BMI Logs - A College Radio Staple (Photo: J. Waits)
Here’s a run-down of some recent college radio news from across the country, including stories about brand new radio stations, pieces about radio accolades, and some challenges being faced by a station that’s had to go off the air.
Jamestown College Launches 4,000 watt KJKR on 88.1 FM
On March 16, 2012, a new college radio station launched in Jamestown, North Dakota. Plans for the station had been in the works since 2007 and initial broadcasts began last fall in advance of the official launch last month. This is not the first radio station at Jamestown College. Back in 1950 a carrier current station, KJRC, was built by students and broadcast on campus.
Mt. San Antonio College Radio Station Thrives
A profile of Mt. San Antonio’s college radio station, Mt. Rock (KSAK 90.1 FM), explains how the Walnut, California station has thrived even in an environment where some universities are selling off stations. According to the Los Angeles Times piece, “Mt. San Antonio nearly became one of those schools. Administrators said closing the FM station had been considered during recent budget cuts, but students and broadcasting instructors were successful in keeping it alive.” Mt. Rock also has an sister station on campus, the online-only Audio8ball.com.
Catawba College Launches The Feather: Cat-U Radio
A new Internet radio station launched at Catawba College in February under the name The Feather: Cat-U Radio. According to an article in the Salisbury Post, “The Internet radio station is the first of its kind at Catawba, but it’s not the pioneering radio station.” Apparently the Salisbury, North Carolina-based college had radio station WNDN beginning in 1977. By 1979 it was at 10watts at 91.1 FM. Other former listeners remember the station airing programming at 102.5 FM until 1986.
LU Radio to Launch at Lipscomb University
Plans are the in the works for a brand new college radio station at Lipscomb University. LU Radio is set to launch in the fall and in advance of that is having a preliminary meeting on April 23 at the Nashville, Tennessee campus.
WWHR named BEA’s Signature Station
WWHR, the student radio station at Western Kentucky University, was recently given the national Signature Station award for 2012 by the Broadcast Education Association (BEA). WWHR, which is known as Revolution 91.7, is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky. According to the WWHR website, the station plays music mirroring the CMJ charts and also “recalls the founding artists of college radio while exposing the contemporary underground.” WWHR has been in existence since 1988 and was the Kentucky headquarters for College Radio Day in 2011.
Happy 51st Anniversary to WMBR
WMBR, the college radio station at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, celebrated its 51st anniversary on April 10th.
Former WRIU College Radio DJ Inducted in Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame
Jim Norman, soon to be inducted into the Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame, got his start in college radio as a freshman. “Norman, whose headset and microphone were as much a part of his image as his neat shirt and tie, was the University of Rhode Island’s ‘Voice of the Rams’ for some 34 years. But his life as the voice behind hundreds of wins and losses actually started as a college freshman in 1952, when he took himself to the URI student radio station looking for work.”
Georgia College Radio Station WGUR Swaps Frequencies
In order to correct some interference problems with neighboring stations, Georgia College radio station WGUR was granted permission to move up the dial from 88.9 FM to 95.3 FM. WGUR is located at the public liberal arts college in Milledgeville, Georgia.
WRUV Wins Soundtap Madness
University of Vermont’s college radio station WRUV emerged as the victor in Soundtap Madness after garnering the most listening hours during the final round of play. The Burlington, Vermont station was in competition with a total of 64 stations at the beginning of the competition and advanced through several rounds before beating Carnegie Mellon University station WRCT.
WUSO Flooded, Cut off the Air
Wittenberg University’s radio station WUSO is currently off the air after a water pipe burst, leaving the station flooded and destroying the radio station’s sound board. The FM station will be off FM until they are able to repair the damage to the station. WUSO has been on the air since 1966 in Springfield, Ohio.
