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(Santa Barbara, Calif.) — The news team at KCSB-FM 91.9 in Santa Barbara has been awarded a Golden Mike Award for their reporting on the legal fight over groundwater in the Cuyama Valley. The award from the Radio and Television News Association of Southern California (RTNA SoCal), was presented at a ceremony at the Loews Hollywood Hotel on March 29th.
“Cuyama Valley Water Wars,” is a two-part series produced by KCSB News student directors Natalia Rosie Bultman and Joyce Chi. It won the award for best environmental reporting in the Division B bracket, which represents smaller newsrooms. The Golden Mike Awards recognize excellence in broadcast journalism across Southern California and the Central Coast.
“The Cuyama Valley story spoke to me because it touches on so many essential issues in California: agriculture, water, and class disparities,” said Natalia Bultman, who with co-news director Joyce Chi, interviewed farmers and residents in the Cuyama Valley for their two part series. Listen to Part 1 here, and listen to Part 2 here.
KCSB News presents 5pm newscasts on Monday and Thursdays, and the public affairs program Inside Isla Vista on Wednesday at 5pm, in addition to weekday news briefs which air in between other radio programs. KCSB News is the news department of KCSB-FM 91.9, the college and community radio station located on the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara.
The KCSB News team of mostly volunteer student and community reporters has been keeping listeners in Santa Barbara and along the Central Coast informed for more than six decades. In 1970, reporters covered area protests culminating in the Bank of America burning. During COVID-19, KCSB News kept the entire campus community informed of the latest local pandemic news through a daily newsletter and on-air updates.
In addition to providing commercial-free news and public affairs programming, KCSB serves as a training ground for the next generation of content creators, civic leaders and media consumers. KCSB-FM 91.9 also offers an eclectic mix of music that is not heard anywhere else on the radio dial. Most programs originate in the KCSB studios located beneath Storke Tower at UCSB. For more information go to kcsb.org.
About KCSB FM
Non-commercial community radio KCSB offers sounds and perspectives from the Tri-Counties (Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo) and free year-round training to individuals and groups without other access to media resources. Both student and non-student volunteers learn to produce music shows, news reports, sportscasting, and cultural arts and public affairs content that airs 24/7/365 at 91.9 FM (www.kcsb.org). Most shows are produced locally, but KCSB hosts national and international programs too, including the popular morning news program Democracy Now! with Amy Goodman. Part of the Associated Students at UC Santa Barbara, KCSB is funded by self-assessed student fees and listener support.
About KCSB News
With a team of volunteer and student reporters, KCSB news produces multiple weekly newscasts and weekday news briefs. The KCSB 5pm News airs on Monday and Thursday on 91.9 FM and online at kcsb.org. Weekday news briefs air multiple times a day. Wednesdays at 5pm, KCSB News presents “Inside Isla Vista,” a 30-minute weekly public affairs program focusing on stories related to Isla Vista and the UC Santa Barbara communities.
