Spinning Indie

Radio Station Field Trip 44 - KRRC at Reed College

2013-05-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

KRRC at Reed College (photo: J. Waits)

During my visit to Oregon at the end of April for the What is Radio? conference I visited five non-commercial radio stations in Portland. My most hectic day of station tours was on Thursday, April 25th. After stopping at KBOO and KLC in the morning, I made my way to Reed College to KRRC. I was particularly interested in visiting the station after following its recent license travails. Although the station used to hold a class D FM license, it had been off the air since the end of November, 2011. For many years the station struggled to be heard on campus and that challenge grew even larger after a commercial Clear Channel station made plans to utilize its 97.9 FM signal. By early 2012, Reed opted to donate the KRRC license to Common Frequency.

Entrance to building that houses KRRC at Reed College (photo: J. Waits)

Since I hadn't heard much about the Reed station in the past year, I was curious to learn more about how it was doing following the loss of its FCC license. Station Manager Jon Pape responded to my email request to visit the station and he toured me around KRRC on a particularly warm April afternoon.

Map of the Student Union (photo: J. Waits)

After parking in a campus lot, I stopped by an administrative building in order to get directions to the station. I was handed a map and was pointed in the direction of the Student Union. Along the way I took a wrong turn and ended up at the College Center and had to ask directions yet again. It turns out that Reed has several buildings that could be easily confused based on their names (Student Union, Campus Center, Student Center, and College Center). I didn't really mind getting lost, as the Reed campus was breathtakingly beautiful on the sunny spring day that I visited. The school also made me quite nostalgic for my college years at Haverford College, as the campus had a similar East coast feel to it, with old stone buildings and mature, green landscaping.

Hall that shares building with KRRC (photo: J. Waits)

When I arrived, Pape was hanging out in a nearby space within the building that houses KRRC. He greeted me and unlocked the station's library for our tour. Pape is a junior at Reed and he said that when he joined the station as a DJ when he was a freshman in 2010, the place was pretty "depressing." He told me that the library was full of garbage, including chicken bones. KRRC didn't have many staff or managers, didn't stream online, had no turntables, and could only be heard over its weak FM signal. By fall 2011, KRRC discontinued its FM broadcasts.

Entrance to KRRC Music Library (photo: J. Waits)

This year was Pape's first year as a manager at KRRC and he shared with me some of his accomplishments. He reorganized the LP library, got new speakers, created a new website (which launched the week before my visit), and got the webstream working again. Although he said that it's nice to not "have to worry about censorship issues" with an online-only station, he said that he's working on a project to get an AM carrier current broadcast operating again on campus so that KRRC can be heard over the radio.

CDs in KRRC Record Library (photo: J. Waits)

Since KRRC didn't really have a staff when he arrived, Pape has also worked to rebuild the station's infrastructure. He's added music genre managers, "maintenance officers," engineers, and an "art team" to help promote the station. Now there are approximately 80 shows with around 100 DJs at KRRC, which is the highest number of DJs since Pape has been at the station. Last fall there were only around 50 DJs. Currently the station is 100% students, including both undergraduates and graduate students. Among the around 1500 students at Reed, Pape said that most are aware of KRRC, but he added that not a lot of people tune in yet.

KRRC Record Library (photo: J. Waits)

Some of the shows (view the current schedule here) at the station include a program that plays jazz from the library's collection, another that is focused on interviews, and another that plays a mix of classical and noise (including a collage of opera interspersed with Japanese noise). Pape hosts "WART radio," inspired by the underground station on the classic kids' show "The Adventures of Pete and Pete." When there's no live DJ, KRRC will played archived shows.

Genre Chart at KRRC (photo: J. Waits)

During our conversation, another DJ wandered into the station. Graduate student Lynette Yetter said that she learned about KRRC when she walked by one day and heard music emanating from the station. Soon after, she saw a station flyer on a ketchup dispenser in the campus cafeteria. After becoming aware of the station, she joined up and now hosts "Random Music and Tales of the Andes" on Tuesday afternoons this semester. Her show is a mix of music and public affairs material, including interviews and political commentary. Yetter, who is also a musician and composer, told me that she hopes to create an Andean music section of the library.

Jon Pape shows off one of his favorite records from the library (Photo: J. Waits)

We spent quite a bit of time wandering through the KRRC record library and Pape talked about some of the improvements that he's made. He said that he likes to make things, so he built some CD shelves and some other storage for the library. As a station bonding activity, he held a painting and pizza party and invited other DJs and station staff to paint and decorate the new shelving.

KRRC stamp (photo: J. Waits)

Pape has other social events in the works for KRRC. He'd like to have a stamping party (after a friend makes a new KRRC stamp) in order to deface records with the station's call letters. Pape said that he'd also like to work more on getting records from labels and as part of that goal, he wants to create custom KRRC stationery during a station stationery party. That DIY letterhead could then be used when KRRC requests music from record labels. Additionally, the station hosted a Swans listening party and there are plans to hold a My Bloody Valentine listening party at the studio.

View from Record Library into KRRC Studio (Photo: J. Waits)

Pape said that KRRC is a "recovering radio station" and that it's still a work in progress. He said that he's hoping to do more things with the station and said that he'd like to throw live music events at the beginning and end of each semester. He told me that he's largely at the station because he likes to do live DJing and mixing. Pape also expressed his interest in physical music, telling me, "I'm really into vinyl, cassettes, and CDs." At the same time he said that he wasn't anti-digital music, saying that he didn't want to "prejudice" a particular medium.

Alice Cooper LP in KRRC Library (photo: J. Waits)

Right now Reed's station has a collection of vinyl and CDs but doesn't have a cassette library. There is a tape deck in the on-air studio as well as turntables and a CD player. Pape said that LPs and 45s definitely get played at KRRC and added that the station has "a lot of vinyl heads." He also mentioned that he's done some "record store field trips" with DJs from the station.

View out the window of KRRC Record Library (photo: J. Waits)

Although KRRC has had a rough time of it in recent years, the station has been around for decades. Initially a radio club, the first station KRCB 660 AM, launched in October 1955 as an AM carrier current station. By 1958 radio station KRRC was broadcasting over FM (initially at 89.3 FM). The station moved to 104.1 FM in 1981 after getting bumped by another station and eventually had to relocate yet again for similar reasons.

Lynette Yetter in the KRRC Studio (photo: J. Waits)

For even more details about the storied past of KRRC, take a look at this wonderful history of the station from a 2002 issue of Reed Magazine. Amid this history is reference to one of the most famous radio DJs: Dr. Demento. While at Reed in the 1960s, a pre-Dr. Demento Barret Hansen was not only a DJ at KRRC, hosting a wide-ranging music show called Musical Museum, but also served as the station's Program Director and as its General Manager. He's been back in recent years to teach classes and has even signed the station's wall. Unfortunately his signature is nowhere to be found on the studio walls, as it was likely painted over by the multitude of artists at KRRC.

Wall in KRRC Studio (photo: J. Waits)

Pape is interested in the station's history and has been going through KRRC's old storage space in order to uncover hidden gems. The Reed Archives is paying him to digitize some of the vintage reel-to-reel tapes that he's found. So far he's unearthed some strange music mixes, a "weird" Brian Eno record, a live Ramones show recorded in Seattle in 1978, interviews taped from other stations, and a tape of selections from various Van Morrison albums.

KRRC Fall 2012 Program Schedule (photo: J. Waits)

As we chatted in the music library, Pape told me that back in the early years KRRC was located in a building across from the current station. He said that the present-day location of the record library was a former coffee shop (the Paradox).

Pape climbs into studio from Record Library (photo: J. Waits)

As we continued to talk in the record library, the phone rang in the unmanned KRRC studio. A pre-recorded show was playing and Pape seemed thrilled that the phone was ringing. So that he could get to the phone before the caller hung up, he climbed through the small window that separates the record library from the studio. After answering the phone and learning that the psychologist on the line had the wrong number, he unlocked the door to the studio so that I could see the space.

Pape in the KRRC Studio (photo: J. Waits)

The on-air studio walls are covered with graffiti and the space feels like it's been well-loved for decades. There's a computer, tape deck, CD player, turntables, and a mixing board, as well as some beat-up chairs and old couches. A copy of the Trouser Press sits on the station's coffee table. Although they are also scrawled with paint and graffiti, windows in the station give DJs a nice view of the outside world.

KRRC Studio (Photo: J. Waits)

I was happy to see that KRRC has survived the loss of its FM license and hope that it's able to continue to thrive in whatever form it takes in the years to come. Thanks to Jon Pape for taking the time to tour me around KRRC and share it's most recent chapter with me.

I still have more Portland radio station field trips to report on, so stay tuned. Until then, here's a complete list of all of my Spinning Indie Radio Station Field Trips.

Radio Station Field Trip 43 - KLC at Lewis and Clark College

2013-05-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

KLC Radio at Lewis and Clark College (photo: J. Waits)

I was recently in Portland, Oregon for the What is Radio? conference. While there, I decided to set some extra time aside so that I could visit a bunch of non-commercial radio stations. Upon my arrival on April 25, my first stop was KBOO (more on that in a future post). Following that impromptu visit, the next stop on my whirlwind day of station visits was KLC at Lewis and Clark College. After leaving KBOO, I traversed over bridges and found my way to the beautiful wooded campus in southwest Portland. Thanks to some very detailed directions provided by KLC General Manager Shannon Boerner, I easily found the station.

KLC Entrance (photo: J. Waits)

Located in the Templeton Campus Center at Lewis and Clark, KLC is just past the entrance to the building near a student lounge area. Windows in the on-air studio and a windowed door to the lobby face the hallways of the building, so passersby can see into the station. The station has been in its current location since 1995 (it was in the basement of the building prior to that).

KLC Poster on Station Wall (photo: J. Waits)

Although the station is currently online-only, in its early days (in the 1950s) it was an AM carrier current station and by the 1980s it broadcast over unlicensed low power FM. A story from Lewis and Clark's Chronicle magazine gives a recap of the first ever station reunion and open house in 2010 and provides a nice overview of the history of KLC (including vintage photos). More photos of the reunion can be seen here.

View into KLC lobby from front entrance (photo: J. Waits)

Today, KLC is made up of a crew of around 130 DJs who do more than 70 live shows from around 9am until around 1am. During times when there is no DJ in the studio, an automated system can play material from the station's digital music library. Most programs have multiple DJs. The large number of volunteer DJs is even more impressive considering that Lewis and Clark has a student population of around 2000. Students are required to live on campus for their first two years, so many of the DJs are freshmen and sophomores. KLC's Events Coordinator Emily VanKoughnett said that joining the station can be a great way for new students to "integrate with the school." She added, "we like people who are excited about music."

Nick Pimentel chats with the on-air DJ in KLC studio (photo: J. Waits)

VanKoughnett told me that most students are aware of KLC, in part because the station throws "cool concerts" and also because it's that "weird room" in the student center. Another KLC manager, Nick Pimentel said that the student center location helps them tremendously since every student has to come through the building in order to collect their mail. When I arrived at the station entrance, a campus tour guide was leading people past KLC, so I can attest to the fact that even prospective students are made aware of college radio at Lewis and Clark.

Painting on wall in KLC Studio (photo: J. Waits)

KLC is 100% student-run, but the station does have some faculty members hosting radio shows (including music and talk shows). Additionally, a school staff member from the Student Activities office is a liaison with the station and a former DJ (who doesn't work at Lewis and Clark) serves as the station's adviser.

Sign on door to KLC Recording Studio (photo: J. Waits)

In addition to the radio station, KLC also maintains its own recording studio, which was established in 2011. Pimentel, who is a recording studio engineer as well as the coordinator for KLC's annual music festival (The Sunburn Festival), showed me around the space. He said that they've recorded a number of student bands and also do the tracking and mixing in the studio. It's still a work in progress and there are plans to add more inputs, get new microphones, and add better soundproofing (when we were in the studio we could hear sound bleeding in from the on-air studio). Currently when bands play on-air at the station, they will set up in the recording studio while the singer performs in the on-air studio.

Sunburn Festival Poster at KLC (photo: J. Waits)

KLC is familiar to many students because it hosts The Sunburn Festival on campus every year. A Lewis and Clark tradition since 1987, KLC's annual spring music festival has brought an array of emerging and prominent bands to campus. This year's event, hosted by KLC in March, featured Born Ruffians, Sandpeople, and The Dancing Hats (a student band which was recently recorded at the KLC recording studio). Other bands who've played in recent years have included the Thermals, Mt. Eerie, Akron Family and Gogol Bordello. In the '90s bands like Modest Mouse and Heat Miser (Elliott Smith) played the festival.

Umbrella promotion on the wall at KLC (photo: J. Waits)

KLC also has its own "music and oddities publication," The Umbrella. Currently a blog format on Tumblr, The Umbrella features music content, including band interviews and details about upcoming shows.

KLC Recording Studio (photo: J. Waits)

As we talked, Pimentel pointed out the freshly painted walls in the recording studio, office, and in on-air studio. He said that there was a desire to spruce things up around the station as they were starting to bring in more outside guests (including professors). Although one could still spot graffiti on many of the walls, the station make-over masked some of that with the brightly painted colors.

Sign at the entrance to the music library, aka "the Cave" (photo: J. Waits)

KLC gets sent a lot of physical music, but only occasionally gets vinyl these days. The station has the ability to play vinyl, but not cassettes. Much of the physical music library is housed in a large closet that's known as the Cave. Boerner told me, "a lot of people are intrigued by this room." In fact, some DJs who have taken a particular interest in delving into the music collection in the Cave, highlighting its hidden gems on the shows "Cave Diving" and "Spelunking Hour" (on this show a DJ picks a random CD from the cave to play).

Boerner shows one of the more intriguing 7"s in the Cave (photo: J. Waits)

Some material from the Cave will also get reintroduced to DJs by its placement on a special shelf in the station lobby. Boerner told me that she'd like to get more music storage in the studio so that DJs don't have to come to the lobby or Cave when they want to grab music to play. As we were chatting, I saw an example of that, as the on-air DJ raced past us to find a piece of music during his shift.

Vinyl and CDs in the Cave (photo: J. Waits)

Shows at KLC are an eclectic mix of sounds and include both talk shows and music shows. Current DJs play a range of genres, including folk, rock, electronic, punk, country, and hip hop. Pimentel said that overall the station is there to "introduce people" to material that they haven't heard before. VanKoughnett said that many of the genre shows delve into "weird pockets" of music and she mentioned that one of her favorites was a late-night metal program that explored the "weirdest areas of metal," including orchestral metal. Pimentel said that another program is half jazz and half classical. Its two hosts divide up the show based on their personal areas of expertise.

Vinyl stacked in station lobby (photo: J. Waits)

Another show, "Album of the Week," has been on the air for 2 years, playing an album in its entirety every week. Often guests will come in (including professors) to talk about their favorite albums. Pimentel said that the goal of the show is to "preserve the artistry of the album in full length." He told me that he was on the show as a guest and during his stint he chose to feature a Van Morrison album.

Wall at KLC (photo: J. Waits)

VanKoughnett said that she doesn't feel like they have any restrictions as far as content goes and added that KLC supports "crazy cool ideas." On her program she makes food with her co-host and then plays songs about food. I asked her how she finds the songs and she said that she'll do google searches (for example "nacho lyrics") to find music related to the food.

On-air DJ in KLC studio (photo: J. Waits)

While I was there, the on-air DJ read from an academic text over the air and then played John Cage's silent track 4:33'. Over the air he made a wise-crack about why he opted to play the piece and seemed to relish the opportunity to mess with his listeners. He and the others at KLC said that they enjoyed the freedom of being a non-FCC-licensed online-only station. Not only does it free them up from rules about profanity, but it also allows them to have regular listeners in faraway places like China, Egypt and Germany.

7" record from box in on-air studio (photo: J. Waits)

In reflecting back on the days of terrestrial broadcasts at Lewis and Clark, Boerner said that the old low power 104.1 FM signal couldn't even reach students in the dorms on campus. She told me that they had found old listening surveys from the 1980s that indicated that even people in the building directly across the courtyard from the station couldn't hear it.

Couch in KLC lobby. Office is behind the door. (photo: J. Waits)

Pimentel and Boerner told me that they had recently returned from the Northwest College Radio Conference. Hosted by Oregon State University station KBVR, the conference brought together college radio stations from all over Oregon for panels, presentations, and live music. They told me that this was apparently the first time in 19 years that this conference had taken place and both expressed that it was a great opportunity to learn from other stations.

LPs in the KLC cave (photo: J. Waits)

One of the ideas that they picked up at the conference (a points system for DJs) will actually be implemented in the fall. DJs will earn points for various station tasks and these points can be utilized for rewards, such as tickets to shows. They both said that they hoped that there will be future opportunities to get together with DJs from other college radio stations.

Door to KLC office (photo: J. Waits)

Thanks so much to everyone at KLC for talking to me about radio at Lewis and Clark. In the coming weeks I will share field trip reports from four more stations in Portland, Oregon. In the meantime, see a complete list of all of my Spinning Indie Radio Station Field Trips here.

Radio Station Field Trip 42 - WZRD at Northeastern Illinois University

2013-04-21T13:22:00.000-07:00

Brand new WZRD T-shirt, featuring the original WZRD logo (all photos: J. Waits)

I was really thrilled to finally get the opportunity to visit college radio station WZRD 88.3 FM at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) in Chicago. Embroiled in controversy last year, WZRD was in the news for the dramatic lock-out of student DJs for more than five months.

WZRD record library

As I reported on Radio Survivor, on June 29, 2012, staff from WZRD were called into a meeting and told that student DJs were being suspended. The station was put on automation and the administration issued a statement that, "The WZRD student organization is currently under university review and on inactive status." In the days following the shut-down, a university spokesperson indicated that the station was still being operated by students (albeit, students selected by the university rather than by the WZRD club) and that there were hopes that student radio would continue at NEIU.

Wizard newspaper

Various meetings and negotiations continued throughout the fall and by November, there was word that WZRD would be back on the air by December, 2012. During this time, WZRD members did outreach to local press, created online petitions, crafted their own newspaper (which has not only articles about the shut-down, but also pieces about the history of the station and its connection with freeform radio), and even went on the air at nearby WNUR (see my 2008 tour here) at Northwestern University. By early January, 2013, WZRD DJs were allowed to return to the station.

