It was with great anticipation that I arrived at VCS Radio at Vacaville Christian Schools in Vacaville, California for a full day of immersion into the highly unusual middle school/high school radio station. Having spoken with energetic station manager Ralph Martin previously for the Radio Survivor podcast, I expected that it would be a visit […]
Kanye West and Common had an epic freestyle rap battle on WHPK. That’s just one reason why the University of Chicago’s station is interesting and historic. Jennifer Waits takes us on a virtual tour of the studios, located in an actual working bell tower. Jennifer, Eric and Paul also discuss how college radio has played […]
I’ve been wanting to see University of Chicago’s college radio station WHPK for quite some time and even had a thwarted trip a few years back when a scheduled tour was canceled due to illness. So, it was with great anticipation that I stopped by on Friday, December 1st for my long-awaited visit. Particularly in […]
Jennifer Waits takes us on tours of two storied college stations, with deep roots in their communities. WIIT-FM is the student station at the Illinois Institute of Technology, housed in the modern Rem Koolhaas designed McCormick Tribune Campus Center situated at the intersection of Chicago’s Bronzeville and Bridgeport neighborhoods. WKCR is Columbia University’s station, with […]
With so many college radio stations in the Chicago area, it can be tough to decide which to visit first. WIIT 88.9 FM at Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) jumped to the top of my list when I learned that it was potentially one of the oldest college radio stations in the country. Coupled with […]
On a rainy New York City day this spring, I headed to Morningside Heights in upper Manhattan for a visit to Columbia University’s college radio station WKCR 89.9 FM. The 76-year-old station has a deep respect for its history and I was delighted to see numerous reel-to-reel players, an entire room full of vintage audio […]
Mendocino County has a bounty of new community radio stations thanks to the recent low power FM (LPFM) application window and I was excited to get to visit one of those stations: KLLG-LP in Willits, California earlier this year. After spending the night near the coast, I headed inland, driving on a windy country road […]
No two radio station tours are alike. More often than not I’m solo, trekking into hidden corners of campuses from early in the morning to late at night. Occasionally family, friends or radio colleagues will join me, sometimes tag teaming with me as I interview station personnel. My visit to Fordham University’s music-focused NPR-affiliated public […]
In a serendipitous coincidence, new low power FM (LPFM) community radio station WPPM-LP had its launch party while I was in Philadelphia for the College Broadcasters Inc. convention last October. Not one to miss a historic radio event, I sneaked away from the conference in order to attend the festivities on October 20, 2016. Excitement […]
The most recent UCRN (University of California Radio Network) conference provided the perfect opportunity for me to finally see Loyola Marymount University’s college radio station KXLU 88.9 FM in Los Angeles. Located on the Catholic university’s resort-like campus full of palm trees, expansive lawns, and glistening white buildings, KXLU feels like a secret club, blasting […]
