Last week we shared the news about the horrible fire that destroyed the studios at Boston University’s college radio station WTBU. The station is currently seeking donations in order to rebuild. In an email sent today, WTBU’s long-time faculty adviser Anne Donohue writes,
As you may have heard, the student radio station at BU, WTBU, was destroyed by an electrical fire at the end of March. I have been the faculty adviser for 18 years, watching this little student run station grow from something no one had heard of or listened to, to the College Music Journal’s national Station of the Year for three years in a row — in large part because WTBU has been a huge promoter of the local music scene in Boston…If you love supporting local musicians, independent and eclectic radio, future journalists and sportscasters (and me!) please help in any small way you can. A very generous alum has offered to match any donations that come in today.”
Today (April 6) is “Giving Day” at Boston University, with a special donation match in effect for WTBU donations until the end of the day. Donations to WTBU can be made online using this link and should include a note designating the gift for the WTBU Fund at Boston University.
It saddens me to think of all that was lost at WTBU during the fire, especially since I visited the station myself back in 2014. Records, paperwork, equipment, furniture, and plenty of station history was destroyed by fire and smoke. Donohue told me over email that the station is “completely gone” and plans to reopen in September. While WTBU waits for a new studio to be built, students are “doing podcasts and uploading to various sites.”