Sign at WZRD

On Friday, April 19, WZRD volunteer (and honorary Director of Public Relations) Max Grilly toured me around WZRD and chatted with me about the current status of the station. We met a bit later than expected, as both of us were diverted around campus due to bad weather and flooding this week in Chicago.

Poster for cancelled 3 Bands 2 Genres event

The entire campus was shut down on the day before my visit due to the weather. Unfortunately, a highly anticipated station event featuring 3 live bands had to be cancelled. When I visited on Friday, some roads were still closed due to flooding and a chill was in the air as windy snow flurries pelted us as we walked to the station from the parking structure.

Entrance to WZRD

WZRD is located centrally on campus in the basement of a building connected to the student union. To get to the station we walked down a short set of stairs near the campus bookstore. Nestled in a hidden alcove beyond a student lounge, WZRD is a cozy space jam-packed with decades worth of station history.

The walls are plastered with vintage show posters, yellowed and torn hand-drawn event flyers from the 1980s, glossy band photos, stickers, graffiti, and other station artifacts that hint at WZRD's historic role in the punk rock scene and the underground Chicago music scene. Peppered throughout the multi-room space are a wide array of CDs, LPs, 7" records, cassettes, and box sets that encompass a wide range of genres.

WZRD Lounge

As I spoke with Grilly in the station's lounge, various WZRD staff and DJs popped in and chatted about their involvement with the station. Grilly told me that the 100 watt station has been in this same location since 1974. It's devoted to freeform programming and DJs are given complete freedom to program their shows as they'd like. Grilly has been at WZRD since fall 2011, but he told me that he'd known about the station for years, telling me that it was a "station that played all this weird music."

WZRD DJ in the on-air studio

Elaborating on WZRD's freeform philosophy, Grilly explained in a follow-up email that,

"Our philosophy is Freeform, in the purest sense. Other stations that are freeform often have block programing that are genre specific shows. We take the freeform thing a bit further. All DJs are required (we do not enforce this too strongly) to play several genres per show. When we do our record buys, we keep this in mind and we get an extremely eclectic mix. Usually the weirder the better. It's kind of a stream of consciousness thing."

Spring Lineup for Thursday Night Live program

In the Wizard newspaper, WZRD staff member (and one of the current Program Directors) Peter Ali Enger writes, "WZRD has never enforced any strict interpretation of freeform. At the most, we might encourage a DJ to try to be more diverse in the content of their shows, as our listeners expect it."

Bobby Womack on the turntable in the studio at WZRD

I got a sense of that musical diversity as I listened to WZRD before, during and after my visit to the station. While we were there, DJs pulled vintage vinyl (Bobby Womack) and CDs from the archives, ranging from old R and B and funk (Rufus, featuring Chaka Khan) to industrial to Sonic Youth. We also heard political talk and interviews interspersed with the music. As I write this, a DJ was playing strange covers of songs by Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Andre 3000, and Nirvana (he claimed to be playing Elvis Presley covering Nirvana) and read bits from motivational speaker Tony Robbins.

Vintage Rufus LP on the turntable at WZRD

Live DJs can be at the station as late as 1am and a variety of sounds can be heard throughout the day. Although it's mostly a freeform mix of sounds, every Thursday night from 10pm to midnight, live bands perform on-air at WZRD for the show "Thursday Night Live." Some of the recent and upcoming bands include punk, alt country, pop, folk, experimental, free jazz percussion, and Latin groove artists.

Old show flyer on the wall at WZRD

Since around 2009, only students could participate at WZRD. When the lock-out happened, there were no alumni DJs or community volunteers at the station. Grilly said that although it's been a difficult time at the station, the lock-out actually served to bring station members closer together. Some former restrictions have also been lifted. Following the end of the lock-out in January, WZRD alumni have been allowed back to the station. Faculty and staff are also allowed to become DJs.

On-air studio

The station itself is much like many other college radio stations. There's a cozy couch in the station lounge, several studios for on-air DJs and live performances, office space, and a record library containing around 17,000 vinyl records, "milk crates full of tapes", and nearly 17,000 CDs. Whereas most college radio stations organize their record libraries in alphabetical order by genre, WZRD organizes its music in chronological order, based on when particular items were added to the station's library.

The first CDs added to WZRD

Each release is assigned a number and DJs can use that numeric system in order to locate particular releases. Older material is cataloged on paper index cards in sort of a card catalog system of organization and newer material is cataloged digitally using CATraxx music library software. As we skimmed through the record library, it was fascinating to take a look at some of the earliest CDs added to the WZRD library, including some of the first CMJ compilations. According to the current system, the first CD added to WZRD was Dinosaurs.

Index cards cataloging the WZRD library

Grilly told me that WZRD played an important role during punk rock's early years and artists like Naked Raygun and Smashing Pumpkins have played at the station. Posters on the walls of the record library are reminders of some of the bands championed by the station during the 1980s, including Frightwig, Angst, Saccharine Trust, Descendents and Psychic TV.

WZRD Record library

Grilly said that WZRD also has a collection of vintage tapes of the syndicated Maximum Rocknroll radio show. Currently there is no way to play cassettes at the station, although there is an old 8-track tape player (and a handful of 8-track tapes) in the station lounge.

Max Grilly shows off a treasured 8-track

Grilly said that he hopes that in the future they will be able to get a new cassette player (as he's aware of the current cassette resurgence and lo-fi movement) and will also get the resources needed to digitize many of the archival recordings held by the station, including interviews on reel-to-reel tapes that are currently in a climate-controlled space in the school library.

Cassettes at WZRD

Although it's a freeform station, DJs are discouraged from doing "computerized shows," according to Grilly. He said, "iPods are a big no-no," and added that DJs are encouraged to play several genres during their programs and are discouraged from playing music that can be heard on other stations. Public affairs programming is woven into every program, with each DJ required to devote at least 10% of a show to public affairs. After my visit Grilly explained over email, saying,

"That could mean anything from having an interview, reading the news papers, or playing a Ted Talk. Even just giving an op-ed speech qualifies, I think. This provides a lot of opportunity to address the Quarterly Issues [required by the FCC]. We do not do a straight public affairs show or have any solely news shows. We don't do shows. Wizards are required to mix it up. Most of our shows are music heavy. Our listeners appreciate the mix, but definitely prefer the music."

Reading material outside of WZRD studio

While there are no "straight public affairs" shows, WZRD does air a few syndicated public affairs and news programs, including Democracy Now! (weekday mornings) and Free Speech Radio News (weekday afternoons).

WZRD lobby, with actual wizard

As we were wrapping up our visit, Grilly asked me and my husband to pose with one of WZRD's stuffed wizard mascots (DJs at WZRD are commonly referred to as Wizards). Apparently it's a station tradition to have guests photographed with a stuffed animal wizard. We were happy to oblige and thankful to our hosts for a fun visit to WZRD.

WZRD DJ

See a complete list of all of my Spinning Indie Radio Station Field Trips here. To see more WZRD, take a look at this short documentary of the station, which includes a station tour and interviews with DJs.

Radio Station Field Trip 41 - WMRE at Emory University

2013-02-15T14:05:00.000-08:00

Office window at WMRE (photo: J. Waits)

My final radio station field trip during my trip to Atlanta for the College Broadcasters Inc. (CBI) conference in October, 2012 was a visit to Emory University's student radio station WMRE. Since it was a bit more off the beaten path, I ended up taking a cab to Emory. Located in the Druid Hills section of Atlanta, the campus is nestled in a lush, suburban setting. WMRE General Manager Adam Valeiras offered to meet me at one of the entrances to the school and as we walked into campus and passed by all of the beautiful old buildings, I was reminded of my own college experience.

WMRE is located in Dobbs University Center at Emory (photo: J.Waits)

Beginning in 1983, students at Emory started planning for a radio station (WEMO) and by 1989 it launched as carrier current station WMRE at 590 AM. Eventually the carrier current system broke down and broadcasts moved to the campus cable system, and eventually online in 1998.

Sign at WMRE (photo: J. Waits)

Today the station can be heard (and seen via webcam) online, on campus cable channel 26, and over low power at 1660 AM. When WMRE began its low power AM broadcasts in February 2011, there was hope that this could be a first step towards acquiring a larger terrestrial signal. Valeiras said that the AM signal has a range of about a mile and that it can be challenging to hear. He told me that he's never heard WMRE over AM.

View of main studio and office (behind window) from WMRE lobby (photo: J. Waits)

When we arrived at WMRE on the afternoon of October 26, 2012, there was a transition between DJs and I was able to see a few DJs setting up for their show. Since 2008, the station has been located on the 5th floor of Dobbs University Center (it was in a dorm basement before that). The building also houses student publications and a dining hall for first-year students.

DJs getting ready for their show at WMRE (photo: J. Waits)

Upon entering the station, one is immediately in a large room containing the station lobby and on-air studio. An office with a door is located off the lobby. Since DJs were getting ready to be on the air when we arrived, Valeiras and I chatted in his office. He told me that there are around 150 active participants at WMRE, making it the 3rd largest student organization on campus.

WMRE's music and culture magazine Frequency (photo: J. Waits)

Not every WMRE volunteer is an on-air DJ. In addition to producing radio shows, WMRE also publishes the music and culture magazine Frequency once a semester. The glossy full-color magazine includes music reviews, band interviews, concert reviews, and articles about upcoming events. Framed issues of the magazine (it began as the magazine Listen in 2002) line the walls of the station.

Old issue of WMRE's music and culture magazine (photo: J. Waits)

In addition to the magazine and radio shows, WMRE also puts on several concerts a year. LocalsFest takes place in the fall and features smaller bands from the Atlanta area. Spring Band Party happens in the spring and is a larger budget event with bigger music acts. The April 2012 event featured Beach Fossils, Sun Airway, and Elite Gymnastics.

WMRE studio with view of web cam transmission (photo: J. Waits)

An interesting thing about WMRE is that there's a web camera pointed at DJs for the duration of their shows so that listeners can view the shows live online and over campus cable. DJs do have the option of blurring the video if they don't want to be seen on-camera. Valeiras told me that most people probably listen to the station online, but that he did watch the station over campus cable when he lived on campus as a freshman.

DJ in studio at WMRE (photo: J. Waits)

DJs at WMRE are chosen through an application process and most end up doing hour-long shows with a co-host. Undergraduates, graduate students, and professors have all had shows. Programs are scheduled from 11am to midnight and after midnight WMRE switches to automation airing heavy rotation programming. Valeiras said that heavy rotation encompasses an eclectic range of sounds across a number of genres.

Rules posted at WMRE (photo: J. Waits)

The station doesn't have too many rules besides the basics (no food/drinks/alcohol in studio, no stealing, don't touch certain pieces of equipment, don't curse or play curse songs, don't miss your show), but expects that DJs will play 2 songs an hour from heavy rotation (which includes around 200 tracks) and attend mandatory monthly meetings. Executive staff members (there are around 10 of them) are required to work at WMRE concerts.

WMRE studio (photo: J.Waits)

Some DJs host genre-specific hours and the station plays everything from party music (techno/rap) to indie, world, rock, and jazz. There are also talk shows and in the past a sports talk show (the station doesn't broadcast games). Valeiras said that DJs are given a lot of freedom and for that reason he finds that WMRE shows have a really "personal feel" and are aligned with an overall tendency to promote creativity on campus.

Vinyl that we spotted under a table at WMRE (photo: J. Waits)

The library at WMRE is entirely digital, although the station did have a big vinyl collection in the past. After I asked about it, we did spot some vinyl records under a table in the lobby. In the box we saw a bunch of random selections including some side-long dance singles, a Boyz 2 Men record, and an Avett Brothers record.

7"s on the wall of WMRE (photo: J. Waits)

Additionally, vintage 7" records adorn the studio walls. I saw a variety of 45s, ranging from bizarre novelty records to classics. Some of the records included "Music for Tap Dancing," Starland Vocal Band's "Afternoon Delight," Tony Bennett's "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," a Chipmunks 45, and a record meant to be played when bathing babies (on the Pram label).

Bulletin board at WMRE (photo: J. Waits)

Valeiras said that there isn't much of a demand for vinyl at WMRE. The station has a needle-less turntable as well as a black box with DJ turntables for mixing. The station also has one CD player. When I asked about cassettes, Valeiras laughed and said, "cassettes don't sound as good" and told me that he mostly listens to music on iTunes. He said that at the station, most DJs bring in a key fob drive with their playlist of music and upload it to station's automation system RadioLogik.

WMRE On-Air Sign (photo: J. Waits)

Thanks so much to Adam Valeiras for the interview and tour of WMRE. It was a fine way to wrap up my Atlanta college radio field trips.

Sign at WMRE (photo: J. Waits)

See a complete list of all of my Spinning Indie Radio Station Field Trips here.

Radio Station Field Trip 40 - WREK at Georgia Tech

2013-02-14T13:08:00.003-08:00

Near the entrance to WREK (photo: J. Waits)

The third radio station visit during my whirlwind tour of Atlanta in October, 2012 was a journey to WREK 91.1 FM at Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Unlike the other tours (WRAS, SCAD Atlanta Radio and WMRE), which I arranged myself, the visit to WREK was an official activity at the College Broadcasters Inc. (CBI) conference.

CBI attendees on the field trip to WREK (photo: J. Waits)

On Thursday, October 25, 2012, a bus arrived at the conference hotel and picked up around 25 CBI attendees for a group tour of WREK. Cody Turner, the Operations Manager at WREK, met us at the hotel and was our official tour guide. When we got to the station, we broke into groups and toured through various parts of the station, including the spacious lobby, large on-air studio, and record library.

WREK lobby (photo: J. Waits)

Celebrating its 45th anniversary next month, WREK is a student managed and operated station that broadcasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 100,000 watts and online. Although the station began in 1968 as a 10 watt station, it was able to increase its power to 40,000 watts in 2004 and to 100,000 watts in August, 2011.

WREK on-air studio (Photo: J. Waits)

Today there are more than 100 members of the station staff and volunteers are comprised of students, professors, and community members. Some volunteers have been at the station for decades, with the big band show the DeSoto Hour the longest running show.

WREK program schedule (photo: J. Waits)

WREK prides itself on playing a wide range of music, including jazz, electronic, classical, experimental, hip hop, rock, noise, and metal (I was told that the award winning metal show WREKAGE has a big fan base in Scandinavia and in prisons). Approximately half of the shows are specialty shows.

Artwork by Atlanta street artist Catlanta in WREK lobby (photo: J. Waits)

The station also airs sports programming and some interesting public affairs shows, including a science comedy show (Inside the Black Box). Additionally, the show Underground Recordings plays historic recordings from the WREK archives, including live music performances from the past as well as vintage WREK programming from late 1960s reel-to-reel tapes.

On-air studio at WREK (photo: J. Waits)

Although the station is on the air 24 hours a day, there aren't necessarily live DJs at all times. When there's no live DJ in the studio, WREK's automation system (Audio Vault) takes over. As you might imagine with a technology-focused university, much of the technology at WREK has been created by volunteers, including the online playlist tool.

On-Air DJ at WREK (Photo: J. Waits)

DJs at WREK play music from a variety of sources, including vinyl, CDs, and digital files. There are two turntables in the studio and some DJs bring in their own turntables and mixers. The station receives around 10 CDs a day and only adds physical music to its library (although it digitizes that music as well, with all DJs asked to digitize 10 tracks a month). WREK's back catalog music library, known as the Vault, contains vinyl, CDs, and cassettes that date back to the 1960s and earlier.

CDs in WREK's main studio (photo: J. Waits)

DJs with rotation shows pick all the music they play from items in the main studio. These DJs are allowed to pick one piece to play from WREK's Vault of non-current music and are also given guidelines about the percentage of music to play from specific genres. WREK has a block formatting schedule, meaning that at a specific time of day listeners can expect to hear a particular type of music.

A glimpse into the WREK Vault (photo: J. Waits)

On weekdays from midnight to 1:30am, the programming block is generally "Atmospherics" (ambient, drone, spaced out music), from 1:30 to 6am the block is "Overnight Alternatives" (a range of genres, but leaning towards experimental, noise, power electronics and more extreme material), from 6am to 9am is the classical music block ("Classics"), from 9am to noon is jazz ("Just Jazz"), and from 1pm to 6pm (until 5pm on Fridays) is a more standard mix of college radio sounds ("Rock, Rhythm, and Roll"). Specialty shows tend to air between 6pm and midnight and public affairs programs run on Sunday mornings and mid-day during the week.

Vintage vinyl in the WREK Vault (photo: J. Waits)

Overall, WREK has a commitment to play "atypical music, particularly music that is outside the cultural mainstream," according to its program guide.

Engineering room at WREK (photo: J. Waits)

Thanks so much to everyone at WREK for a fun tour. My tour of Atlanta radio stations will wrap up soon with one final stop to visit WMRE at Emory University.

Bulletin board in WREK lobby (Photo: J. Waits)

See a complete list of all of my Spinning Indie Radio Station Field Trips here.

Radio Station Field Trip 39 - SCAD Atlanta Radio

2013-02-13T12:40:00.001-08:00

Another sighting of the mysterious "Leo" sign at SCAD Atlanta Radio (Photo: J. Waits)

Last October I visited Atlanta in order to attend the national College Broadcasters Inc. (CBI) conference. I had a great time at the event and also spent a lot of time exploring Atlanta. Luckily there are a number of amazing college radio stations in town, so I made a point to visit 4 of them. I've already written about my trip to WRAS-FM at Georgia State University and on the same day of that visit (October 25, 2012), I also visited the station at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Atlanta.

Spring House Dorm at SCAD Atlanta. The home of SCAD-Atlanta Radio (Photo: J. Waits)

Known as SCAD Atlanta Radio, the 5-year-old (they celebrated their 5th anniversary on November 9, 2012) student-run, online-only station is located in a funky old motel (now known as Spring House) that's been converted to student housing. I'd met the station's co-adviser Jessica Clary at the CBI conference and she connected me with her co-adviser Millie DeChirico. DeChirico ended up driving me over to visit the station during lunch-time and gave me some insight into the station and her radio history.

