Flood Magazine will launch a division to develop a new digital radio station and branded podcast network led by former “Alt 105.3” KITS San Francisco APD/MD/afternoon host Aaron Axelsen.
“Flood FM” will be a “24/7 digital indie, alternative and electronic radio station”. Axelsen spent 23 years at “Live 105” later “Alt 105.3” until exiting in one of Entercom’s widescale cuts last April. At KITS he also hosted the weekly specialty shows Subsonic focusing on electronic music and the new music show Soundcheck.
Anthemic Agency, home to FLOOD Media, FLOOD Magazine and Louder Than Bombs Productions, today announced that it has named Bay Area radio industry veteran Aaron Axelsen to head of programming of its soon to launch audio division. The announcement was made by Anthemic Agency and FLOOD Media founder and CEO Alan Sartirana.
In the new role, Axelsen will be overseeing the programming and development of FLOOD FM, a 24/7 digital indie, alternative and electronic radio station, as well as branded podcasting, and joins FLOOD Magazine co-publisher Randy Bookasta as part of the music and culture team.
Previously, Axelsen served for over two decades as music director and an on-air personality for the iconic Bay Area alt rock radio station Alt 105.3/Live 105 (CBS radio/Entercom). In this role, he anchored two of the longest running new music specialty shows in commercial radio history: Soundcheck and Subsonic.
In addition, Axelsen co-founded and manages San Francisco based Popscene, one of the nation’s most influential indie music club nights with plans to launch events in Los Angeles and throughout the country starting in 2022. Throughout its record-setting twenty-five-year history the lauded event series has hosted the Bay Area debuts of Amy Winehouse, Billie Eilish, Sam Smith, Arctic Monkeys, Calvin Harris, Muse, The 1975, Maggie Rogers and Mumford and Sons, among others.
“I’ve known and worked with Aaron for over 25 years and have always had a great deal of admiration for the work he did with Alt 105.3/Live 105 and Popscene,” says Sartriana. “FLOOD Media’s mission is to tell the stories often overlooked by other traditional publishers and media outlets. We’ve seen tremendous growth over the past five years and the audio division was the next logical step. I know Aaron will be on the forefront of the audio medium and continue to champion the best artists for discerning music fans all around the world. ”
“With FLOOD Media, Alan and team have built something truly special and I’m thrilled to be joining an ever-evolving team filled with top creatives and music industry leaders,” Axelsen says. “I look forward to bringing my passion for new music discovery and experience of cultivating communities to such a reputable and trustworthy brand.”