming reach and event programming.
• KJAZZ (KKJZ 88.1 FM): Long Beach/Los Angeles public radio station broadcasting jazz and blues, operated by California State University Long Beach. Directly comparable to KCSM as a California-based, jazz-format public radio station with educational-institution backing.
• WRTI: Philadelphia public radio station operated by Temple University broadcasting classical and jazz. Directly comparable to KCSM as a university/community college-backed public station offering jazz-formatted programming with dual-genre content strategy.
• KUVO (Jazz 89.3): Denver-based public radio station focused on jazz, blues, and Latin jazz. Comparable to KCSM as a non-commercial, format-specific public radio station reliant on listener donations and underwriting.
• Pacifica Foundation / KPFA: Listener-sponsored public radio station in Berkeley, California, operated by the Pacifica Foundation. Comparable to KCSM as a Bay Area community-supported public radio station with a non-commercial, grassroots funding model.
• WBGO (Jazz 88.3): Newark/New York-based public radio station dedicated to jazz programming, the largest jazz-format public radio station in the U.S. and the most direct operational peer to KCSM as a jazz-formatted, listener-supported non-commercial broadcaster.

Broad incumbents

• NPR (National Public Radio): National public radio network and KCSM's content syndication partner. Comparable as the broader public broadcasting ecosystem in which KCSM operates; supplies NPR Music and NPR News content that KCSM distributes locally.
• WNYC (New York Public Radio): Large-scale New York public radio operator running multiple stations including jazz programming. Comparable as a broader public broadcasting incumbent operating in the same general format space (WNYC's jazz programming overlaps with KCSM's).
• SiriusXM: Subscription satellite and streaming audio service operating dedicated jazz channels. Comparable as a broader incumbent audio broadcaster competing for jazz listener attention across the same use cases (in-car listening, discovery, deep cuts) that KCSM serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kcsmjazz91
• Facebookfacebook.com/kcsmjazz91
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kcsm
• Instagraminstagram.com/kcsmjazz91

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KCSM TV