SCAD Atlanta Radio production studio (Photo: J. Waits)

DeChirico was actually at WRAS from 1997 to 2002 (as a DJ, then Music Director and finally as General Manager), so she was able to provide some perspective about both stations. DeChirico explained that for her being in college radio has been a "transformative experience." She also expressed her appreciation for all of the non-commercial radio stations in Atlanta, saying, "One of the great things about Atlanta is radio." At SCAD Atlanta, DeChirico has been on the air and at one point did a new wave/early punk/1980s music show on Friday nights.

SCAD Atlanta Radio entrance (Photo: J. Waits)

At the time of my visit, SCAD Atlanta aired shows from 10am to midnight. DeChirico told me that the goal was to be on the 24 hours a day, but that they just needed more staff to accomplish that. When there isn't a live DJ, the station runs on automation.

Rotation CDs at SCAD Atlanta Radio (Photo: J. Waits)

Although the station has CD players and a turntable, I was told that most DJs play their shows from the automation system (MegaSeg) or from other digital sources. New DJs are required to do "rotation" shows in which they play their entire show from the automation system. After completing 3 rotation shows, DJs are allowed to apply for a specialty show (which provides more creative control and relieves DJs from the requirement to play music from current rotation).

SCAD Atlanta Radio (Photo: J. Waits)

Current specialty shows on the schedule cover a range of genres, including soul, ambient, psychedelic, disco, funk, European rock, metal, animation/video game music, hip hop, Latin American music, international dance music, electronic music, punk, and local music.

View from SCAD Atlanta Radio studio into production room (Photo: J. Waits)

When we arrived at the station and walked into the on-air studio, I couldn't help but notice a 3-D cardboard SCAD sign propped on the couch. It resembles similar signs that I've seen all over the country (I most recently spotted one at KSPC at Pomona College). After scrutinizing the sign, I chatted with the on-air DJ about his show. He explained that his show (called "Psychedelic Dad") was focused on "dad rock," which he described as '60s to '80s music that you'd find in a "dad's basement."

SCAD Atlanta Radio studio (Photo: J. Waits)

The station is pretty small and contains 3 distinct rooms. As one enters, there's a small office which leads into the on-air studio. Beyond the studio is a production room that contains a small music library closet. DeChirico estimated that SCAD-Atlanta has a couple of thousand CDs and perhaps 500-700 vinyl records.

SCAD Atlanta Radio's music closet (Photo: J. Waits)

The digital music library generally contains material that's been in current rotation. DeChirico said that even though the student DJs are "very tech savvy," they are also interested in vinyl records and CDs. She said that the DJ coming in for the next show actually wants to do an all vinyl program. However, she added that the DJs tend to have a greater mastery over the use of music files in Spotify, iTunes, and other digital sources.

Album cover on SCAD Atlanta Radio studio ceiling (Photo: J. Waits)

During my visit I was fascinated by the collection of cheesy vintage album covers on the ceiling. When I asked about them, DeChirico mentioned that the Music Director and General Manager are both obsessed with soft rock artists in the "yacht rock" genre.

SCAD Atlanta Radio office (Photo: J. Waits)

Being at an art school, SCAD Atlanta Radio makes a point of embracing student work. According to its website, "SCAD Atlanta Radio is dedicated to offering music and programming not heard on other Atlanta radio stations, with particular emphasis on music performed by SCAD students and other local artists." As mentioned, there's an entire show (Locals Only) devoted to local music and live performances.

Turntable at SCAD Atlanta Radio (Photo: J. Waits)

Thanks so much to Jessica and Millie for helping to arrange my trip to SCAD Atlanta Radio!

See a complete list of all of my Spinning Indie Radio Station Field Trips here.

Radio Station Field Trip 38 - WRAS at Georgia State University

2012-11-29T14:10:00.001-08:00

(Entrance to WRAS. All photos by Jennifer Waits)

Last month I journeyed to Atlanta, Georgia in order to attend the College Broadcasters Inc. (CBI) conference. In addition to mingling with college radio DJs and learning the latest broadcasting news, I was eager to visit as many college radio stations as I could. First on my list was WRAS 88.5 FM at Georgia State University in Atlanta. I walked over to the station from my hotel on the morning of Thursday, October 25 and met up with WRAS General Manager Anastasia Zimitravich. She toured me around the station and gave me some insight into the inner workings of WRAS.

WRAS Lobby

WRAS first went on the air in 1971, although radio began earlier on campus when students were allowed to utilize the frequency of another local FM station (read more about the station's history here). By 1987, WRAS was broadcasting at an impressive 100,000 watts and can now be heard all over north Georgia and can sometimes be heard in five states.

Vinyl at WRAS

The student-only station is unusual in that its broadcast can only be heard terrestrially. Although there's no official, station-sanctioned stream; TuneIn has recently made the broadcast available online. Zimitravich told me that she'd like to have the station streaming online and explained that it's the station's "biggest hurdle."

CDs at WRAS

Although WRAS is old-school as far as its broadcast goes (FM only), DJs have embraced digital music as their primary music medium. The station's collection of CDs isn't necessarily organized in alphabetical order and is rarely used by student DJs who "don't really play physical music" according to Zimitravich. She also explained that there's a lot of music that the station can only get digitally. As an example she cited the show "New Theory," whose host tends to play a lot of "blog-based music."

WRAS General Manager Anastasia Zimitravich outside the WRAS Studio

Even though most DJs are doing their shows off of the station's automation system (for rotation shows) or off of their laptops or iPods (specialty music shows), the station does have turntables and CD players for DJs to use. They don't have a cassette player, but Zimitravich said, "I wish we did." Zimitravich told me that the on-air studio has eight CD players as well as two turntables. WRAS has a strict policy forbidding non-DJs from the on-air studio, so I was only able to peer in to get a glimpse of the studio from the doorway.

WRAS Studio

WRAS has around 50 to 60 volunteers and live DJs are on the air 24 hours a day, 7 days a week doing mostly 2-hour shows. During rotation shows (typically between 2am and 8pm on weekdays) DJs play music that has been programmed for them, with the exception of one song per hour (called a U-Pick) which they are allowed to select.

WRAS Production Studio

The station's music director screens everything that gets sent to WRAS and determines what should be included in the automation system. Zimitravich said that WRAS tries to play music that "isn't popular" but that "deserves the help." She characterized the music as "indie music that people want to hear," saying that WRAS is "poppier" than Georgia Tech's WREK, but "still not top 40." At the same time Zimitravich said that she likes WREK as well and said that they are helping to "keep the college spirit alive."

Bathroom at WRAS

Local music is also an important part of the airsound and Zimitravich acknowledged, "we have a really good [local music] scene." She also told me a lot of DJs at the station are interested in working in radio and that WRAS to a certain degree aligns its programming procedures with a commercial radio station model so that its DJs are prepared for the industry. Former DJs have gone on to a variety of jobs in music and broadcasting. One former general manager works at CNN and another owns a radio station in Japan.

Sonic Youth LP in WRAS library

Unlike rotation show DJs, specialty show hosts have the freedom to select their own music for their programs. It's considered a privilege to host a specialty program and those slots are typically in the evening beginning at 8pm and on the weekends.

Poster from WRAS Fest, an annual festival that raises funds for the station

Some of the specialty music shows include Theoretical Abstract (abstract hip hop), Cowtipper's Delight (country and western), Bitrhythm88 (video game music, noise rock, math rock), the local music-oriented Georgia Music Show, the indie folk/freak folk show Deviltown, electronic music programs like Subterranean, and the vintage international show Jetlag (playing rare 1960s and 1970s vinyl across genres that include folk, soundtracks, and psychedelia). Spoken word is also represented on the program Melodically Challenged. Between the hours of 6am and 2am, programs are in two hour blocks. The 2am to 6am graveyard shift is utilized for training.

Production Studio at WRAS

All live music performances and band interviews are pre-recorded at WRAS so that the material can be screened before being aired. Musicians are interviewed in a production room and bands set up and are recorded in the station's office/lobby.

Accolades on the walls of the WRAS lobby/office

As is the case at many college radio stations, WRAS is off the radar of many top 40-loving undergraduates. Zimitravich acknowledged that "our student body doesn't really know who we are," even though the station is in a prominent campus location in the University Center and is a stop on new student tours. For the most part, WRAS draws its large base of listeners from off-campus. The station is on friendly terms with Georgia Tech's WREK and Zimitravich told me that they try to arrange regular kick ball tournaments with them.

Fan letter in WRAS lobby

Thanks so much to everyone at WRAS for showing me around your station. Stay tuned for my tours of several other college radio stations in Atlanta.

WRAS production studio

See a complete list of all of my Spinning Indie Radio Station Field Trips here.

Radio Station Field Trip 37 - KCSF at City College of San Francisco

2012-10-23T17:44:00.001-07:00

KCSF at City College of San Francisco (Photo: J. Waits)

I pride myself on my vast knowledge of college radio and thought that I was particularly schooled in all of the local college radio options in my home town of San Francisco. I even went so far as to proclaim that there were only two college radio stations in the city of San Francisco (KUSF and KSFS). Well, a few weeks ago I found out that I was wrong.

Broadcasting at City College of San Francisco (Photo: J. Waits)

An email came through my inbox that mentioned KCSF at City College of San Francisco. Instantly intrigued, I quickly got in touch with the station's Program Director Matias Godinez in order to arrange a visit. On September 14, I walked over to City College in order to learn more about this mysterious online radio station. Godinez acknowledged that the station is growing, but that "most people have never heard of us."

KCSF Studio (Photo: J. Waits)

Godinez has been a student in the radio department for 2 years and prior to that had college radio experience at KDVS at University of California at Davis (he was the host of a sports talk show) as well as commercial radio experience. He told me that KCSF serves as a training ground for students in the digital radio program in the Broadcast Electronic Media Arts Department at City College. Students have an opportunity to either take classes in the department or join KCSF's Radio Club. As students learn about radio they are asked to volunteer in various station departments, including news, sports, promotions, public affairs, and production. Godinez said that KCSF is "here to teach students," but he also said that DJs have a lot of "freedom for the most part."

DJ on the air at KCSF (Photo: J. Waits)

KCSF has live programs Mondays through Fridays and is only able to have live DJs when their building is open and staffed (9am to 9pm on Mondays through Thursdays and 9am to 4pm on Fridays). In part because City College is a two-year community college, the student population is quite diverse and there are many international students. Godinez estimated that there are approximately 20 people volunteering at the station at a given time, with about 7 or 8 holding management positions.

KCSF (Photo: J. Waits)

KCSF has made some advancements in the past year and everyone I spoke with was excited about the station being added to lineup of online radio stations on TuneIn. Godinez was also proud of the station's sports broadcasts. He told me that they've used UStream to air live football and basketball (men's and women's) games recently. In the works for future broadcasts is the possibility of adding a video simulcast.

Digital Radio Certificate from City College (Photo: J. Waits)

Another recent accomplishment was a collaborative broadcast on September 10 with local public/community radio station KALW. A live discussion that focused on economics of education and the future of City College took place in a theater on campus and aired live over the KALW program "Your Call" as well as on KCSF.

Records from KCSF's past (Photo: J. Waits)

I'm always interested in learning more about the history of radio stations, so I was curious to find out how long KCSF has been in existence. Logos for the station include a reference to 90.9 FM, so I wanted to find out more about how it achieved FM broadcasts. In order to get the back story about the station's past, I made a return visit on September 19 in order to speak with Dr. Cecil Hale. Hale has been a tenured professor at City College and the General Manager at KCSF since 1986. Hale referred me to the chair of the Broadcast Electronic Media Arts Department, Francine Podenski, in order to get more information about the history of the station.

KCSF (Photo: J. Waits)

Podenski wasn't entirely sure when the station began, but shared with me that a former instructor told her that KCSF most likely started in the late 1940s or 1950s. By the mid-1960s it was broadcasting via closed circuit on campus and could be heard in some building lobbies. According to the retired instructor, in the late 1960s or early 1970s, KCSF struck up a deal with KALW and became their remote studio. Eventually KCSF was transmitted via cable on Viacom and Comcast FM for cable subscribers. At one point they had two channels on cable FM and the station even provided the background music for tele-courses. Around 1989, Hale set up a carrier current system to transmit the station to various campus buildings. Eventually he got rid of the carrier current and told me that it was "unreliable." Hale said, "the best thing that happened to us was the Internet."

Scheduling KCSF in Selector (Photo: J. Waits)

Today KCSF solely broadcasts online (although it's unclear when or if the cable broadcasts were discontinued). A second KCSF studio has been built in San Francisco's Mission District, but as of yet there isn't money to operate it. The idea is that it will be a "remote outpost of this station," according to Hale.

Sign at KCSF (Photo: J. Waits)

Hale told me that KCSF operates on a "shoestring budget" and said that he's pleased that at City College "we have an entire curriculum built around radio." He said that students are given a lot of freedom and are allowed to "play games with the format." Hale said that by allowing students to develop their own shows, they are given the chance to "love what they're doing." He said that it also helps to "develop ideas for the station" in general. When I visited I met DJs who were doing shows that ranged from a smooth jazz program to an show that was replaying a live DJ mix. Some program archives can be accessed on the KCSF blog.

CDs in KCSF studio (Photo: J. Waits)

Hale recounted his own introduction to radio when he was in high school. After he received an invitation to stop by a local radio station, he visited and said, "it blew my mind." He got hooked on radio from that point on and he ended up working at stations all over the country before getting a job in the record industry. Academia kept luring Hale and he also went on to get numerous advanced degrees and held a series of jobs at different universities. He said that he enjoys KCSF in part because it's "new and different" every semester.

KCSF Record Library Closet (Photo: J. Waits)

On my first visit I was interested in seeing what was behind the locked "record library" door, but nobody had a key. When I returned to speak with Hale, he unlocked the door so that I could take a look. The closet-like room contained a bunch of old equipment, including vinyl LPs, 45rpm records, and video tapes that probably hadn't been played in years.

Opening the door to the record library at KCSF (Photo: J. Waits)

Currently there's no turntable in the studio, but there is a cassette deck. Some more recent CDs are in the main studio, but I was told that the DJs at KCSF rarely use them. For the most part people bring in their own music from home to play or they use the station's digital music library (which has about 2100 tracks) housed in Selector. Some DJs also bring in their own turntables and mixers in order to do live mixing on-air.

Inside the KCSF record library (Photo: J. Waits)

Although the history of KCSF is difficult to discern, one can spot vestiges of the past while touring the station. Below a counter I saw a shelf full of long-forgotten carts. Those carts piqued my curiosity about the history of KCSF even more, as their titles provided a glimpse of the station's past--from public service announcement themes to retro DJ names.

Carts at KCSF (Photo: J. Waits)

Thanks to everyone at KCSF for showing me around your station. You may not have seen the last of me, as the radio historian in me is dying to know more about the early days of your station. Perhaps I'll see you deep in the stacks of the City College library some day soon?

Vintage Cart at KCSF (Photo: J. Waits)

See a complete list of all of my Spinning Indie Radio Station Field Trips here.

Radio Station Field Trip 36 - WIBN in Oxford, Indiana

2012-10-18T18:22:00.000-07:00

WIBN sign (Photo: J. Waits)

During the family vacation portion of my trip to the midwest this summer, we took a drive from Chicago to Turkey Run State Park in Indiana. Along the way back to Chicago on the afternoon of Thursday, August 2, we traversed through small towns off the main highway.

Ode to Dan Patch on Oxford, Indiana water tower (Photo: J. Waits)

In the town of Oxford, Indiana, I was mesmerized by the mysterious "Dan Patch 1:55" sign atop a roof. As we drove through the town square, my husband spotted a sign for a radio station. We continued on our way and stopped to take a look at a Dan Patch tribute along the side of the road (it turns out that he was a horse made famous for a record-breaking 1:55 minute mile). After we'd solved the Dan Patch mystery, my mind turned back to the radio station that we'd just passed. Promising my family that it would be a quick trip, I asked them if it would be OK if we stopped by the radio station to see if anyone was there. They surprisingly agreed.

WIBN's home in Oxford, Indiana (Photo: J. Waits)

WIBN is located on the town square in Oxford, next to the Squeeze Inn and a Pizza King restaurant. It was pretty sleepy out and some of the nearby buildings had "for sale" signs posted. When we drove up to the WIBN building (the sign outside read 98.1 Gold WIBN), another car had just parked in front of the station. Two men were exiting the car and walking into the WIBN building when I approached them to see if I could possibly tour the station. As it turned out, one of those men was WIBN station owner and General Manager John Balvich. He was accompanied by one of the station's on-air personalities.

Broadcast studio at WIBN (Photo: J. Waits)

Balvich said that he'd be happy to give us a quick tour of the radio station. He told me that he bought WIBN 17 years ago in August 1995. The station is part of a small group of three radio stations that he owns in Indiana. The other two stations, WLQI (aka Q97.7 Classic Hits) and WRIN Easy 1560, are located in an old school house in Rensselaer, Indiana.

Back up oldies music at WIBN (Photo: J. Waits)

WIBN airs the syndicated "True Oldies" format, which features music from the 1950s to 1980s. Additionally, the station has a few local shows as well as regional news, market updates, a community calendar, weather and sports (including high school football and Indianapolis Colts football games). On Saturday mornings from 9 to 11, WIBN broadcasts the "Real Big Deal Show," which is essentially a live on-air auction. Items auctioned off include deals from local businesses (such as discounted oil changes, golf outings, doughnuts, bingo, meals, theater tickets, etc.). Listeners can call in to a special number to bid on various offers.

Flyer for the Big Bargain Show (Photo: J. Waits)

When we stopped by at 3pm on a Thursday, there was no live DJ in the booth at WIBN. Syndicated "True Oldies" programming was on the air while a few staff members did behind-the-scenes work at the radio station. Balvich told me that he's been working in radio since 1974, although his radio experience dates back further to his days working on a ship's radio station on his way to Southeast Asia in the 1960s. Following that he went to broadcast school and ended up doing sports play-by-play, a morning show, and also worked in radio sales. Because of his broad experience, he decided to run radio stations.

