I’m so inspired by radio historians and this week I highlighted the work being done for Northwestern University’s college radio station WNUR. While a student, Brock Stuessi started the WNUR Underground Archive Project to help preserve the unique materials in the WNUR music library. Although he’s since graduated, he’s still working on the project as well as on a companion podcast. In addition to cool album art and reviews, he’s also showcasing obscure music from the early 1980s.
KBOO Radio History Exhibit and Archives
Speaking of radio history, my Radio Survivor colleagues Paul and Eric did a great podcast episode this week (Episode #130) about how community radio station KBOO is working to preserve its 50 year history, including details on an exhibit created to honor the station’s half-century anniversary. The podcast is full of practical advice and would be helpful for any type of radio station working on history projects, including the creation of archives and exhibits.
Radio Free Hillsdale at Radio Row at CPAC 2018
Hillsdale College radio station WRFH (Radio Free Hillsdale in Michigan) has a crew covering the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) 2018 in Maryland this week. High profile speakers include elected and government officials (including President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and FCC Chair Ajit Pai), representatives from the National Rifle Association, and more. Stationed at “radio row,” the students have been doing an array of interviews with politicians and media.
As expected, following the tragic mass shooting at a Florida high school last week, some conversations have already touched on gun control, mental health, and related issues. Another interview that I previewed delved into the state of journalism today. The Radio Free Hillsdale Soundcloud page has an archive of CPAC 2018 coverage, including interviews with journalists from Politico, the Federalist and the Wall Street Journal (to name a few), a chat with U.S. Senate candidate from Michigan John James, and conversations with a wide range of officials (former Reagan aide Peggy Grande, former U.S. Transportation Secretary Jim Burnley, and more).
Licensing and Public File Reminders
Yale University’s online radio station WYBCx temporarily took its stream offline this week while it rectified issues related to not paying an annual fee to SoundExchange to cover music royalties. According to the Yale Daily News, “Although WYBCx was never put on notice by SoundExchange…the station elected to suspend its stream until it assessed the situation and resolved any back payments. After reaching out to SoundExchange, the station has made the necessary back payments and received the all-clear to begin webcasting again.”
It’s a timely reminder that even student-run college radio stations need to stay on top of radio regulations and that includes copyright and FCC rules. Student media organizations like College Broadcasters Inc. have resources to help stations navigate these requirements. The Broadcast Law Blog is also an excellent resource for updates on broadcast rules. Speaking of which, FCC licensed full power radio stations have an important deadline coming up on March 1st, when public files are required to be posted online. A few resources:
Copyright Basics for Radio Stations and Webcasters (College Broadcasters, Inc.)
CBI 2016 Webcasting Guide for Educational Stations (College Broadcasters, Inc.)
With the March 1 Deadline Looming, What Should Radio Stations be Doing to Prepare their Online Public Files? (Broadcast Law Blog)
Music Licensing for Noncommercial Broadcasters and Webcasters (Prometheus Radio Project)
Licensing 101 (SoundExchange)
Five Things Broadcasters Should Know about SoundExchange Music Royalties (Broadcast Law Blog, 2016)
More College Radio News
Challenges – off the Air
Yale Radio Suspends Operations (Yale Daily News)
Opinion: Radio Silence at Yale (Yale Daily News)
Radio to Resume Operations at Yale (Yale Daily News)
New Stations and Revivals
IUS Cuts Ribbon on New Station (News and Tribune)
Horizon Radio Launch is a Celebration of Community (IU Southeast Now)
Loras Student Brings Radio Back to Campus (KWWL)
Don’t Touch that Dial: Local Voices are Reclaiming a Place on the FM Airwaves (Providence Monthly)
Anniversaries, History
WVFS Celebrates 30 Years on the Air (FSU News)
WRFL Celebrates 30 Years on the Air with Events March 2-4 (University of Kentucky News)
After a 46-year Absence, Alum at Home at Bona Radio (TAP Into)
WNUR Underground Archive Project Shed Light on College Radio History (Radio Survivor)
On Brock Stuessi’s WNUR Underground Archive Project (Michael J. Kramer)
Renovations and Expansions: Studios, Towers
KJCC Kicks off Semester with Renovated Studio (City College Times)
The Journey Gains New Listeners with Tower (Cleburne Times Review)
Programming and Events
Student Station Hosts Homelessness Radio Marathon across Canada (Penticton News)
Full Lineup announced for Culture Shock (Indiana Daily Student)
Hillsdale College Radio Station Joins Political Action Conference Radio Row (PR Newswire)
Awards and Accolades
Ole Miss Student Journalists Bring Back Awards from SE Journalism Conference (The Daily Mississippian)
LBCC Earns Spirit of College Radio Award (Long Beach City College)
UK Radio Students Invited to Enter Charles Parker Prize 2018 Competition (The Charles Parker Archive Trust)
Station and DJ Profiles
OCCR Station Sets Standard (The Owens Outlook)
Humans of Oxford: Jack Bellinger- Aspiring Radio Personality (The Miami Student)
Contrasting the Sounds of College Radio at Three Michigan Stations (Spartan Newsroom)
