KCSB was started by student Bill Harrison as
Navajo Radio, named for Navajo Hall, a 2nd-floor wing in the Anacapa men's dormitory from which it began broadcasting in 1962, broadcasting 3 – 4 hours of daily programming to the UCSB dorms at 5 watts. It was the first
University of California station to be licensed. It gradually grew into the station it is today, changing frequency in 1976 and undergoing wattage expansions in 1964 and 1983. On April 18, 1970, KCSB was shut down by the
Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. The department took the measure as a precaution against rioting, which they felt would occur if the UCSB and
Isla Vista community became aware of the events of the
Isla Vista riots, an outgrowth of anger originating with the
Vietnam War that was ignited by the firing of a popular professor. The incident is the only record of a police force shutting down a radio station. In 1989, the station was embroiled in a controversy revolving around the dismissal of volunteer host
Sean Hannity for featuring a guest who made offensive remarks about homosexuals. The Santa Barbara chapter of the
American Civil Liberties Union defended Hannity's right to
free speech, and the station offered Hannity his slot back. He did not accept the offer, instead demanding more airtime. KCSB celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2012. The year-long celebration included a design contest, a nostalgic addition to the KCSB program which aired archived shows, an alumni reunion, an audio exhibit, and a radio-themed film series. ==Programming==