WIBN Break Clock (Photo: J. Waits)

Balvich also shared with me a story about how WIBN got knocked off the air for a few months in 2010 when some farm equipment crashed into the WIBN tower. Such are the dangers of rural radio.

WIBN board (Photo: J. Waits)

Thanks so much to John Balvich for giving me a spontaneous tour of WIBN. It was nice to get a glimpse of a rare, locally-owned commercial radio station.

EAS machine and CD players at WIBN (Photo: J. Waits)

See a complete list of all of my Spinning Indie Radio Station Field Trips here.

Radio Station Field Trip 35 - Radio DePaul

2012-10-18T10:51:00.000-07:00

Radio DePaul signage (Photo: J. Waits)

I spent part of my summer vacation in Chicago and was able to see a few radio stations there leading up to and following my trip to Urbana-Champaign for the Grassroots Radio Conference. On Monday, July 30, 2012, I visited DePaul University's online-only student radio station Radio DePaul. Since it was summer vacation, the dorm (University Hall) that houses Radio DePaul was technically closed to the public. General Manager Scott Vyverman met me at the front door of the building and took me down to the station's home in the basement.

University Hall, the home of Radio DePaul (Photo: J. Waits)

Vyverman couldn't tell me much about the history of Radio DePaul, but he guessed that radio had been a feature of campus life for maybe 25 years. He said, "the early history is a little murky." Apparently there's never been a licensed station on campus and prior to Radio DePaul going internet-only, radio was broadcast through carrier current (using the call letters WRDP on 640 AM) or local cable at the Catholic university. When Vyverman arrived at the station in fall 2001, the station was already using the name Radio DePaul and he said that at that time nobody knew where the old carrier current transmitters were.

Radio DePaul is part of the university's College of Communication, which means that the station is intertwined with course work as well. The station is 100% students, although faculty can also be on the air.

Radio DePaul (Photo: J. Waits)

The station moved to its current location on Clifton Avenue in summer 2005 from McGaw Hall. Vyverman told me that Radio DePaul inhabits a space that formerly housed an old dorm lunch room. When they remodeled the space to suit the needs of the station, they opted to keep the old lunch counter and rolling metal gate. The music and promotions departments have their offices behind the counter and the gate is now emblazoned with a painting of a boom box.

Radio DePaul (Photo: J. Waits)

Although it was summer vacation, a number of Radio DePaul volunteers were hanging out at the station. It's a neat and organized space and Vyverman even joked a bit about his high standards for order at the station. A mural ("Timeless Vibrations") painted in 2007 lines one full wall and pillars throughout the lobby are painted with blackboard paint. Musicians and station guests are invited to use chalk to sign the pillars.

Awards at Radio DePaul (Photo: J. Waits)

A trophy case in the hallway of the station contains various awards earned by Radio DePaul and other awards line the nearby walls. Vyverman said that one award in particular, the 2010 Best Station in the Nation award from Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) "changed everything." He said that their standing on campus shifted and they've been able to get more funding for the station after receiving that recognition.

CD Library in Main Studio at Radio DePaul (Photo: J. Waits)

In terms of programming, Radio DePaul plays a blend of music that includes indie, hip hop, and metal. They also have live news shows, arts programming (including a poetry show and a program run by the writing center), live sports, and live remote broadcasts.

Recently Radio DePaul was one of the first college radio stations added to Clear Channel's iHeartRadio app. Although some college stations shied away from partnering with Clear Channel, Vyverman said that it's allowed them to increase the number of listeners. He said, "We're now heard on the most popular radio app in the world." He told me that with more than 100 people volunteering at Radio DePaul, it's important for him to ensure that there is a good listener base. Vyverman recounted his own college radio days, telling me that he remembered heading to his station at 3am in order to be on the air. He said that for many student DJs, the time they spend on the air is "the best two hours of their week."

Main studio at Radio DePaul (Photo: J. Waits)

Nathan Brue, Radio DePaul's outgoing Program Director said that it's important to attract DJs who are "passionate" and admitted that one of his mantras at the station is to "keep it weird." Vyverman agreed, saying that they are "committed to diversity." Brue told me that he had hosted a progressive rock show on Radio DePaul in which he "tried to balance...classics...with modern counterparts." He explained that doing the show was an education for him, even though he'd had a head start since he grew up hearing his dad play songs and records from that genre, including "Dark Side of the Moon" and "Tubular Bells."

Events Listings at Radio DePaul (Photo: J. Waits)

At Radio DePaul they strive to be on the air at the minimum from 10am to 10pm. By the end of spring semester 2012, the schedule was filled with shows from 8am to 2am Mondays through Thursdays and from 8am to midnight on Fridays. Weekend shows tended to end by midnight. During the school year the building is open all night, so the station is not restricted in terms of broadcast hours. They shut Radio DePaul down over winter break and put the station on automation. In the past they had to do that over the summer as well, but they've been able to work out an arrangement with the school so that they can continue operating during summer break. I was told that DePaul is mostly a commuter school, so there are plenty of students around to fill shifts over the summer.

Equipment in Radio DePaul's main studio (Photo: J. Waits)

Brue said that for the most part DJs are playing music off of their computers. Radio DePaul has a digital library full of 13,241 tracks (the first track digitized was the Beastie Boys "Triple Trouble"), and about half of the music that comes into the station today is digital. They will also rip CDs to add to the library. Although Radio DePaul does get sent some vinyl, the station has no turntables on which to play vinyl. I was told that they rarely get sent cassettes, although they do have a double cassette deck in their studio (as well as 2 CD players and a mini disc player).

Many of the shows on Radio DePaul are archived and the Radio DePaul website hosts podcasts of live performances. Vyverman told me that he'd like to add some original podcast programming and said that he was planning to hire someone who would be dedicated to overseeing the station's podcast programming. Additionally, Radio DePaul is utilizing multimedia features and has videos and photos posted on their website. A webcam also captures all the action in the studio.

Thanks so much to everyone at Radio DePaul for the lovely tour of the station.

Radio DePaul (Photo: J. Waits)

See a complete list of all of my Spinning Indie Radio Station Field Trips here.

Radio Station Field Trip 34 - WRFU in Urbana, Illinois

2012-10-17T12:08:00.001-07:00

Sign at WRFU (Photo: J. Waits)

This summer I was able to visit six radio stations in the midwest during my travels out there in July for the Grassroots Radio Conference. The easiest field trip to orchestrate was to community radio station WRFU-LP 104.5 FM. Located at the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center, the site of this year's Grassroots Radio Conference, WRFU is a sliver of a station nestled within a historic post office.

Entrance to WRFU (Photo: J. Waits)

WRFU first went on the air November 13, 2005. According to Station Manager Raymond Morales,

"Anyone can have a show on the air as long as they are trained, paid members, FCC compliant and not promoting hate speech. Otherwise, whatever the community wants to put on the air, we try to facilitate. It doesn't matter whether it is left or right, music or talk, atheist or religious. We are merely a channel (get it?). We are the easiest radio station to join and we represent a diverse group of voices across the community."

WRFU Studio (Photo: J. Waits)

The station airs a range of music, public affairs (in English and Spanish), and sports programs. Music shows include hip hop, dance, blues, world, gospel, experimental, jazz, R&B, and indie pop. Public affairs programs run the gamut, ranging from a show about bike culture, to a political talk show, to programs focused on environmental topics. A number of these shows (including Radio Bilingue) are syndicated programs produced elsewhere.

WRFU board (Photo: J. Waits)

The low power FM station is a project of the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center and according to its mission statement:

"WRFU is a progressive radio station collective committed to social justice, focusing on public affairs issues and the arts. WRFU airs opinions and debates in an open and diverse forum that focuses on educating and empowering the public. WRFU provides an accessible venue for an eclectic mixture of arts programming."

WRFU Studio (Photo: J. Waits)

In addition to WRFU, the Independent Media Center includes meeting space, an event/concert space with a stage, production equipment, a computer lab, and a library.

CD Library at WRFU (Photo: J. Waits)

Throughout the Grassroots Radio Conference, I would wander by WRFU and for the most part there was no sign of volunteers at the station. They did hold some WRFU studio training sessions as part of the conference program. Additionally, an entry on the conference schedule stated that, "Throughout the weekend, WRFU will be broadcasting content from the GRC on the air. Stop on by to get acquainted with the station, drop off an audio file to play, or do an interview. Don’t be shy!"

Sign on window at WRFU (Photo: J. Waits)

Since the station was largely unoccupied (despite the above sign on the window that read "Station Occupation"), I asked one of the organizers if it would be OK for me to take a look around. I wandered about in the cozy studio, snapped some photos, and took in the view. WRFU has a glass window that faces a row of post boxes that border an active hallway that leads into the main part of the Independent Media Center. From a DJ's perch in the studio, he or she has a prime view of everyone coming into the building.

WRFU Studio (Photo: J. Waits)

With this visit to WRFU, I wrapped up my mini tour of radio stations in Champaign-Urbana. I didn't manage to see all of them (I would have liked to have seen the other college radio station in town - WPCD at Parkland College), but I was happy to see a broad range of stations.

Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center (Photo: J. Waits)

See a complete list of all of my Spinning Indie Radio Station Field Trips here.

Radio Station Field Trip 33 - WEFT in Champaign, Illinois

2012-10-16T12:48:00.001-07:00

Entrance to WEFT (Photo: J. Waits)

During my trip to the mid-west this summer for the Grassroots Radio Conference, I was able to tour a number of radio stations. My first stop was WLUW in Chicago, then I visited WPGU in Champaign, followed by a visit to community radio station WEFT in Champaign.

Historic advertising on the lobby wall at WEFT (Photo: J. Waits)

WEFT 90.1 FM is a community radio station located in downtown Champaign, Illinois. WEFT's first FM broadcast was in 1981 (following a launch over cable FM in 1980) and by 1988 WEFT was broadcasting at 10,000 watts of power.

Paul Riismandel in the WEFT record library (Photo: J. Waits)

My friend Paul Riismandel was a former DJ and volunteer at WEFT from 1994 to 2008, so he helped arrange my visit to the station on Saturday, July 28, 2012. We met up with Paul's friend Mick Woolf, who is the Station Manager at WEFT. Woolf drove us over to WEFT, which was empty when we arrived.

Public Service Announcement bin at WEFT (photo: J. Waits)

WEFT owns the building that it's housed in and faces a main street in town. The studio is near the entrance to the building and behind that is a large open space containing the record library. According to Woolf, there are about 40,000 CDs in the library. He told me that they moved the vinyl out of the library because it wasn't being played as much and they were having trouble with broken equipment on the turntables. He said that they got rid of most of the vinyl collection, but held on to a portion of it which is housed upstairs.

Main studio at WEFT (Photo: J. Waits)

Riismandel shared his perspective about WEFT with me. He told me that it's largely a volunteer organization, saying,

"What makes WEFT unique is that it is very volunteer driven, with only one full-time staff member and a couple other part-time staff. It serves a somewhat transient small university community of just over 100,000, which means there's a fair amount of turnover and, therefore change in programming, especially compared to community stations in larger cities."

Music genre list at WEFT (Photo: J. Waits)

WEFT currently airs a mix of music and public affairs programming, including some syndicated shows as well as programs produced by local volunteers. Music genres represented include jazz, blues, lounge, electronica, experimental, Celtic, goth, industrial, and rock. There's also a local music show called Local 901.

Riismandel explained the station's music philosophy and told me,

"The station makes a strong commitment to American music like Jazz and Blues, which has been historically popular and strong in Champaign-Urbana due to its location on the way between Chicago and Memphis. At the same time, so-called 'world music' is also a strong component of its programming due to the very international and cosmopolitan nature of the community around the University of Illinois. As well, WEFT has a long lasting music program, where bands come in to play live on air, which has been running for over 20 years."

Since my visit was timed with the Grassroots Radio Conference, it's also fitting that WEFT has been active in the broader culture of community radio. Riismandel told me, "WEFT has a significant place in the history of community radio, as...one of the first Pacifica affiliates, as well as one of the first stations to air Democracy Now and Free Speech Radio News."

Artifacts in the WEFT library (Photo: J. Waits)

Since WEFT was DJ-less on the day that we visited, Woolf asked if we'd like to get on the air. Riismandel quickly got set up in the studio, grabbed some headphones, and turned on the microphone. He invited me to join him and we spent about half an hour chatting about the Grassroots Radio Conference. It was much like Riismandel's former "Media Geek" program, which aired on WEFT from 2002 to 2008 (and on WNUR from 2008 to 2010). On that show, Riismandel featured news, commentary and interviews about various topics in the media.

After our impromptu interview, we turned the studio back over to automation and raced back to the conference.

Thanks to Paul and Mick for the great tour of WEFT!

Board in WEFT main studio (Photo: J. Waits)

See a complete list of all of my Spinning Indie Radio Station Field Trips here.

Radio Station Field Trip 32 - WPGU at University of Illinois

2012-09-16T17:27:00.000-07:00

WPGU 3-D Logo (Photo: J. Waits)

During my whirlwind trip to Urbana-Champaign for the Grassroots Radio Conference this summer, I managed to squeeze in visits to three different radio stations in the area. First on my list was WPGU in Champaign, Illinois. Although it is a student radio station affiliated with the University of Illinois, WPGU is owned by the non-profit Illini Media Company. Illini Media owns and operates student media at the university, including the campus newspaper, the yearbook, and various student magazines.

WPGU (Photo: J. Waits)

WPGU 107.1 FM inhabits a rare category of college radio because it holds a 3000 watt commercial FM license. Although the early days of AM college radio (as well as unlicensed carrier-current radio) saw many campus stations airing commercials, the advent of non-commercial educational FM licenses has meant that college radio is typically associated with non-commercial radio.

Vintage WPGU photo on wall of present-day station

A small subset of college radio stations (including Princeton's WPRB, Brown's WBRU, Harvard's WHRB, Cornell's WVBR, and University of Virginia's WUVA) break the mold and have commercial licenses today. Many of them, like WPGU, are comprised of students, but are owned by independent non-profits.

Plaque In Honor of WPGU's 50th Anniversary in 2003 (Photo: J. Waits)

WPGU began as a carrier current AM station at University of Illinois. Its initial broadcast was in December, 1953 over 640 AM. After obtaining an FCC license, its first FM broadcasts began in April, 1967. Carrier-current broadcasts continued on campus under the call letters WDBS (see one DJ's recollections here) and that station's signal also reached student dorms through FM cable from 1982 to 1992.

Front entrance to Illini Media (Photo: J. Waits)

I visited WPGU on the morning of Friday, July 26, 2012. I dashed over to the downtown Champaign studios at 8:30am, so that I could make it to the Grassroots Radio Conference in time for the morning sessions. The station has been located in an off-campus building that houses other Illini Media publications since 2006. As one approaches the building, it's hard not to miss the street-facing broadcast studio. When I arrived, the on-air DJ was doing her morning show in a spacious studio surrounded by large glass windows to the street and to the building's entry-way.

On-air DJ at WPGU (Photo: J. Waits)

WPGU's Program Director Courtney Yuen toured me through the station and filled me in the role that it plays on campus. Yuen, who is a University of Illinois student, explained that WPGU is managed and staffed entirely by students. Even though it's a student radio station, the programming approach is more similar to commercial radio. The music library is all digital and there are no CDs or vinyl records in the on-air studio. As I watched the morning show DJ doing her show during my visit, I saw her doing short mic breaks between sets of pre-programmed music. The station has live DJs all day long during the school year, but during the summer there are no live DJs between 3 and 6 am.

CDs in Office at WPGU (Photo: J. Waits)

Yuen told me that WPGU gets sent between 35 and 50 CDs a week from promotion companies, labels, and artists. They also occasionally get sent vinyl. Music that is sent to the station gets added to WPGU's automation system (Selector). Yuen said that she and the Music Director determine what music is added to the station each week. They also spend a lot of time tweaking the settings in their automation program by sound coding and tempo coding every track that's added. In this way, they can ensure that music segues make sense sonically. Yuen said that programming the station takes most of her time, as it requires building categories and building each hour of music.

Band's plea on WPGU office wall (Photo: J. Waits)

There are around 700 tracks in the WPGU digital music library and those tracks are either coded as current ("things emerging now," including the band Fun's "We are Young"), recurrent ("big songs from the past year," including tracks by Foo Fighters and Florence and the Machine), gold (the "bread and butter" of the station, which includes artists like Nirvana, Kings of Leon, Death Cab for Cutie, and Stone Temple Pilots), spike (live tracks, B-sides, and other items that add extra "spice" to the air sound), and local.

At the time of my visit in July, there were 31 songs in current rotation, with 5 or 6 current songs being played per hour. Rules created by the station within the Selector program ensure that the same song is not played within 1 hour and 45 minutes of itself. Additionally, the same song cannot be played in the same hour on the following day. Yuen said that the most you'd hear any one song on WPGU would be 4 or 5 times in a given day.

On-Air Studio (Photo: J. Waits)

Yuen also explained that WPGU changed its air sound a year ago. She said that prior to that time the station was "very indie" and played more underground artists. Because the station relies on ad dollars, there was a programming shift in order to play more commercial, more accessible music in order to attract more listeners and advertisers. With a 3000 watt signal and a listening range of about 50 miles, WPGU has a large potential audience and mostly airs local, community-based commercials. Yuen said the programming changes seem to be a success and that ratings have gone up.

Production Department at WPGU (Photo: J. Waits)

When I asked if there was any backlash after the changes, she admitted that there was (see a former WPGU Music Director/DJ's take on the changes), but not from people at the station. She said that it can be challenging to get support from the local music scene, but also said that it's important for WPGU to "support local music." Local artists are played at least once per hour on WPGU and the station also has promoted some local shows.

Poster-covered walls at WPGU (Photo: J. Waits)

WPGU also airs some specialty music shows, including Shrink Wrap (new releases), Back Room (underground music), Surfabilly Freakout, Flashback Cafe, and a dub step show on Fridays. Yuen said that specialty DJs often play music from outside the WPGU library, typically off their laptops.

