There’s chatter about a couple of college radio stations potentially giving up their FM licenses: WUEV at University of Evansville and WCWS at College of Wooster. In one case, supporters are organizing to voice their concerns; whereas in the other case, the loss of FM seems to be an accepted outcome. Both situations leave me sad, as once an FM license is given up, it’s very unlikely that its host radio station will get back on the terrestrial airwaves.
Is WUEV License for Sale?
Back in May we reported that WUEV at University of Evansville was considering a sale. This week, WIKY writes of rumors that the university is closer to selling WUEV’s FM license and that now is the time for alumni, students and other interested parties to voice their concerns. According to WIKY, “For a time, the talk of a sale died down, but it has returned in earnest this week. Several students have contacted the WIKY Newsroom with word that there might be some forward momentum to such a sale.”
According to WEHT, students, alumni and supporters are fighting to save the WUEV license. WEHT writes, “University officials told Eyewitness News they have not agreed to sell the station, but they did not rule it out either. It’s because of that uncertainty a group of concerned students and alumni met on campus Tuesday inside the radio station they’re fighting to save.” A Save WUEV Facebook group has also been created. Readers may recall that in 2006, WUEV supporters were able to fight off a potential license sale by convincing the university administration to keep the station’s license.
College of Wooster Set to Give up FM License for WCWS
College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio reportedly plans to give up its FM radio license, transitioning WCWS-FM to a streaming station. The station just celebrated 50 years on FM. Radio has a long history at the College of Wooster. The current station is the descendant of an AM carrier current station that dates back to 1949. Prior to the launch of that student station, there was an early licensed AM radio station WABW in 1926.
A piece in the Wooster Voice quotes a recent graduate on the forthcoming change:
Gabe Dale-Gau ’18, a former WOO 91 managing member, also responded to the changes. ‘As much as it pains me to say, FM radio is an antiquated medium. Receivers are perceived as relics, not gadgets. They are no longer commonplace in households or dorm rooms, and soon they will disappear from our vehicles as well. The decision to shut down the tower has been in the works for many months. It was an arduous undertaking, and thanks to the former faculty advisor, Bob Henery, the 2017-18 management team was in the loop for the entire process,’ said Dale-Gau.
While I’m well aware that undergraduate students are less likely to own or listen to terrestrial radios, I completely disagree that radios are “relics.” Terrestrial radio is still one of the most consumed forms of media. While changes may be coming to in-vehicle audio, many folks still don’t have easy access to the internet or to brand new blue-tooth enabled vehicles. Some of us still drive around in cars with cassette decks…
Despite this former student’s take on the future of radio technology, Dale-Gau expresses remorse in a separate opinion piece in the same publication, writing,
What I will miss about my time at WOO 91 are the strangers. I will miss the emails we received from commuters who pass through every day asking for a track list of the 5 a.m. hour of music because they had never heard something quite like that before. I will miss the calls from people at the local physical therapy center where a Wooster student had left the dial at 90.9. I will miss catching myself before playing profane songs with the thought that its 4 p.m. and school buses full of kids are listening. I will miss the small reminders that we are not simply speaking into a void…
We lost something substantial with that tower. We lost a connection to the greater Wooster community that is rare within student groups. I would venture to say that WOO 91 had one of the largest presences off campus of any club. And now that presence, and any good will it brings, is gone. I know we had consistent listeners in the town, because if we shifted the hour that we played classic rock, we would receive complaints. I know because I’ve tested my listenership.
So, clearly, it’s with mixed emotions that students and alumni are saying goodbye to FM at the College of Wooster. Unfortunately, as the station transitions to streaming-only, it will be much more difficult to attract listeners, as the finite world of FM increases the chances that listeners will stumble upon one’s station while scanning the dial. It’s likely that most folks tuning in to the new version of the station are the ones who are actively seeking it out. While there are many successful online radio stations, most will agree that having a terrestrial signal is a boon as far as attracting listeners to one’s stream.
More College Radio News
Stations Potentially Leaving FM
WCWS to Transition from FM to Streaming Station (The Wooster Voice)
On the Loss of WCWS-FM: Radio Connects Communities (The Wooster Voice)
Group Forms in Hopes of Saving UE’s Radio Station WUEV (Tri-State Homepage)
WUEV – Saving College Radio (Facebook)
For Sale: WUEV??? (104.1 WIKY)
Station Adding Stream
KGSP 90.5 Pirate Radio Now Streaming Too (The Stylus)
Programming/DJ Profiles
WERG to Bring New Shows On-Air (The Gannon Knight)
Buffalo Tom Live at WERS (WGBH)
DJ/Staff Profiles
MD of the Month: Zoe Finkelstein, KWUR St. Louis (NACC)
Victor Rosa Celebrates 20 Years as DJ for Ritmo Latino (The Ithacan)
Events
KBLU and Other Groups Collaborate on Big Agg Show Concert (The Utah Statesman)
WSUM’s Snake on the Lake (Tone Madison)
Previewing Upcoming Radio Survivor Live Podcast Recordings at GRC and CBI (Radio Survivor Show/Podcast)
College Radio History
Celebrating 30 Years of Student Radio (FIU News)
Rare Campus Radio Recording of Rock Legend Pixies to be Released (UMass Lowell)
College Radio’s Impact on Music
Singer Rae Spoon Speaks to Role of College Radio in Music (Nexus)
Awards and Accolades
Radio Free Hillsdale Nominated for College Radio Awards (Hillsdale Collegian)
Alumni
Laugh to Keep From Crying: From College Radio DJ to Comic Book Author (The Evening Tribune)
Jay Skillz Brings Borderline Inappropriate Humor to 102.9 (OffBeat Magazine)
Sound and Vision: Professor Irwin Swirnoff Makes Radical Cultural Change (San Francisco Examiner)
BFF.fm Celebrates Five Years of Quirky, Eclectic Online Radio (KQED Arts)
