That’s right. We said it. Radio is dead.
The truth is, radio is a dying breed. We often meet students who aren’t aware that their campus has a radio station. We meet even more students who don’t seem to understand the value of having a radio station in the 2020s. What purpose does it serve? Why should I even care? Is my favorite college station going away?!
“Radio is Dead” is an affirmation of our purpose as West Chester University’s on-air voice. Our DJs and hosts have unparalleled freedom of expression on air to play the music they enjoy, and to discuss the topics that matter to them in a safe and respectful space. We take great pride in our station format, or lack thereof, as it defies almost every other collegiate station in the area. That seemingly canned version of radio which demands only what’s charting or only what’s trending is dead to us. We believe our programming is at it’s best when our incredible staff is able to put their passion behind the mic, week-in and week-out.
The major initiative attached to “Radio is Dead” is that we have made WCUR tremendously more accessible to our campus community. We’ve had a rockin’ production studio for some time now, and it has gone far underutilized. With such resources, effective this semester students can now join WCUR as Podcasters. The training process is quick and simple, and more details can be found here.
No! “Radio is Dead” started as our inside joke, given what we hear around campus and from our peers. The assumptions we catch wind of become hilarious to us within the station, seeing as WCUR is far from dead. Our programming schedule is consistently jam-packed every semester, and you can find us at almost every major event on campus slinging records and raising havoc… okay maybe not havoc, but you get the point.
In September, we’ll be celebrating our 25th year of FM broadcasting, and the way we see it, Radio is Dead and it has been for 25 years. We are incredibly proud of our history, and even more hopeful for the future. Thanks for joining us for the ride.