WPGU on-air studio (Photo: J. Waits)

The station has deep connections to the University of Illinois campus scene. Yuen mentioned that they were planning to be at the annual Quad Day (held in August), which would also feature performances by some local bands. She also told me that the station's mission is "to train broadcasters," and said that many of the students on staff are broadcasting/journalism majors. She said that there are people at WPGU who are interested in getting into the radio industry and that she would like to work in the music business. However, there are also people at WPGU who have had different career goals and the station attracts a range of majors and its alumni pursue a variety of careers. Yuen said that DJs get six weeks of training at the station and learn how to not only operate the equipment, but also learn how to be "confident on-air." As part of that process, airchecks are regularly recorded and critiqued.

On-air studio at WPGU (Photo: J. Waits)

Yuen mentioned that WPGU is quite popular with students. A recent information night over the summer attracted around 50 applicants interested in joining the station. Although most people want to be DJs, some want to work in other capacities at the station, including marketing and advertising.

Thanks to everyone at WPGU for their hospitality during my July visit. It was quite interesting for me to visit a college radio station with a commercial license and I'd be curious to explore more commercial college radio stations in order to explore the commonalities and the differences within this rare breed within college radio.

See a complete list of all of my Spinning Indie Radio Station Field Trips here.

Radio Station Field Trip 31 - WLUW at Loyola University Chicago

2012-09-12T16:26:00.003-07:00

WLUW Studio Entrance (All photos by Jennifer Waits)

While visiting Chicago during a summer vacation/trip to Urbana-Champaign for the Grassroots Radio Conference, I decided that it was time to tour more college radio stations in the area. On Thursday, July 26, 2012, I scheduled a trip to visit Loyola University Chicago's station, WLUW 88.7 FM. Located just a few blocks away from the hustle and bustle of Michigan Avenue (with its upscale shopping destinations and historic Water Tower), WLUW has some swanky digs in a relatively new building on the Loyola campus.

WLUW Office (Photo: J. Waits)

General Manager Danielle Gunn gave me a tour of WLUW and filled me in on the inner workings of the station. She told me that the station has been on the air since 1978. Although she's only been at WLUW for a few years, she explained a bit of the station's history. I was particularly interested in hearing more about the station's relationship with community volunteers, especially in light of some management changes a few years back.

WLUW DJ in the Studio (Photo: J. Waits)

When I arrived at the station on a Thursday afternoon, Gunn was wrapping up her radio show. I took a look around the station while she was finishing up and then we sat down to talk about WLUW. She told me that she was hired in January 2009, around six months after Loyola University took over the management of the station from public radio station WBEZ.

Back in 2002, WBEZ stepped in to help after the university decided to no longer fund WLUW. Between 2002 and 2007, WBEZ oversaw the day-to-day operations of WLUW. In 2007, Loyola announced that it would be ending its relationship with WBEZ, and brought management of the station back to the university in 2008. With some changes on campus, there was a desire to once again incorporate the radio station into academic offerings and use it as an "educational tool."

One of the several vintage radios in Danielle Gunn's office at WLUW (Photo: J. Waits)

Gunn told me that she was brought in after everything was settled, but admitted that there was still some "panic" at the station in the wake of the WBEZ relationship ending and added that it was like the aftermath of a "break-up." Despite the changes, Gunn said that the station is "largely the same" as it's always been. She said that students and community members both share the airwaves and get along, with many community volunteers helping to train students. WLUW also continues to work with WBEZ by airing the local call-in show Vocalo Morning Amp. Loyola students work on the program, which is produced at WBEZ and airs on a number of radio stations.

Vinyl spinning in WLUW's on-air studio (Photo: J. Waits)

Today, WLUW has around 150 volunteers, with about 125 of those working on-air. Although it's officially a student station, a little more than half of the volunteers are non-students from the local community. Some of those community DJs have been at the station for "decades," according to Gunn. She is the only full-time staff member at WLUW, but she is assisted by a student executive staff.

Flyer in Main Studio - Turntable Training! (Photo: J. Waits)

The station moved to its current location three years ago, after it became a part of the School of Communications. Ironically, the FM broadcasts cannot be heard in the part of town where the station is located, although they can be heard at Loyola's main campus in Rogers Park (where the station was formerly located in a now-razed building that was full of asbestos). When WLUW first began broadcasting in the 1970s, it was actually located in the attic of a house on the same spot where the station is currently located. In the intervening years that building was torn down and replaced by the new building where WLUW is today.

Photo of old WLUW Studio posted on wall of WLUW office

On the day that I visited, Gunn was busy with phone calls in preparation for Lollapalooza. This year was the third year that WLUW was at the Chicago music festival, providing live broadcasts from the massive music event from August 3 to 5. WLUW had its own stage and was able to book bands and air those performances and interviews throughout the festival. I caught a bit of their Lollapalooza broadcasts while I was in town and thought about the WLUW crew when a huge thunderstorm shut down the festival one afternoon (the WLUW staffers safely evacuated to a local restaurant).

WLUW's CD Library (Photo: J. Waits)

Amidst the Lollapalooza prep, Gunn toured me around the station. She showed me the physical music library, which only includes CDs. Gunn said that WLUW gets sent some vinyl and DJs also bring in their own vinyl to play. The physical music library contains more than 11,000 CDs, which are organized numerically in the order that they have been added to the station. The most recently added CDs are located at the end of the library and have the highest numbers assigned to them. She said that it's easier this way (versus having a library in alphabetical order). Gunn said that most DJs play CDs, but that a lot of people also bring in laptops and at least one DJ plays cassettes. The station also has a digital music library.

Portion of CD Library. Can you guess when these were added? (Photo: J. Waits)

The Music Director manages the station's music staff and a democratic process is used to determine what music goes into rotation. Around 35 items are in rotation at a given time and those CDs are placed in the on-air studio. DJs who are assigned an independent music shift (generally daytime shows) are required to play 6 tracks an hour from rotation. Gunn describes WLUW's airsound as being "on the approachable end of indie" as far as music goes. During the evening and on weekends there are a range of specialty shows which are not required to play music from rotation. Those shows include programs focused on house music, Native American music, black gospel, as well as public affairs programming including community talk shows.

A few of the "rotation" CDs when I visited (Photo: J. Waits)

Gunn told me that the 100 watt station reaches mainly the north side of Chicago and can also be heard in nearby Wisconsin. She said that WLUW has a "pretty big audience." On Fridays live bands play live from a spacious studio that's located across the street from WLUW's main studio.

Thanks to everyone at WLUW for showing me around the station. It was a great start to my summer tour of 6 radio stations in Illinois and Indiana. More on that later...

See a complete list of all of my Spinning Indie Radio Station Field Trips here.

Spinning Indie 50 State Tour: Stop 17 - Virginia's WTJU

2012-08-23T10:54:00.000-07:00

Since 2008, I've been gradually making my way through the United States in an attempt to profile a college radio station from every state in order to bring to light some of the intriguing radio stations located in both expected and unexpected places in every corner of the country. So far, I've made virtual trips to Arkansas, Wisconsin, Kansas, Louisiana, Alaska, North Dakota, Nevada, West Virginia, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, California, Nebraska, Idaho, Tennessee and South Carolina. My next stop on the Spinning Indie 50 State Tour is WTJU at University of Virginia.

WTJU has been around for 55 years, having been founded in 1957 at University of Virginia. WTJU was the second station started up by the Department of Speech and Drama (the first station, campus-only AM carrier current station WUVA, began in 1947 and is now an FM commercial station). By 1963, WTJU became a separate student organization. In the years since its founding, the station has increased the number of broadcast hours, has added community volunteers, and has branched out from its early staple of classical music programming to a wide range of sounds as well as a variety of public affairs programs.

WTJU's Current Air Studio Board (Photo: WTJU)

In honor of WTJU's 50th anniversary in 2007, a special section of WTJU's website was created in order to compile tidbits of the station's history as well as to archive audio and materials from anniversary celebrations. This June, in honor of the station's 55th anniversary celebration, WTJU General Manager Nathan Moore reached out to me. He told me that around 150 people attended the 55th anniversary event on June 2, 2012. Alumni were able to tour the station, get back on the air, and attend a reception and after-party. Moore told me that efforts to archive the station's history are ongoing and plans are in the works for a "searchable digital public archive of WTJUs history."

Moore told me that this year's anniversary party gave him an interesting glimpse into how the station and the university had changed over the years. He explained, "In 1970, WTJU was still a virtually all classical station. It was also all male – UVA didn’t accept women (except to the Nursing school) until Fall 1970. The station’s student management looked something like this. By 1980, the student management looked like this. It was a wild, sometimes anarchic place with rock, jazz, classical, and a few folk shows. The Rock Director had to remind DJs to not smoke pot in the studio. She had to put a stop to a DJ doing lines off one of the turntables."

WTJU DJ in 1966 (Photo: WTJU)

He also explained that WTJU was full of indie rock luminaries in the 1980s and 1990s. According to Moore, "The 1980s and early 1990s at WTJU were the first heyday of college radio – at least as we think of college radio today. Stephen Malkmus was a DJ. James McNew (from Yo La Tengo), David Berman (from Silver Jews), and Rob Sheffield (Rolling Stone critic) were DJs. And a whole lot of other tremendous and passionate people who went on to do other great things, but who aren’t so well known for their work in the music industry."

Moore told me that WTJU didn't have any paid staff until 1993, when the station hired Chuck Taylor as its full-time General Manager. Taylor retired in 2010 and was replaced by Burr Beard. Soon after Beard was hired, he proposed major programming changes at the station (which I reported on for Radio Survivor in June 2010). His proposal sparked outcry among WTJU's volunteers and even led to the creation of a website called WTJU in Crisis, described as "a clearing-house for the community to encourage full transparency of the changes that are being made to WTJU, The Sound Choice in Central Virginia." By October, 2010, Burr resigned from WTJU. Moore replaced him as General Manager in April, 2011.

Moore, a former college radio DJ himself, answered some questions for me over email in order to give me a sense of how WTJU is doing today. In our interview he talks about efforts to recruit more students to the station, the role of physical music at the station, and how WTJU is enmeshed in the local music scene in Charlottesville, Virginia.

WTJU Live from the Lawn Protest Rally, which WTJU broadcast live

Pictured (l to r): Lewis Reining, news producer, Tyler Magill, rock DJ,

Dave Moore (in black shirt, also a rock DJ), and John Casteen, former UVA President.

(Photo: WTJU)

Spinning Indie: What's your background in radio? Were you involved with other college radio stations?

Nathan Moore: I started as a college radio DJ at WWVU in Morgantown, WV back in 1998 [and] was a rock DJ for all four years of my college tenure and a talk show host, jazz DJ, and News Director for two years. After graduating, I went to grad school in Madison, Wisconsin [and] got involved as a volunteer at WORT, the community radio station up there. In 2004, I was hired as the full-time News & Public Affairs Director at WORT. In 2007, I was hired as the National Programming Coordinator for Pacifica Radio, and then from 2009-2011, I was the General Administrator at Free Speech Radio News.

Spinning Indie: How are your efforts going to recruit more students? What percentage students/what percentage community members do you have on-air?

Nathan Moore: Efforts are ongoing. Progress, but there's more to do. Last year, we did some outreach tabling, flyer drops, and publicity through UVA departments. This year, we're also putting together three free concerts geared toward campus, including an election night concert and a pretty big battle of the bands style event in the spring. Non-student community members still constitute the large majority of on-air staff, though all our departments are working on bringing in more students. It's easiest to recruit more students for rock, news/talk, and folk & world. A bit harder for classical and jazz, though we've gotten a few more student DJs in those departments, too.

WTJU in 1959 (Photo: Daily Progress)

Spinning Indie: Do you have music in your collection dating back to the early years of the station? Any favorite gems?

Nathan Moore: Oh geez, probably. WTJU was a nearly all-classical format from its founding in 1957 until 1970 or so, and we have a lot of very old classical LPs. But I honestly haven't taken a thorough inventory. I'm a little bit too young to have grown up with vinyl as the dominant technology, but a little too old to embrace it as a hip way to listen to music.

Spinning Indie: Does WTJU add vinyl? cassettes? How big is your collection of vinyl and do DJs embrace it?

Nathan Moore: Definitely vinyl. Our rock department auto-adds vinyl. Cassettes no. We don't even have a cassette deck hooked up to a board anymore, though we do have a cassette deck in the production studio rack, should we ever need to pull some old audio off of an old tape. A lot of DJs here are definitely into vinyl. Old-timers and undergrads alike. I'm pretty sure we're the last station in town playing vinyl on-air.

Spinning Indie: Do you add digital releases?

Nathan Moore: Yes, though we mostly still get CDs from the labels. But yeah, in the last six months or so, we installed a 12 TB music server. We add new music to it, as well as ripping our CD collection to it. It's a rather tedious process, but it'll open up new creative possibilities once it reaches critical mass.

WTJU's Recently Revamped Production/News & Talk Studio (Photo: WTJU)

Spinning Indie: Do you have any specific programs/specialty shows that are unique to WTJU or stand out as being different from anything else on radio?

Nathan Moore: A few that come to mind:

-- Soulful Situation: Dixiefried southern soul, uptown northern R&B. Classic tracks presented with much bravado by Rumcove (aka Robin Tomlin). Monday afternoons 12-2pm.

-- Gamut: the gamut of classical music from the middle ages to present. The DJ (Ralph Graves) has never repeated a track since he started hosting the program in 1984. Wednesday mornings 6-9am.

-- The Broadcasting System: A truly freeform radio show that speaks to the incredibly independent spirit of WTJU. Host Tyler Magill recently played Stereolab, Ornette Coleman, and the sounds of woodpeckers in the same half-hour. And it kind of worked. Mondays 2-4pm.

-- Deepest South: This is probably my favorite new show that we rolled out with our July program changes. It's this tremendous genre-agnostic show that redefines how we listen to Latin communities across the globe. Steve Villereal and Anne Dunckel alternate, Thursdays 12-2pm.

Beta Bridge at UVA painted for the WTJU Rock Marathon Fundraiser (Photo: WTJU)

Spinning Indie: What is WTJU's role in the local music scene?

Nathan Moore: We support the local music scene and it supports us. We do artist interviews and live on-air performances, and we play a lot of local bands' albums. We even have a weekly folk show called "Around This Town" that features artists coming to town in the next seven days. We do promotional trades for a lot of shows. We provide a platform for an awful lot of live music, especially in the local folk & roots music scene. We aired eight or nine live shows from venues around the area in the last year. All of this crosses genres, too – our folk department has been the most active in the local scene, but the rock, jazz, and classical departments have been doing all of this, too.

Spinning Indie: Can you tell me a bit about your new public affairs shows?

Nathan Moore: There's a ton of public radio in Charlottesville – three NPR services, in fact, which is a lot for a market this size. But they're all translators for stations that are elsewhere in the state, which means they're not covering Charlottesville stories with the kind of depth and discussion that they deserve.

Our new show "Soundboard" dives into hyperlocal Charlottesville affairs and also connects national stories to our community, weekdays 9-10am. Right now, we're only producing the Thursday and Friday shows locally, but that'll expand to five mornings in the coming months. The Friday edition of Soundboard is a terrific partnership between us, the alt-weekly C'Ville, and Charlottesville Tomorrow, a hyperlocal online news site. I host the Thursday edition, and I especially like to connect national stories to Charlottesville. We're slated to roll out some weekly recurring segments as the show expands, including: backyard gardening, true stories & improv, natural history, and wine & food. (Albemarle County is home to more than a dozen wineries.) I'm also working on a content partnership with the daily student newspaper at UVA.

Spinning Indie: Does WTJU interact with the broader college radio community? Do you have friends at nearby stations?

Nathan Moore: Sure. We were also one of the participating stations in the inaugural College Radio Day last year, and we have a contingent that attends MACRoCk each year – the Mid-Atlantic College Radio Conference. We also are very much part of the community radio scene. We're friends with WRIR in Richmond, and I’ve got connections throughout the NFCB world.

Thanks to Nathan Moore for taking the time to chat with me about WTJU. Stick around to see where the Spinning Indie 50 State Tour ends up next...

Spinning Indie 50 State Tour: Stop 16 - South Carolina's WSBF

2012-05-03T13:59:00.001-07:00

After a too long hiatus, the Spinning Indie 50 State Tour returns with an all-new virtual trip to a college radio station somewhere in the United States. The aim of this series is to bring to light some of the intriguing radio stations located in both expected and unexpected places in every corner of the U.S.

The 15 college radio stations that I've featured thus far include stations in Arkansas, Wisconsin, Kansas, Louisiana, Alaska, North Dakota, Nevada, West Virginia, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, California, Nebraska, Idaho, and Tennessee.

The time around we venture to South Carolina to learn more about Clemson University radio station WSBF. In existence for more than 50 years, the initial idea for WSBF was conceived by Clemson freshman Van Fair in 1956. After writing a paper for his English class about why Clemson should have a radio station, he began the process of making that desire into a reality. In 1957 he teamed up with other interested students, including one who was running a pirate AM station out of his dorm room. In late 1957 the call letters WSBF were selected and the carrier current campus-only station was built in 1958 and went on the air on May 1, 1958. WSBF then began the process to transition to an FCC-licensed FM station and began FM broadcasts in 1960. In his accounting of the early days of the station, Fair writes, "I know that my experiences at WSBF prepared me as much for life as my Clemson education did." The WSBF website's history section includes reminiscences from a number of former DJs and it's a nice way to get a flavor for the place. There's also a section containing WSBF alumni biographies.

Today WSBF airs an alternative music format with a mix of new music and specialty music shows. They also produce a live music show called "Live Sessions" that is also filmed with the help of their campus TV station and posted to the WSBF You Tube channel.

According to WSBF's General Manager Joe Dubrowski, new music (or "rotation") shows are required to play at least 75% material from the station's new music section and also cannot play material by artists who have had a top 100 Billboard hit or a Gold album.

Dubrowski said that there is still music in the library from the early days of the station. He told me, "We have an extensive library of music dating back to the early days of the station. Our vinyl collection is not in perfect alphabetical order, but if you spend some time looking through it, there are some gems. I like to spend some time reading the reviews and seeing what people had to say about the early works of now legendary artists." He also mentioned that there are some long-running shows on the station, including the Sunday night "Protogressive Show" hosted by Joe Della-Fera for 22 years.

