Tuning in to Middle GA

A new radio station will hit the airwaves of Middle Georgia within the next year courtesy of GCSU and 5,000 watts of power.

“I am very excited about the new station and our ability to service a good part of the state with the stronger signal,” said Bryan Jackson, director of University Communications and frontrunner in establishing the station.

With 5,000 watts, the school hopes to further involve the community and alumni with GCSU and its events. The new non-commercial station will reach surrounding cities such as Macon, Eatonton, Oconee, Greensboro, Gray and Warner Robins.

The new station will broadcast completely separate from WGUR 88.9 FM, GCSU’s current student-led radio station.

The 5,000 watt show airing on 88.3 FM will cover GCSU events, live concerts, Bobcat sports, local news, and talks by resident history buff Dr. Robert “Bob” Wilson. GCSU also hopes to team up with Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) and National Public Radio (NPR) and may air some of their programming as well as a variety of jazz music.

With WGUR only running at 37 watts, the new 5,000 watt station blows open the doors of opportunity for students and the community.

The stronger signal will also benefit students working with the station as volunteers or for a mass communication telecommunication practicum. The station will offer paid positions for experienced students.

At least 65,000 people are in the primary coverage range and many more will have access to the station. Student disc jockeys will obtain valuable experience for future employment.

“I am hoping that the 5,000 watt station will be yet another rung on the ladder for the students at GCSU,” said Angela Criscoe, an instructor in Mass Communication and the faculty adviser for WGUR 88.9 FM.

Criscoe said gaining support from the faculty and staff will also be a high priority. She says if they are on board, the station will be successful in uniting the school with the community.

“I am really excited about the new station, and I see potential for great things and new ways to reach the community and the students,” says Randi Noble, a senior mass communication student and former WGUR DJ.

GCSU will continue to run WGUR as completely student-led, serving as a training ground for students beginning in radio according to Jackson.

The FCC opened an opportunity for a non-commercial station for the first time in 10 years last October and chose GCSU over one other contender because the new station at GCSU would reach many more people than WGUR currently reaches.

The FCC will issue the school a construction permit this month and then the school will have three years to get the station up and running. Jackson projects a much shorter time than that.
“We already had a tower on West Campus so it gives us a head start in the process,” Jackson said. “Hopefully the station can be running within the next year.”

The university is hoping GPB will donate a transmitter and other equipment, reducing the school’s costs. The biggest and most expensive item needed is a directional antennae vital in keeping with FCC sanctions.

Jackson says he is looking into a federal telecommunications grant that has helped build new public radio stations in the past. The grant could cover 75 percent of costs.

The radio station is still in its infancy, but Criscoe and Jackson are working together to see what dreams they can make a reality with GCSU’s new FM station.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 12 2008. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry