KTSW is a living, breathing site where students can explore.
KTSW 89.9, located in San Marcos, Texas, is an entirely student-run radio station affiliated with Texas State University. Operating as a noncommercial entity, our station boasts a vibrant community of students from diverse majors, all contributing to various departments that form the backbone of KTSW. With a focus on delivering high-quality on-air and online content, KTSW offers a unique blend of college rock, encompassing a rich tapestry of garage, psych-rock, and indie-synth-pop. Our programming goes beyond the mainstream, delving into the raw, deep tracks of albums that exude an unpolished charm.
At KTSW, our passion for music knows no bounds, resulting in a diverse and expansive selection that caters to a wide range of tastes. If you're seeking the finest in emerging live music within the San Marcos area, we invite you to explore our three monthly showcases during the fall and spring semesters. These events serve as platforms for up-and-coming artists, providing a dynamic and immersive experience for music enthusiasts in our community.
During the summer of 2021, I joined KTSW when they were embarking on an exciting brand redesign journey, centered around their WordPress Blog. Already having chosen a third-party radio-dedicated template, the first challenge was selecting a theme that would offer both flexibility and ample creative opportunities. After careful consideration, we settled on a theme that I believed would best suit our needs.
The transition from the old site to the new template was overseen by the university's IT department, but it proved to be a bumpy road. Various issues arose, such as incorrect fonts, missing pages, and the absence of a footer. Determined to make the redesign a success, I took it upon myself to address these challenges.
With a focus on the needs and design structure of the station, I began building out the necessary pages, ensuring they aligned with our vision for the site. One significant task was creating a mega footer from scratch, as the chosen template lacked this feature. Additionally, I tackled the font problem, as the third-party solution did not provide an easy way to adjust fonts. To overcome this limitation, I delved into the backend of WordPress and utilized CSS coding to implement the correct fonts.
Through perseverance and creativity, we were able to overcome the obstacles encountered during the brand redesign process, ultimately achieving a visually appealing and fully functional website for KTSW.