In his email interview with me, Dubrowski also talks WSBF's annual Spring Music and Art show and how the station fits in with the local music scene in Clemson, South Carolina.

2007 Live Sessions Flyer

(courtesy WSBF)

Spinning Indie: Your station has a lengthy history. What are your favorite tidbits/scandals from your station's past?

Joe Dubrowski, WSBF General Manager: My favorite part of station history is the infamous “ball gag” incident. A few station DJs decided they would express themselves in a rather unusual way at the Clemson University First Friday Parade. Their dress and antics at the event got us banned from the parade until just recently.

Spinning Indie: Do most students at Clemson know about the station? Do a lot of students listen to the station? Is the staff/DJs mostly students?

Joe Dubrowski: Clemson is a big school and there are a lot of activities to get involved in, but being a part of WSBF is the best choice any student could make. When I first came to Clemson 5 years ago, I would say that most students did not know about WSBF. However, some big promotional efforts in the last several years have raised awareness. Currently, I'd say that most students know that we are here. Most of our staff is made up of students but we do have a group of graduate students and community members and we have had professors and other Clemson University staff in the past. To my knowledge, we are the only student organization on campus that allows and encourages membership by non-students.

Spinning Indie: What's the local music scene like and how is WSBF involved with that scene?

Joe Dubrowski: The local music scene in Clemson is, let's say, developing. The biggest challenge in Clemson is the lack of any dedicated music venue. The only choice for artists is a handful of bars, none of which have an ideal set up. Anytime WSBF puts on a show downtown, we bring our own equipment and sometimes we even rent and assemble a stage for the performers.With that said, we have a unique role in our community because of the lack of an established scene. In many ways, we really ARE the music scene. WSBF has developed a loyal following and many people will come out to our shows regardless of the genre. It's pretty cool to see the diverse crowds at our shows. It feels good to see a dedicated group of people who enjoy supporting live music and their local radio station.

Spinning Indie: Can you tell me a bit about the festivals that you've produced?

Joe Dubrowski: The WSBF Spring Music and Arts Festival is currently in its 4th year and I'm always excited to see the growth of the event from year to year. This all day event showcases national and local musicians, artists, vendors, and businesses. WSBF Spring Music & Arts Festival is a service-oriented event that aims to collect donated goods to be provided to the neighboring communities where it is needed most... WSBF Spring Fest IV... [took] place on Friday, April 13th at Tiger Park in Clemson, SC.

Spinning Indie: Do you listen to other college radio stations? Who do you admire?

Joe Dubrowski: I love WUSC in Columbia at the University of South Carolina. A lot of us listen to them and we have a good, friendly relationship. In the past we have co-sponsored some shows and events. Last year, we invited the DJs at WREK at Georgia Tech up to Clemson and had a fun time hanging out with them. We are also jealous of their 100,000 watt output power! I think it is important that college radio stations support and learn from each other, especially with the current state of college radio.

Spinning Indie: Anything else?

Joe Dubrowski: I'd just like to mention our recent partnership with RadioFlag. RadioFlag is an Internet social media website that connects radio stations with a focus on college, community, and independent radio. With their help, we have seen our listenership increase. We are one of only a few stations to receive an award from them as a "Spirited College Radio Station". In addition, we are the southeast representative on their College Radio Advisory Board. I am excited about our future collaborations and can’t thank them enough for their continued support.

I'd also like to extend a big thanks to Spinning Indie for this interview and featuring us in the 50 State Tour Series. For more info on WSBF you may visit our website at wsbf.net or facebook.com/wsbf881. We are also on twitter @WSBF_FM.

Radio Station Field Trip 30 - KCNL, KSJO, and KLOK in San Jose

2012-04-11T13:34:00.000-07:00

Outside KLOK, KCNL, KSJO headquarters in San Jose

(All photos by Jennifer Waits)

Back in February I received an email with an intriguing offer of internships for college students interested in working in radio. The attached flyer stated,

"Hey radio junkies! Want to host your own radio show? Buzz Radio FM is looking for new DJ’s in San Jose! No experience needed. Pick and choose your own style of music, program, and/or show. Reserve your preferred time slot NOW! For as little as $30 per hour!"

It turned out that the station, Buzz FM, was affiliated with commercial radio station KCNL 104.9 FM in San Jose. With my curiosity piqued by this offer, I scheduled a visit to KCNL to learn more about their radio operations and to find out how college radio DJs could get on the air at their station.

On the afternoon of February 21, 2012, I trekked down to the San Jose headquarters for commercial radio station KCNL and its sister stations KLOK and KSJO. The non-nondescript mid-20th century building housing the stations is located in the historic KLOK building in southeast San Jose. Adjacent to the building is a large field containing radio equipment, satellite dishes, and towers, with a view of the nearby foothills.

A 25th anniversary plaque from 1971 at the entrance to the building reads, "On October 13, 1946 E.L. Barker, founder of KLOK radio began his 'birth of a station.' The first broadcast on 1170 KCS was with a 5kw signal for daytime only." According to the plaque, Barker sold KLOK to Davis Broadcasting in 1967 and in 1969, "KLOK radio became the most powerful standard broadcasting station in the entire Santa Clara County with a signal increase to 50kw daytime."

Today, KCNL, KLOK (still at 1170 AM), and KSJO (92.3 FM) are owned by Principle Broadcasting Network, a "portfolio holding company" for Mercury Capital Partners. Principle bought these three stations between 2009 and 2011 and according to the Mercury Capital Partners website, the stations are run using a "ethnic brokered time business model." Through this model, they lease out airtime to "various ethnic groups who have traditionally been disenfranchised from gaining access to the kinds of mainstream media broadcast properties which Principle owns." Currently they lease airtime on KCNL to the Hispanic community, rent airtime on KSJO to the Chinese community, and sell airtime on KLOK to the Asian Indian community.

Buzz FM Studio at KCNL

(Photo: J. Waits)

In addition to leasing airtime over traditional FM and AM airwaves, Principle has also been establishing separate radio brands on various HD channels. As it turns out, Buzz FM, which initially had led me to visit KCNL, is a new project over KCNL 104.9 FM's HD3 channel. While Buzz FM awaits programmers, its HD channel and website currently airs a mix of automated music ranging from the Beatles to the Cure to Johnny Cash.

When I visited in February, I was told that it was a brand new project that had only really started two weeks before I stopped by. At that point it hadn't been promoted or marketed and its sole program was hosted by a member of their station staff. That show, "The Weekend Show" aired on Sunday nights beginning back in December, 2011 and by mid-February there had been 8 episodes of the male-oriented talk show. When I checked this week, the Weekend Show website was no longer available.

In addition to Buzz FM, KCNL also utilizes a second HD channel, HD2, for S*ALT (aka Save Alternative). This alternative rock format also airs over KCNL's regular 104.9 FM signal on Saturday and Sunday nights and is available online 24/7. Prior to the launch of Chinese programming on KSJO, Save Alternative briefly aired over 92.3 FM.

Messages from KCNL Guests and Hosts in Hallway at Station

(Photo: J. Waits)

The remainder of the KCNL schedule, under the brand iFM, is made up of Spanish language talk shows and music programming, including bilingual alternative rock. According to Principle's Local Sales Manager Manuel Rojas, "the community" is on the air at KCNL, including "the guy next door and his business." Brokered shows on KCNL include a range of programs including specific shows focused on health, religion, and music.

In terms of the current programming on KSJO 92.3 FM goes, it's comprised of brokered Chinese language programming over the regular FM channel under the brand China 92.3 FM. The format change to Chinese-language programming began in 2011 after Principle purchased KSJO from Clear Channel. The schedule today is made up of talk (including one show hosted by a man who one DJ at KSJO characterized as the "Larry King of the Chinese community"), music, news, and entertainment shows in Cantonese and Mandarin. During periods when the airwaves are not leased out, they play a mix of automated Chinese music programming.

On KSJO's HD2 channel they broadcast technology-themed talk shows and techno music under the brand 24/7 Tech Radio. A message on the KSJO website also invites interested parties to get involved with the new channel, stating, "Universal Media Access is in the process of developing a 24/7 Tech Channel. If you are interested in being part of this project, send us an e-mail..." Not much content is available on the 24/7 Tech Channel website, but 4 episodes of September broadcasts of the program "Tracking the Tech Revolution," are available to listeners. It's unclear from the schedule if there are regular talk shows airing right now.

Principle's purchase of KLOK from Univision was completed in 2009. Today the 50,000 watt AM station broadcasts Asian Indian brokered programming under the brand Desi 1170 after launching with an all-music format. Shows range from talk shows hosted by members of the community (including shows dealing with law, mortgages, wellness, and money management), a Christian show, and a range of programs from the entertainment network Radio De' Hotties. When there isn't a live or brokered show, KLOK plays contemporary Indian music across a variety of genres. Desi 1170 is also simulcast into New York City.

As I toured around the offices for each station, I also noticed some of the things that were missing. There is no physical music library at any of the stations, although I was told that Principle did acquire some vinyl records from Clear Channel as part of their purchase. That material is in storage. DJs at various stations do bring in physical music from time to time, but Rojas said that it is mostly used as background music since the traditional AM and FM stations are mostly talk. I did see CD players and even a turntable (at Buzz FM), so DJs and hosts certainly do have the ability to play physical music if they desire.

Less than 6 weeks after my visit, word came out that Principle would be selling KCNL to University of Southern California (USC) for use in their network of classical radio stations as another outlet for broadcasting KDFC (which currently airs over the former college radio station KUSF as well as over 2 additional signals in the North and South Bay Area). In light of this pending station ownership transfer, the future KCNL's HD programs (Buzz FM and Save Alternative) is a bit unclear at the moment.

According to Brad Behnke, COO of Principle, Save Alternative (S*ALT) "will continue as an Internet operation." He told me that they are "still studying Buzz" to see if it will continue online or over another HD channel. In any event, the brokered Spanish language programming on KCNL will end by the time that the FCC approves the license transfer, if not sooner.

Although a local marketing agreement (which would allow USC to rent the KCNL airwaves in advance of FCC approval of the license transfer) was included with the FCC paperwork regarding the sale, Behnke says that the timing of the beginning of classical programming over KCNL "depends on when the FCC grants the license transfer." When I asked Brenda Barnes, President of USC Radio, about the timing of the start of classical music programming over KCNL she said, "We haven't determined that yet." As far as whether or not this sale might have implications for Principle's other properties of KLOK and KSJO, Behnke said, "remains to be seen."

In the weeks to come we will probably learn more about what the future holds for KCNL and its related brands in light of its pending sale to USC. I feel lucky to have gotten the chance to visit this commercial radio station group in advance of these upcoming changes. Thanks to Rojas and everyone else at Principle for giving me a glimpse into their intriguing group of commercial radio stations.

See a complete list of all of my Spinning Indie Radio Station Field Trips here.

Radio Station Field Trip 29 - Trinity FM at Trinity College Dublin

2012-02-13T13:26:00.000-08:00

View out the Window at Trinity FM

Last month when I was visiting Ireland I managed to visit two student radio stations near Dublin. My first stop was Belfield FM, which I profiled a few weeks back. My next visit was to the Trinity College radio station in Dublin, known simply as Trinity FM.

I headed over to Trinity FM on the afternoon of Tuesday, January 17, 2012. Located near the entrance to the college, the station was on the top floor of House 6, a historic campus building that contains a number of offices, including a book shop and the communications office. Trinity College itself is more than 400 years old and the campus features beautiful old buildings surrounding a central area full of walking paths and green spaces. Despite the age of the university, the radio station is relatively new and first started as a temporary station around 1998 in order to cover the "Trinity Ball," a massive annual music party held on campus to celebrate the end of each academic year. The station was such a hit that they decided to keep it going.

Trinity College Dublin. Trinity FM is Located on the Top Floor

Run entirely by student volunteers, Trinity FM operates out of a small space up several flights of stairs in House 6. When I visited they hadn't yet resumed broadcasting for the semester, but were set to start webcasting from 5pm to midnight beginning on January 30th. As is the case with many student stations in Ireland, Trinity has a special radio license that allows them to broadcast over FM for a specific number of weeks every year. This year they are approved for 6 weeks of terrestrial broadcasts, which will air from 9am to midnight during 6 pre-arranged weeks throughout the year over 97.3 FM. The first FM week this semester will be the week of February 20 to 24.

An old Schedule for Trinity FM

Trinity FM's Station Manager Matthew Taylor toured me around the station and filled me in on the inner-workings of the station. Taylor said that there is a great amount of interest in the student radio station, with 300 people signing up to join Trinity FM during Freshers Week (the week before classes start). He said that about 100 students are active at the station, with a core group of 20 to 30 volunteers. Students who sign up to volunteer at Trinity have the opportunity to apply for regular streaming shows, which pretty much air for the entire year. Approximately 60% of the streaming shows are music shows and 40% are talk programs.

Trinity FM Station Manager Matthew Taylor in the Studio

FM shows work a little differently and the application process is much more competitive. An editorial board selects programs for FM across a number of specific categories, including news/current events, culture, Irish, light entertainment, film, European affairs, and music. Taylor said that the FM slots fill up quickly, as editors match applicants with available time slots. During the weeks when FM broadcasts occur, the regular streaming shows go on hiatus.

In terms of content, shows on Trinity FM include the live music show Reverb, which features local bands, the popular long-running (it's in its 7th year) Plastic Soul show which is hosted by a Drama lecturer from Texas, and a vinyl-focused show called Wax Poetics. Over the years there have also been a number of shows hosted by international students from Russia, the United States, and South Africa. Schedule updates can be found on Trinity FM's twitter feed and on its Facebook group.

Taylor said that DJs have a lot of freedom to do what they'd like on their shows as long as they are respectful of the rules. Hosts are asked to limit swearing before 8pm and to not air anything libelous. They also aren't allowed to smoke or drink in the studio so as to ensure that equipment isn't damaged. Taylor mentioned that many years ago a DJ was kicked off the air after for a foul-mouthed show about bondage. He said that when the show was initially awarded the DJ was vague about the concept of the show, so it ended up being a surprise to the staff when he went on air. He added that they do listen and check in on FM shows in particular for appropriateness, especially after that incident. Streaming content has a little more freedom and isn't as regulated as terrestrial radio in Ireland.

They've opted to divide the 6 weeks allotted for FM broadcasts across the academic year so that terrestrial broadcasts occur for the most part during the last week of every month. The frequency of 97.3 is actually shared across a number of broadcasters, which is part of the reason why they are only licensed to use it for a certain number of weeks every year. The FM signal only reaches about 2 miles, so for the most part Trinity FM is only heard on campus.

Trinity FM Office

The small Trinity FM space includes an office and the broadcast studio. Since it's in a historic building they have some limitations on what they can do with the space and because of that they are unable to do extensive soundproofing. For that reason they have to make sure that people in the office aren't too loud when a DJ is on the air in the adjacent studio. Additionally, because the historic structure can't be upgraded to be wheelchair accessible, Trinity FM is unable to apply for some community funding that is contingent upon having a more accessible station. There was some talk that they might be about to move to a Student Center in a different building, but those plans were squashed when a Student Center referendum failed to gain enough votes.

Trinity FM Studio (Notice the Old Fireplace in the Background)

For the most part DJs bring their own music to Trinity FM, with some opting to bring CDs and vinyl, but many just use You Tube or play music from their laptops. While I was touring the station, one DJ popped in and mentioned that he'd been sent a red transparent vinyl record and he spoke of it as if it was a novelty, so it would seem that vinyl is only sparingly played there despite the availability of turntables. They have a 45 gig library of digital music available for DJs to play, but there isn't much in the way of a physical library. A CD library does exist, but it was in a locked cupboard when I visited. I was told that DJs play an eclectic mix of music including indie, folk, reggae and live music.

In addition to their on-air work, Trinity FM also brings events and lectures to Trinity College, including a series of talks presented by professional DJs who have shared stories about working in radio. One station volunteer is working on a graduate project related to radio journalism and someone else from Trinity FM did her dissertation on the topic of radio and society. The station has also put on a number of concerts on campus, including a recent one in a chapel and another in a gothic building. One ambitious event, the Hallow Sessions, was a mini acoustic music festival.

As I toured the station I was also impressed to see their painted wooden signage. I was told that due to the inclement, often windy and rainy weather in Ireland, regular banners often blow away at events. Because of that, they have built big wooden signs that they haul out for campus events like Freshers Week (the week before classes start).

Taylor said that he's really enjoyed his time at Trinity FM and mentioned that he's gotten close to many people through his work there. He used to do a news and public affairs show and has attended conferences in Brussels on behalf of the station. He said, "Being on the radio is really fun."

Thanks so much to Matthew Taylor and everyone else at Trinity FM for giving me the grand tour.

Radio Station Field Trip 27 - KEAR and Family Radio in Oakland

Radio Station Field Trip 28 - Belfield FM at University College Dublin

2012-01-25T15:31:00.000-08:00

When I was out of the country during the past few weeks, I couldn't resist the opportunity to resume my Spinning Indie radio station field trip series by visiting a few student radio stations in Ireland. First up was Belfield FM, the student radio station at University College Dublin (UCD). Located just outside of Dublin in the town of Belfield, the station itself is hidden away on a corridor just off a tunnel adjacent to the James Joyce Library. During the 2011-2012 academic year the station is broadcasting on 107.8 FM and online.

Belfield FM Office

An interesting thing about many student radio stations in Ireland is that some of them bounce around the FM dial and aren't on the same frequency from year to year. Each year certain stations apply for a frequency and last year Belfield FM was only on FM for a total of 4 weeks. The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is the regulatory agency that handles radio licensing in Ireland. The BAI allows for temporary radio licensing, which is why a number of stations operate for only a few weeks out of the year. A recent list of temporary sound broadcasting applications (PDF) includes Belfield FM, which is licensed to broadcast Mondays through Fridays. Currently they broadcast from 1pm to 9pm from a transmitter atop their campus building, although most of their listeners tune in online. Some other college radio stations in Ireland, including Spinning Indie field trip stop FlirtFM, are designated community/special interest broadcasters and broadcast on a more permanent basis.

