With LPFM-hopefuls in a holding pattern during the government shut-down, it’s nice to see that colleges are continuing to launch online radio stations. Lubbock Christian University (LCU) brought radio back to campus on October 9th, with the official launch of its new station ChapRadio (named after the school mascot, the Chaparral).
Although radio hasn’t been a part of campus life in recent years, campus-only station KLCC existed back in the 1960s to 1980s. With a relatively new mass media track for communications majors, there’s a renewed interest in radio at LCU. ChapRadio will provide hands-on training for interested students. According to the LCU website, the station is “currently running over 50 radio shows each week, produced by students of all majors and backgrounds.” Shows are all over the map, including a range of music and talk programs, including country music, sports talk, radio drama, and spoken word. When I tuned in to ChapRadio today, I heard songs by Phil Collins and Lynyrd Skynyrd and also heard a couple of DJs chatting about sports. According to an article on Lubbock Online, ChapRadio is hoping to obtain a terrestrial FM signal.
