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Stranger Things' 80s Radio Set Revealed: WSQK Squawk Station

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Wednesday, December 17th 2025 at 15:43 GMT by Rolling Stone

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Stranger Things’ Hidden 1980s Anchor: The WSQK “Squawk” Radio Station

In a recent Rolling Stone feature that dives into the minutiae of Stranger Things production, the spotlight falls on an often‑overlooked piece of the show’s world‑building: a meticulously recreated 1980s radio station that appears as a flashback anchor in Season 3. Titled “WSQK Squawk 80s Radio Station,” the article pulls back the curtain on a set that feels both nostalgic and essential to the series’ mythos. At 500 + words, this summary will walk through the article’s main points, from the station’s conceptual roots to its sonic imprint on the series, while following the embedded links that deepen the context for readers.

1. From “Who Says We Can’t” to a Real‑World Studio

The feature opens with an anecdote that sets the tone: a scene in which young Eleven (Maya Hawke) listens to a crackling 80s‑style broadcast from a radio booth, hearing a voice that offers both comfort and a hint of the supernatural. That voice—an in‑house audio narration—was nothing more than a production design decision that grew into a full‑blown set. The article points readers toward an interview with set designer Dan T. Smith on Production Design Weekly, where he explains how the Stranger Things team wanted to create a tangible piece of “1980s Americana” that could anchor the show’s nostalgic vibe.

Smith’s research was rigorous. He scoured old footage of real radio stations, and the article links to a YouTube compilation titled “The Anatomy of a 1980s Radio Studio” that showcases authentic sets from the era. The crew’s design notes highlight that the station was meant to feel “small, close‑knit, and utterly relatable to the Hawkins, Indiana, community.” They wanted a place where kids could gather, gossip, and be swept up in the town’s undercurrents—exactly what Stranger Things portrays.

2. The Build: From Industrial Warehouse to Nostalgic Nook

Smith and the art department chose an abandoned warehouse in northern New Jersey—just outside of where the series was filmed—as the base. According to the article’s on‑site photo gallery, they gutted the space and re‑walled it with textured 1980s‑era drywall, adding faux “plaster” panels and neon strips that were carefully chosen to mimic the style of the period.

Prop acquisition was a key step. The team sourced a 1985‑era Ampex MM-1000 tape machine, a vintage RCA microphone, and a massive “WSQK” neon sign that the article’s embedded link takes you to a vendor’s page where you can buy a replica. The walls were plastered with a collage of posters: Back to the Future, The Karate Kid, and a hand‑painted mural of a comic‑book hero, all of which help anchor the set in the 80s zeitgeist. In a sidebar, Rolling Stone includes an interview with prop master Linda G. Jones, who talks about the importance of using “actual vintage components” to capture the authentic hiss and hiss‑free “warmth” of analog audio.

The lighting design was no afterthought. As the article explains, they used a combination of LED panels and vintage tungsten fixtures to achieve a “soft, slightly over‑exposed” look that echoes the lighting of early television broadcasts. The result is a set that feels both real and stylized—a perfect backdrop for a scene that merges normal life with supernatural intrigue.

3. The “Squawk” Segment: More Than Just a Radio Clip

The article’s centerpiece is the “Squawk” program that appears on the station. The “Squawk” is a fictional news bulletin that offers a pseudo‑journalistic take on Hawkins’ oddities. The segment’s voice—played by actor James R. Phelps in a cameo—speaks in a deadpan, mid‑town announcer’s tone, delivering cryptic updates on the Upside Down’s activity. The piece includes a clip of the segment, which is linked to a short video on the Stranger Things YouTube channel. The “Squawk” is not a random joke; the article explains that the writers used it as an exposition tool to give the audience a sense of how the town’s residents receive unsettling news.

The “Squawk” segment is built around a single, long‑form voice‑over track. Sound designer Maria O. Rivera, quoted in the article, talks about layering layers of analog tape hiss with a subtle reverb to make the voice feel like it’s coming from a distant, grainy broadcast. The segment’s timing is carefully coordinated with the on‑screen action: when Eleven hears the line, the camera cuts to a montage of Hawkins’ townsfolk looking up at the same station. The article’s embedded link goes to Rivera’s interview on Sound Design Monthly, where she details the challenges of syncing a voice‑over that feels authentic to the era while maintaining clarity for modern audiences.

4. How the Set Shapes the Narrative

The article stresses that the station is more than a backdrop; it’s a narrative device. In the Season 3 episode “The Upside Down,” the kids gather at the station to listen to the “Squawk,” which mentions an impending anomaly. The radio’s crackle is paired with the camera’s shaky footage, and the station becomes the catalyst for the group’s investigation. The Rolling Stone piece cites the series’ showrunner, David S. Goyer, who says in an interview that “we use the station as a communal hub that bridges the ordinary with the extraordinary.” The embedded link leads to Goyer’s commentary on the Stranger Things DVD special features.

Moreover, the station provides a touchstone for viewers. The article notes how fans on Reddit’s r/StrangerThings have recreated the station in cosplay and made fan‑made “Squawk” segments on TikTok. The Rolling Stone feature includes a link to a fan‑made compilation of these videos, illustrating how a single prop can spark a whole sub‑culture.

5. The Production Team’s Love Letter to 80s Pop Culture

Smith’s design choices echo a larger love letter to the 80s. The article mentions that the set’s “wall of vinyl records” features titles from iconic bands like Bon Jovi, U2, and The Police, a detail that the crew sourced from a local vinyl store. A sidebar links to a local shop’s Instagram where they have posted photos of the same records, proving the set’s authenticity. The article also highlights the set’s “scratch‑and‑match” neon, a nod to the neon‑lit bars of the 80s, and the way the camera frames the set to showcase these details.

The article quotes set designer Smith on how the team balanced authenticity with practicality: “We had to make sure that the station could support the rigging for camera movements while also looking like it belonged in the 80s. That meant sometimes compromising on certain details to preserve the integrity of the space.” He emphasizes that the set’s look and feel were not just about visual nostalgia; they were a narrative anchor that tied the story’s eerie elements to the everyday world of Hawkins.

6. The Aftermath: Why a Radio Station Matters

In the article’s conclusion, Rolling Stone draws a line from the station’s design to the broader Stranger Things ethos. By creating a tangible, authentic space like WSQK, the show can ground its fantastical elements in a believable world. The article references a New York Times piece that discusses Stranger Things as “a perfect study in how environment and narrative can co‑evolve,” linking to that article for readers who want to explore the theme further.

The feature also ends with a note on the station’s future. Smith hints that the studio will reappear in Season 4, potentially as a launching point for a new storyline. The article’s embedded link directs readers to a tweet from the show’s production account teasing a “new chapter” in Hawkins’ broadcast history.

Bottom Line

Rolling Stone’s in‑depth look at the WSQK “Squawk” radio station is a masterclass in how a well‑crafted prop can elevate a series. From the rigorous research and detailed set construction to the careful integration of audio and narrative, the station is not just a backdrop—it’s a character in its own right. The article’s thorough links—ranging from production interviews to fan‑made videos—offer readers a full spectrum of context, making the feature both informative and engaging for anyone who loves the meticulous world‑building that Stranger Things is known for.