Belfield FM Studio

Student radio has been a staple of UCD since 1990, although the name Belfield FM wasn't introduced until 2006. In the early days, they only broadcast terrestrially for 4 to 6 weeks out of the year and the station shut down for several years before relaunching. Since 2008 the station has been in its current location, but it's scheduled to move to a new Student Center on campus in September. Its new studio in the Student Center has already been built and they should have access to it by April. They will continue to use the current studio as a production studio so that DJs will have the ability to pre-record their shows.

I visited Belfield FM on the afternoon of Monday, January 16, 2011, which was the first day of broadcasts for the new semester. Although I knew the general location of the station, I still had a difficult time finding it since the door to the station only contained a tiny handwritten sign on a ripped scrap of paper reading "Belfield FM." The volunteers who I met with told me that every year the station is a stop of a campus "treasure hunt" and acknowledged that they should probably make a bigger sign.

Belfield FM's small space contains an office with a couch, desk, and broadcasting equipment as well as an adjacent studio. Although the surroundings are spartan, the station has around 80 volunteers including approximately 50 regular participants.

Checking out the lack of signage of the door to Belfield FM

When I visited, 4 DJs were hanging around the office and it was fun hearing their stories about the station. Station Manager Peter Branigan toured me around the station and was joined by the Executive Producer of BeatsanPieces Dylan Gray, Assistant Manager Oisín Boyce, and Assistant Manager Darragh O'Connor. They all pointed out the great sense of community that they've felt at Belfield FM and mentioned that they've met many of their close friends through the station. They also mentioned that many students on campus are interested in coming in to the station and that they frequently have friends asking them about radio.

The station isn't connected to an academic department at UCD, instead existing as a student club that is funded by the Student's Union and student fees. DJs have a lot of freedom and there are a range of shows on-air, from music shows, to talk shows, to sports programs. There aren't too many restrictions other than not swearing (they told me that there are 5 dirty words in Ireland) or defaming anyone over the air. DJs keep track of their playlists on paper, but those lists aren't used for any sort of charting.

Paper Playlist

Although there isn't much in the way of a music library other than a small drawer full of CDs, most of their material has been digitized and Belfield FM has a digital music library containing nearly 16,000 tracks. Most DJs bring their own music and frequently play material and music off of You Tube. CD players are also available for DJs to use, but there are no turntables or tape decks in the studio.

CD Drawer

Live bands also come to play at Belfield FM, particularly on the "Unsigned and Underrated" show. There's also an "International Music Show," on Friday nights at 5:30pm, "School of Heavy Metal Studies" program on Wednesday nights at 5:30pm, and an "Electro Show." Darragh O'Connor also hosts the "Wrestleview International Desk" program which delves into the world of wrestling.

Belfield FM has also produced a number of live broadcasts, including sabbatical debates, which they broadcast from a nearby campus theater by running wires from their studio. They just got funding to purchase an outside broadcast unit, so the station is hopeful that it can air more live events, including sports commentary.

Belfield FM Broadcast Bible

I'm always interested in the nitty gritty details about a station's operations, so I was excited to grab a copy of the Belfield FM Broadcasting Bible from 2009-2010 (a copy of which can also be found on their website, along with other materials for volunteers). According to the Broadcasting Bible, "We want to provide the students of UCD with an accessible forum for information, debate and concerns relevant to all aspects of student life, and to create an awareness of the student community among the wider population of the city."

Thanks to everyone at Belfield FM for showing me around your fine station! Stay tuned, my next stop in the Spinning Indie field trip series will be to another student radio station in Ireland.

Radio Station Field Trip 26 - KSFS at San Francisco State University

Radio Station Field Trip 27 - KEAR and Family Radio in Oakland

Save KUSF Protest Marks One Year Anniversary of KUSF Shutdown

2012-01-17T11:43:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that it's already been a year since KUSF was taken off the air by officials at University of San Francisco. 2011 was marked by a year of protests and actions by KUSF supporters, as well as by the launch of KUSF in Exile in order to keep the spirit of KUSF alive. Tomorrow, in honor of the anniversary of the shutdown, there will be a protest at 10am (the time that KUSF turned to static on January 18, 2011) at Entercom headquarters in San Francisco. The programming now airing over KUSF's 90.3 FM signal (classical station KDFC) is originating from Entercom headquarters. KDFC (now owned by Classical Public Radio Network) used to be a commercial classical station owned by Entercom.

The January 18, 2012 protest will take place from 10 to 11am at 201 Third Street (at Howard). Later that evening, there will be an after-party at WIX Lounge (3169 22nd Street, between Capp and Mission in San Francisco) featuring guest speakers and KUSF in Exile DJs spinning records.

Radio Station Field Trip 27 - KEAR and Family Radio in Oakland, CA

2011-05-16T12:19:00.000-07:00

KEAR offices on May 12, 2011

(All photos by J. Waits)

When I started my radio station field trip series I had intended to focus solely on college radio stations, but I pretty quickly made some exceptions when I ran across interesting commercial and community radio stations. Last week, I took an even greater detour when I decided that I needed to visit Christian radio station KEAR-AM, which is at the helm of the Family Radio network of religious stations. After hearing a Family Radio broadcast I became intrigued by its General Manager's proclamation that May 21, 2011 would be Judgment Day and that October 21, 2011 would mark the end of the world. When I first heard Family Radio General Manager Harold Camping over the airwaves a few weeks ago, I had no idea that his station was based in Oakland, California. When I realized that it was so near by, I knew that I had to tour before the predicted Armageddon.

One of Harold Camping's books in the Family Radio offices on May 12, 2011

(Photo: J. Waits)

So, on Thursday, May 12, 2011, I ventured out to Family Radio headquarters in order to tour the station, interview Harold Camping, and learn more about the inner-workings of the massive Christian radio network (see Radio Survivor for my full report on Camping's take on Judgment Day). I began my visit by attending a taping of a Harold Camping-led "Family Bible Study," which was being recorded for television and radio. As a studio audience and camera crews from Nightline and Univision watched, Camping flipped through Bible passages and talked about the nearness of Judgment Day.

Although Family Radio began in 1958 with one radio station (KEAR-FM at the time in San Francisco), it has since expanded to 60+ radio stations across the United States, 50+ translators, a shortwave station in Florida, and television stations in San Francisco and New York. Programming originates out of their Oakland headquarters, with operators in their Network Control department monitoring the patchwork quilt of signals 24 hours a day.

Family Radio President and General Manager Harold Camping in His Office on May 12, 2011

(Photo: J. Waits)

Harold Camping was one of the founders of the network in 1958 when he worked with a group of people to purchase KEAR-FM in San Francisco. When I interviewed him last Thursday, May 12, 2011, he told me that didn't have an interest in radio before that time. He graduated from University of California, Berkeley with a degree in engineering and had a career in the construction business. When I spoke with Camping, he relayed to me the beginnings of Family Radio:

Jennifer Waits: So you were saying you had no interest in radio before?

Harold Camping: Right. That was not my interest. I was interested in dairy cattle and I was interested in math and interested in physics and science, but not radio.

Jennifer: What got you thinking about starting up a radio network?

Mr. Camping: Someone came to my office...and he wanted to find some Christian businessmen to buy a radio station and share the gospel. And, oh, to share the gospel, that's what got my interest. So, I agreed that provided we have a non-profit corporation so that nobody could ever realize any gains for themselves. And so, we formed a non-profit corporation called Family Stations, Incorporated. I became President and he became Vice-President. I had another young man working for me and we made him the third member to be legally a qualified corporation. And I put this man on my payroll...and he found a station here in San Francisco and we bought it and that was the beginning of Family Radio.

Jennifer: And what do you now love about radio?

Mr. Camping: I've been enmeshed in it for 52 years. I've been able to supervise the construction of radio and supervise the construction of TV. We built a 350 kilowatt station in Taiwan and a 600 kilowatt station in Taiwan to carry our programming to China and to the Philippines and so on.

Jennifer: So, you've been doing Open Forum for 50 years. How did that show start?

Mr. Camping: That started because at that time we were not getting any help from any churches and although we had paid very little to whatever employees we had, we were running out of money. So we had the idea that if I would be behind the mic as President and answer questions about finances or about music policy, that might encourage people to begin to give. So, we opened the telephone lines and I did my first program and they didn't ask any questions about finances or music, but they asked counseling questions and Bible questions. And I found that I enjoyed that very much and I was somewhat qualified because I had been doing quite a bit of study in the Bible and doing some private counseling. And so that began Open Forum.

It's clear when walking through Family Radio headquarters that the company is much more than a network of radio stations. They have their own print shop, which produces books and literature related to their beliefs. The Internet department maintains the website and creates Family Radio ads for placement on Facebook, Google and Microsoft websites.

KEAR-AM Studio in Oakland on May 12, 2011

(Photo: J. Waits)

Family Radio airs a mix of programming, including the popular live call-in show "Open Forum" (which has been on the air for 50 years) hosted by Camping 7 nights a week (it was 5 nights a week until a few weeks ago), children's programming, programs on "Positive Parenting," shows about Creationism and intelligent design, religious music shows, and the other live show, "Prayer Time," which broadcasts prayer requests from listeners (ranging from someone's desire for "a new transmission" to requests for prayers for cancer-stricken relatives). Most programmers and producers at Family Radio craft their shows remotely, so when I visited I didn't get the opportunity to see any live programming in action. I did see a producer working in one of the 8 control rooms and got the opportunity to check out the set up.

A portion of the vinyl library at Family Radio

(Photo: J. Waits)

The walls outside the production studios were filled with long-forgotten vinyl LPs that are no longer played. Although I saw numerous turntables, apparently vinyl records are now a relic at Family Radio after an archiving project a decade ago paved the way for the digital library of about 8000 pieces of music that is currently in use today. Beyond the vinyl LPs that I spotted outside the studios, in a Music Department office, and in a packed-to-the-gills closet, there's apparently more music housed in an off-site storage facility. In addition to the music shows that air today, Family Radio used to have a classical show on Sundays.

The music in Family Radio's digital archive is categorized across a number of different types of music, including organ, piano, orchestra, instrumental, male solo, female solo, choirs, male chorus, duets, trios, and quartets. I was told by a member of the Music Department that all music is carefully screened by several different reviewers on staff. In addition to screening music for its lyrical content to verify its take on the gospel and theology, the staff also ensure that music adheres to Family Radio's overall air sound, which was described to me as being "traditional" and "more of the hymn type" style of sacred music. A Family Radio staff member told me, "we don't have drums" or "anything with a beat," although she acknowledged that "it can be a little upbeat...but not loud percussion." And, as I listened to the station today, I did hear a slightly upbeat song with male harmonizing vocals that reminded me of the Beach Boys. So, it's true that they do mix it up a bit musically.

Closet at Family Radio Chock Full of Vinyl and CDs

(Photo: J. Waits)

Although listeners often call the network to ask about music that's been played, it's not Family Radio's policy to announce artist names over the airwaves. They will gladly provide that information to callers, but I was told that as a rule, "we don't promote people" over the air, which means that they don't do on-air back announces of the pieces that have been played. For the most part the music that they play is old, as evidenced by some of the titles that I spotted in their vinyl library. The old-fashioned music that I heard while listening to Family Radio on several occasions was actually kind of alluring in that it was so vintage. In that respect, it did sound like nothing else on radio and brought to mind my own memories of my grandparents glued to broadcasts of the Lawrence Welk show. Oddly enough, one of the albums that I saw on my visit featured Norma Zimmer, the "Champagne Lady" from the Lawrence Welk show. Stranger still, unbeknownst to me, Norma Zimmer died 2 days before my visit and her album happened to catch my attention while I was scanning through the record library at Family Radio. I hope that's not a sign...

Norma Zimmer LP at Family Radio

When I took this photo I had no idea that she had died 2 days before!

(Photo: J. Waits)

To learn more about Family Radio's take on Judgment Day, see my article on Radio Survivor, which also includes more from my interview with Family Radio's General Manager Harold Camping.

Equipment in Network Control at Family Radio

(Photo: J. Waits)

Radio Station Field Trip 25 - WZBC at Boston College

Radio Station Field Trip 26 - KSFS at San Francisco State University

2011-05-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

View from KSFS Production Studio into Station Lobby

(Photo by J. Waits)

After the events of January 18, I kind of went into an obsessive spiral, fixating on every last detail of the unfortunate situation at University of San Francisco's college radio station KUSF. I find it tragic that the only terrestrial college radio station in San Francisco's city limits was yanked from the air by the university in order to beef up its cash reserves. Yet, I also tried to remind people that KUSF was actually not the ONLY college radio station in San Francisco. San Francisco State University has a long tradition of college radio, which continues to this day with its online-only station KSFS.

On November 19, 2010, I accepted an invitation to sit it on a friend's show at KSFS and was excited to get a chance to check out the station. A few weeks later I sat down with KSFS advisor Jeff Jacoby to learn more about the station and also chatted by phone with former KSFS advisor Rick Houlberg. After touring the station and attempting to research its history, I became frustrated by the lack of information about the 50+ year old station and then got distracted by reporting on the KUSF saga.

So, here is my much belated field trip report from KSFS, along with a plea for an interested broadcasting historian to take up the challenge to compile a proper history of the station, as I'm sure it's fascinating.

KSFS DJ Nick Carpenter

Before visiting KSFS, all that I really knew of the station was that music journalist and radio fan Ben Fong-Torres had been a DJ there back in the 1960s and that Real World Seattle alum Irene McGee got some attention for her radio show there around 2005. But the station's history goes back much further. From what I've been able to ascertain from my limited research, the Radio Department was founded at San Francisco State College around 1946 and it's possible that a campus radio station began in the late 1940s or early 1950s. According to Rick Houlberg (who joined the station as its advisor in 1982), in the early days of the station, then known as KRTG (for "radio television guild"), broadcasts were from a pre-fab Quonset hut structure utilizing 2 loudspeakers. By the early 1960s the Creative Arts building was constructed on campus and the Radio Department and station were given a permanent home.

Lobby of KSFS

(Photo: J. Waits)

Ben Fong-Torres remembers being at KRTG around 1965 or so. He told me that at the time the station switched formats from being a mix of jazz, folk, spoken word, and educational material to a Top 40 music station. He said that there were basically no listeners, although the station was piped in to the dorms. Ben described a phone receiver-like device that was in each dorm room and told me that one had to dial it to 880 to listen to the station over 880 AM.

Radio Sign on Creative Arts Building at San Francisco State University

(Photo: J. Waits)

Today, KSFS is still housed in the basement of the Creative Arts building. Although KSFS was never a licensed station, it did broadcast into dorms and campus buildings through a carrier current system (as described by Ben). Eventually it got hooked into the campus cable system before going online-only. Rick told me that there's a rumor that in the late 1960s or early 1970s KSFS had a chance to obtain an FCC license after a commercial radio station offered to sell its entire station, from microphones to transmitter, to San Francisco State for $1. San Francisco State turned down the offer, apparently fearful of giving the students a larger broadcast platform.

Rick told me that KSFS eventually had a small transmitter (less than 1 watt) and an antenna on top of the library. A line was run from the antenna to KSFS in the Creative Arts Building. The transmission on campus was so weak, that one could only hear it within the line of sight of the antenna at 88.1 FM. Because of fears of complaints about interference from local stations (namely public radio station KQED) and local residents, the station was never able to get more powerful than 1 watt. One of the main ways that students on campus used to listen to KSFS was through the university's television cable system. Additionally, KSFS had its signal broadcast within San Francisco over cable television.

KSFS Studio

(Photo J. Waits)

One of the most interesting stories that I came across was in a history of San Francisco State written by Meredith Eliassen. She recounts a story that took place in 1966 involving Ken Kesey,

"Kesey, flanked with bodyguards from the Hells Angels, performed an 'acid test' in the studios of the campus radio station KRTG. The event aired to listeners in the Commons, in the Redwood Room, outside through speakers, and to the KRTG audience in the dormitories."

Rick told me that he'd never heard this story, but that it was "entirely possible" and said that at the time the university thought the station was "subversive" and that the school "did not want people to know that students had a voice."

Window to KSFS Studio

(Photo J. Waits)

Eventually, due to a number of factors, including construction on campus and lack of listeners, the low power FM broadcasts ceased after the antenna was removed from the library in 2008. A 2004 student newspaper account described the station's lack of a signal:

"The only way you could pick up a clear signal of the station's low broadcasting range is if your radio was no further than the sidewalk surrounding or steps leading up to the library."

Around the same time, though, KSFS was being broadcast in The Depot in the Student Center and was also broadcasting online.

KSFS Studio

(Photo: J. Waits)

Rick said that the station has functioned for more than 60 years as a "laboratory" for students interested in careers in broadcasting. In order to get on the air, one is required to be enrolled in a radio class at San Francisco State or be an alum.Having a live radio show is actually a requirement for the advanced radio class. Typically there are between 75 and 100 people involved with the station in a given semester and KSFS still seems to function as a training ground for radio and music industry hopefuls.

When I stopped by in December 2010, I chatted with the station's General Manager Tiffany Lintner. In addition to doing her show "Special Sundays" at KSFS, she was also working at commercial radio station KMEL as both an on-air host and a member of the promotions department. Her hip hop show at KSFS had over 900 followers on Twitter and she told me that she did have aspirations to be a commercial radio DJ. Last fall the KSFS Music Directors were also involved with commercial radio stations and labels.

Last fall the KSFS schedule featured live DJs from 8am to 11pm on weekdays and from 9am to 5pm on the weekends, with an automated loop of material filling in the slots without a live DJ. I was told that KSFS had just finished a project to digitize all of their CDs and that they were planning to get rid of the CDs. The station planned to hang on to its "large library" of vinyl records, however.

KSFS Vinyl Library

(Photo J. Waits)

Today, KSFS invites listeners to "Embrace the Chaos" as it broadcasts a mix of music and public affairs shows across its schedule. The current mission statement for KSFS reads:

"We provide cutting-edge, free-form radio with varied programming, including music, theater, talk, art, & information. The shows we stream seek to push the boundaries of what radio can be but are always focused on our listeners. KSFS serves as a training laboratory for students and as a radio station for the university, the City of San Francisco, and our worldwide Internet audience. We intend to be an integral part of the ongoing media (r)evolution and the myriad communities we serve and to offer a dynamic educational experience for the students of San Francisco State University."

