Earlier this week, Greg Barman wrote a guest post (part one of two) for Radio Survivor, The WIUS Reunions: Why We Keep Hearing the Voices in Our Heads, Part 1, about the lengthy college radio history at Indiana University. Prompted in part by an upcoming reunion, he outlines the trajectory of numerous student-run stations, beginning in the 1960s.
Next week we will be running part two, which will go into more detail about the reunion and the current state of the low power FM station WIUX-LP. I was interested to find out about the existence of the Indiana University Campus Radio Alumni Association and wonder how many schools have groups devoted to radio alumni. They will be hosting the WIUS reunion activities during the weekend of July 24, 2015. Events will include an alumni takeover of programming on July 24th and a picnic on July 25th.
College Radio Watch on the Radio Survivor Podcast
Also this week, our latest edition of the Radio Survivor Podcast includes my regular College Radio Watch segment. Tune in for the entire podcast to learn more about this week’s radio headlines and to hear a special feature on the Portland Radio Project. My 15-minute segment starts at around the 21 minute mark and I discuss “best college radio station” lists, the role of college radio Music Directors, and the recent equipment theft at Humboldt State’s college radio station.
KCPR Eliminates Non-Student DJs
Yesterday I wrote an update about some big changes at college radio station KCPR. After a year-long assessment by the journalism department at California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, college radio station KCPR is enacting a number of big changes, including the elimination of non-student DJs, the addition of a required radio course for participants, and a moratorium on live overnight DJs (midnight to 5am). It’s all part of an attempt to create more oversight over the long-time radio station.
New LPFMs at Three Stations
WXTJ-LP to Launch at University of Virginia
On Wednesday I wrote about the soon-to-be low power FM (LPFM) radio station at University of Virginia in Charlottesville: WXTJ-LP. Originally a streaming radio station that started in 2013 (then called WTJX), the station was an outgrowth of WTJU-FM, launched by students in 1957, although it has increasingly become a community radio station. College radio has a lengthy history at University of Virginia, with the first AM carrier current station launching in 1947. The descendent of that is commercial radio station WUVA-FM, which is still run by students, but is owned by a separate non-profit. A video from 2007 gives a glimpse into WUVA’s history.
WLNP to Debut this Month at University of North Alabama
Although we reported last week that WLNP-LP’s launch may be delayed due to the departure of a key faculty member, this week Flor-Ala writes that the station will launch by the end of July, 2015. According to the piece, “The station will broadcast with 100 watts of power. Anyone within a 10-mile radius of the Communications building at UNA can tune in to hear music that reflects the ‘Muscle Shoals sound,’ the latest on UNA sports and student-led radio shows.” The WLNP call letters stand for “Lion Pride.”
WSLS Coming to Saint Leo University
According to Tampa Bay Times, Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, Florida was awarded a construction permit for a new low power FM station, which will be the extension of an existing online station. You can track the station’s progress and see photos on its Facebook page.
Scott Fybush Tours Foothill College Radio Station KFJC
I was excited to finally meet Northeast Radio Watch scribe (and the genius behind the annual Tower Site Calendar) Scott Fybush back in December. Although we didn’t have time for a formal interview, I invited him to stop by Foothill College radio station KFJC-FM during my weekly show. Like me, he loves touring radio stations and it was a treat showing him around my long-time radio home. He just published his field trip report, pairing it with a tour of San Francisco public radio station KQED. It’s quite the contrast between the two stations, so definitely take a look to compare and contrast a couple of Bay Area non-commercial radio stations.
RadioFlag’s Freeform Top 50
All-Access shares the news that the “social radio” app RadioFlag (see our early review from back in 2011) is publishing monthly college radio music charts based on tracks played by its member stations. “The Song Chart is ranked based on the number of spins they give to artists. Data is collected from the songs these radio DJs post on their RadioFlag playlist feature, and is then analyzed each week,” according to All-Access. Radio Flag started publishing these charts in January. See the latest top 50 chart on Radio Flag’s blog.
We cover the culture of college radio every Friday in our College Radio Watch feature. If you have college radio news to share, please drop us a note at EDITORS at RADIOSURVIVOR dot COM.