Thanks to everyone at KSFS for sharing your station with me and for your patience in waiting for this report!

Radio Station Field Trip 25 - WZBC at Boston College

Save KUSF Live Remote Broadcast Brings Together 15 College and Community Radio Stations from across the United States

2011-02-19T02:16:00.000-08:00

Amoeba Music on Haight Street in San Francisco on a Cold February Day

(Photo: J. Waits)

One month ago college radio station KUSF was taken off of its terrestrial signal at 90.3 FM after the administration of University of San Francisco signed paperwork to cede control of the station to Classical Public Radio Network (CPRN). Although the sale needs to still be approved by the FCC, in the meantime, CPRN is airing broadcasts from formerly classical radio station KDFC on KUSF's frequency of 90.3 FM.

As I've extensively documented on Radio Survivor, supporters of KUSF have been fighting the sale ever since it was announced. They have solicited support from politicians, the faculty of USF, and from like-minded radio stations from all over the country.

WFMU Microphone at Amoeba

(Photo: J. Waits)

Yesterday the independent radio community came together to spread the word about the plight of KUSF by taking to the terrestrial airwaves. Orchestrated by DJ Billy Jam, of well-respected New Jersey community radio station WFMU, the Save KUSF live broadcast from Amoeba Music in San Francisco on Friday, February 18 featured six KUSF DJs "in exile" on stage spinning (yes, there was a ton of vinyl trekked in for the event) music from noon to 3pm Pacific time. WFMU did a live broadcast over both the airwaves and over their Internet stream and invited other stations to piggy back on the broadcast by sending out the Internet stream over their respective FM signals.

The "Honor Roll" of Participating Stations (not listed are KXSC and KUSF.org, who also broadcast the event)

(Photo: J. Waits)

Ultimately, 15 stations ended up broadcasting the Save KUSF event, including WFMU (91.1 FM in New Jersey), Stanford University station KZSU (90.1 FM in the San Francisco Bay Area), Loyola Marymount station KXLU (88.9 FM in Los Angeles), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill station WXYC (89.3 FM in Chapel Hill, North Carolina), Foothill College station KFJC (89.7 FM in the San Francisco Bay Area), Georgia Tech station WREK (91.1 FM in Atlanta), Cazenovia College station WITC (88.9 FM in Cazenovia, NY), University of California at Davis station KDVS 90.3 (90.3 FM in Davis, CA), University of Texas, Austin station KVRX (which broadcast over their webstream), University of California at Berkeley station KALX (90.7 FM in Berkeley, CA), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor station WCBN (88.3 FM in Ann Arbor, MI), community radio station KRFP (Radio Free Moscow at 92.5 FM in Moscow, Idaho), Santa Clara University station KSCU (103.3 FM in Santa Clara, CA), University of Southern California's online-only student radio station KXSC (Los Angeles, CA), and even KUSF.org (which is for the most part separate from the efforts of Save KUSF and still in the process of being conceptualized. It's currently airing a mix of student and cultural shows from the old KUSF studios at University of San Francisco).

DJ Schmeejay, whose show turned to static when the KUSF transmitter was shut down January 18, begins the Live Remote

(Photo: J. Waits)

As DJs and KUSF fans mingled at Amoeba Music on Friday, it was easy to sense both the inspiration and the optimism that everyone was drawing from the event and from the outpouring of support from radio stations from all over the country. It was clear that the fight for independent radio in San Francisco resonated across the United States, as other stations stood in solidarity while giving over their airwaves to the KUSF DJs who had been silenced one month prior.

DJ Carolyn at Amoeba Music

(Photo: J. Waits)

When I started Spinning Indie back in 2008 one of my goals was to try to bring more attention to college radio. Not only was I attempting to get people to listen to college radio, but I was also hoping to expose college radio DJs to other stations that they might not have been aware of. When I've gone to college radio conferences hosted by CMJ, IBS, and the University of California Radio Network (UCRN) I've loved the opportunity to swap stories with DJs from other stations and I've witnessed how hungry other station volunteers have been for building those cross-station connections. When touring stations in my own neck of the woods I've talked to people about bringing back the long-gone Bay Area college radio picnics and have heard rumors about casual sports competitions between stations.

So, for me, yesterday was a dream come true, witnessing the cross-country radio love. A few of us noted that in times of crisis it's incredible to see how people will come together, even stations who might normally feel tinges of competition. Particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area, it was an unprecedented display of radio activism, as KUSF DJs could be heard emanating from 4 different college radio stations up and down the radio dial (KFJC at 89.7 FM, KZSU at 90.1 FM, KALX at 90.7 FM, and KSCU at 103.3FM).

At the same time, it was almost mind-boggling to think about the fact that people in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Moscow, Idaho were tuning in; perhaps hearing about KUSF for the very first time.

DJ Irwin Cues Up a Record at Amoeba Music

(Photo: J. Waits)

Beyond the community love that I was feeling all day, it was also a great relief to just hear KUSF DJs back on the air again spinning music. For me and for many other people, radio is inextricably linked to musical exploration and to sharing sounds with listeners. Yesterday it was nice to take a break from all of the protests, conversation, and writing in order to get back to music and get back to radio. As I listened to beautiful sets of music by all six KUSF DJs on stage, I was again reminded of why I still care so deeply about the power and art of human DJ's who are musical curators. My ears were tantalized by Rudy Vallee, Yoko Ono, Chin Chin, Felt, Can, Omar Souleyman, Alice Coltrane, Grace Jones, Sylvester, and Dead Moon.

It still remains to be seen what will happen to KUSF, but as a college radio DJ and fan I am really proud to see that they are fighting hard for the future of independent radio and are spreading the word about their plight far and wide.

If you want to relive yesterday's event, there's video documentation on the Yowie website, there is an archived MP3 of the broadcast on WFMU's website, individual MP3s for each DJ's set can be found on the KUSF Archives webite, and the complete playlist (as well as listener comments) are on Billy Jam's page at WFMU. To learn more about Save KUSF's efforts, take a look at their website (where they are also actively seeking donations).

***
You can read my reaction to the KUSF shut down here on Spinning Indie, as well as my article chronicling my KUSF field trip two years ago. And, I'm really proud to say that many of the stations that participated in today's multi-station simulcast have been stops on either my Spinning Indie 50 State Tour (KXSC, which used to be called KSCR) or have been places I've visited for my radio station field trip series (WFMU, KZSU, KUSF, KSCU, KALX, and KFJC). For more on the bigger picture of college radio station sell-offs, see my December 2009 piece “Cash-strapped Schools Turn Their Backs on College Radio.

Save KUSF Merch Table

(Photo: J. Waits)

KUSF Taken off the Air Without Warning and Replaced with Classical Station

2011-01-19T01:20:00.000-08:00

Irwin Swirnoff, a KUSF Music Director, in the KUSF Library Back in 2009

Around 12:00 noon yesterday I got an email titled "Upsetting News about KUSF" from one of my fellow DJs at KFJC. It's the kind of email that you dread seeing in your inbox and after diving into its contents, I was shocked to see what I was reading. I am a KUSF listener, have profiled the station on this blog for my radio station field trip series, and have rhapsodized about one of their shows ("Radiodrome"), calling it one of my favorite radio shows ever. In a weird twist of fate, it turns out that KUSF went off the air during my favorite radio show yesterday and the DJs had no idea what was coming.

Throughout the day more and more details came to light, making me feel even more troubled about the loss of a great college radio station from the San Francisco airwaves.

So, here's what happened:

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011:

9:00 am: The General Manager and Program Director of KUSF were called into the Dean's office and told that KUSF was sold effective 10am

10:00 am: KUSF signal goes to static, as the transmitter is turned off. The on-air KUSF DJ's show is cut short and he has to cancel a scheduled live performance by the band The Pickpocket Ensemble

11:52 am: KUSF tweets: "ATTENTION: USF just sold KUSF! #WTF we're off the air. we need your help. Impromptu demonstration on the USF campus tomorrow at 7"

11:58 am: CarolyntheDJ tweets: "Just showed up @kusf to my show and the doors are locked. USF has sold the station. Management was in on it. They're keeping all our records."

Around the same time, University of San Francisco released a statement that they planned to sell the station to Classical Public Radio Network, a public radio group owned by University of Southern California (apparently replacing the old, now defunct online-only Classical Public Radio Network). The press release stated that KUSF will transition to an online-only station effective immediately and will be able to retain its call letters.

It wasn't until later in the day that the entire picture was revealed. A press release from around 3:30pm announced that commercial classical radio station KDFC was going to be moving to KUSF's 90.3 FM frequency as part of a complicated deal involved both commercial and non-commercial radio stations. According to the release:

"...The University of Southern California (USC) today announced it has entered into an agreement with Entercom Communications to convert KDFC into a non-commercial classical music station based in San Francisco. In keeping with Entercom Communications' commitment to classical radio, the company has entrusted the stewardship of the new, noncommercial KDFC Radio to a new nonprofit company based in San Francisco, commencing on January 18...

The new station will use the call letters KDFC, the area's former commercial classical outlet since 1947, the result of a series of transactions involving several radio owners in the region. The new KDFC will broadcast over the two non-commercial signals, 90.3 and 89.9...USC has purchased the rights to 90.3 KUSF, from the University of San Francisco and 89.9 KNDL from Howell Mountain Broadcasting Company. KUSF will continue online as a webcast station."

When I tuned in to 90.3 FM at 5:15pm yesterday it was already airing programming from KDFC. The DJ announced that the station was excited about their new "commercial-free" status and that they would officially be moving to 90.3 and 89.9 FM on Monday, January 24 at 12 noon. The KDFC website also eagerly announced this move (the station was formerly on the commercial band at 102.1 FM) and encouraged supporters to donate to the new "listener-supported" station.

Since KUSF staffers and DJs were taken by surprise, they are still trying to make sense of the situation. Several of them attempted to get answers from University of San Francisco's Director of Business and Finance Charlie Cross. A video recounts their encounter at his office, as he rebuffs them and asks for security to be called:

KUSF listeners and staff are peeved about this and have already started sending letters to the administration expressing their displeasure. In her tongue-in-cheek letter to USF President Stephen A. Privett, Julia Mazawa writes,

"The University's dedication to service to the community, promotion of critical inquiry, and promotion of cultural diversity is no better exemplified than in its recent sale of KUSF's FM frequency. And it has been the acme of deft public relations to boot!

USF clearly demonstrates the need to prioritize service to its amazingly diverse local community, San Francisco, by pulling the plug on the terrestrial signal of the highly-regarded station KUSF. Now, thankfully, there will be no more Chinese Star Radio clogging the airwaves with its foreign chatter, no more Radio Goethe bumming out the lower end of the dial with that bizarre German music, no more In the Soul Kitchen filling the airwaves with the soul classics that were actually interesting, and THANK JESUS there will finally be an end to that intolerable New Music programming that wasted valuable airtime with its nonsensical notions about what exactly constitutes music.

Thank you, USF, for ridding the airwaves of those crazy deejays who challenged the San Francisco community to invest a couple brain cells into actually thinking about the media fed to them. Thank you, you sons of bitches who now find yourselves $3.75 million richer, for replacing this needlessly challenging and frighteningly novel programming with tepid classical swill. Your selfless service to the community awes me...."

Amazingly, USF President Privett responded to Julia's email:

"Dear Ms. Mazzawa(sic),

Thank you for your letter of support. Your understanding that our students’(sic) do not pay their rather high tuition to subsidize providing alternate music for the outside community is not widely shared by ...those who disagree with my decision. I further appreciate your understanding that a university's first responsibility is to its faculty and students, not to the community-at-large. Yours is a conviction that is not shared by those who believe that USF should first and foremost serve those whose contributions have never covered the cost of delivering the service they enjoy at the expense of USF students and their families. Finally, I applaud your support for USF’s primary mission: the education of its students and not serving as an entertainment resource for the outside community, no matter how valuable or important that service may be. Would that more people had your wisdom, insight and appreciation for the role of a university.

Warmest regards,

Stephen A. Privett, SJ
President"

KUSF supporters will be rallying on the University of San Francisco campus on Wednesday night around 7pm at Fromm Hall. Unfortunately Stephen Privett is not expected to show up at the meeting to discuss the future of KUSF. No doubt his inbox will still be flooded.

Although Twitter and Facebook have been buzzing with this news all day and local media outlets (especially indie media) have been doing a great job of covering the situation at KUSF, supporters are just getting a Save KUSF page set up on Facebook and a Save KUSF blog set up online.

Another opportunity to join in the discussion will happen on the San Francisco public radio airwaves on Wednesday morning. One of KUSF's Music Directors, Irwin Swirnoff, will be appearing on the KQED radio call in talk-show Forum to discuss the situation at 9am on Wednesday the 19th.

Radio Station Field Trip 25 - WZBC at Boston College

2011-01-04T15:30:00.000-08:00

When we were gearing up for a family vacation out to Boston last summer I knew that a visit to the Boston College radio station WZBC had to be on the top of my to-do list. It had been 2 years since I'd been to the area and on my last visit I became enamored with WZBC while flipping through the dial in our rental car. I vividly remember sitting in the car late at night on a freezing cold winter evening because I was enjoying the music so much that I wanted to hear the end of a track and catch the DJ's back announce. That's dedication to a station!

Part of what lured me to WZBC was that their air sound reminded me a lot of KFJC, the station where I've been DJing for over a decade. And, the more I dived into WZBC's programming philosophy, the more I realized that the two stations really are kindred spirits. Located at 90.3 FM in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, WZBC prides itself on its devotion to experimental music with "no commercial potential" (aka NCP).

View of WZBC from its lobby

Radio began at Boston College 50 years ago, with the launch of AM carrier current station WVBC in 1960. In 1973 they became the licensed FM radio station WZBC and operated at a mere 9 watts for their first year, moving up to 1000 watts (where the station remains today) the following year. In addition to the FM signal, WZBC also continues to operate the former WVBC as an online-only station (which also airs on a Boston College cable channel) that serves as a training ground for new DJs.

WZBC DJs from Days Gone By

I visited WZBC on the afternoon of Monday, August 30th, 2010 as summer break was drawing to a close at Boston College. Program Director Gavin Frome and Operations Director Megan Pietruszka were my guides and made me feel incredibly welcome at their college radio station

WZBC has inhabited its current location on the Boston College campus for 30 years and the station has the cozy feel of a place that's been well-loved for decades. It's housed in a building with a dining hall, bookstore, and extracurricular offices; so the station is near a hub of activity on campus. Within the station, walls are covered with stickers and posters and every nook and cranny seems to be filled with music. The spacious lobby is covered with pop culture gems (and, of course, a couch) and there's even a skeleton that looks down on new visitors as they enter the station. If you keep an eye out, you might also see a collection of tiny Care Bears perched on ledges in various parts of the station.

The 1980s marked a major shift for WZBC, as the station moved towards a format of "modern rock" and experimental music. Today the station airs rock music on weekdays from 7am to 5pm and is focused on music with "no commercial potential" on weeknights from 7pm until 1am or later. Specialty programming inhabits weekend slots and early evening slots (5-7pm) on weekdays and includes a range of shows including "Sunday Morning Country," "Oscillator Drift" (early electronic, '60s moog, tape experiments, etc.), "Raggamuffin International" (reggae, ska, dance hall), "Industrial Factory" (industrial electronic music), and "Mass Ave and Beyond" (local music).

Cassettes at WZBC

In addition to music, WZBC airs news, public affairs, and sports programming (including broadcasts of live games). Shows include the WZBC-produced "Truth and Justice Radio" and the syndicated "Democracy Now."

I was happy to hear that WZBC only utilizes live DJs and doesn't currently play any automated programming. Unfortunately that also means that when there is no live DJ (typically starting between 1am to 3am and ending between 6am and 7am), they shut down the station's transmitter. Gavin told me that there are "ambitious DJs" who will take on graveyard shifts and that quite often the station is on the air all night on weekends.

The station is run entirely by students, but has a mix of community and student DJs, with a 50/50 split between the two during the school year. I was told that most of the "non-commercial potential" shows are hosted by non-students, which is a nice indication of the experimental-leaning tendencies of their community DJs. According to Gavin, it's many of the community DJs who "push us musically."

And, in fact, I was told that the non-commercial potential format is actually a bit challenging for some students with its range of sounds (Gavin described some of the sounds as "drone, ambient, pigeon calls, etc."), so WZBC works with them to help pass along the station tradition of more experimental music. To that end, all students joining the station begin with an internship in order to get oriented to station rules and the music philosophy.

Community DJs are expected to come in with prior music knowledge and are able to submit proposals for air shifts in the Fall and Spring semesters. One long-time community DJ at WZBC is Victor Robert Venckus, host of "Expanding Awareness" for 35 years. I remember catching his Saturday morning show on a drive in Boston a few years ago and being mesmerized by the mix of music, spiritualism, and spoken word.

DJs at WZBC have a lot of freedom on their shows and don't have any requirements in terms of percentage of new music that they have to play. There is a "new music" bin in the studio containing material added in the past 3 months, but it's just there to encourage DJs to play some recent material. Additionally, genre rules aren't hard and fast, so DJs often play music outside of the stated genre of their program. For example, "rock" DJs are free to play music from the "non-commercial potential" library.

Some of the "No Commercial Potential" (NCP) Vinyl at WZBC

WZBC continues to add vinyl to their large music library. DJs are able to play vinyl, tapes, and CDs over the air. Apparently it wasn't until recently that WZBC got rid of their 8-track player. Despite the vast library, I was told that most younger DJs at WZBC prefer to play music off of CDs, iPods or a computer and are less likely to explore the vinyl stacks.

Although WZBC is focused on physical music and don't really add anything digitally (they will occasionally burn a digital release to a CD to add it to the station), Gavin and Megan admitted that space is a big issue at WZBC. They are running out of space for music and are researching ways to start digitizing their library. Music does get removed from the library when artists get too big, but I was told that those decisions about what should be removed are often controversial amongst DJs

WZBC Program Director Gavin Frome