New West Campus radio station enters the airwaves

A new on-campus radio station, WRGC, began broadcasting from West Campus March 30, reaching 62,000 people across six counties in Middle Georgia.

Programming for the station includes the complete Georgia Public Broadcasting programming package and tentatively will add up to 15 hours of local programming by fall.

Bobbi Otis | gcsunade.com

Mike Wooten, operations manager for WRGC, sits at the control desk in the newly designed station next to the pool at West Campus. WRGC premiered Thursday with a complete listing of GPB programming.

From 5 to 8 a.m. Monday through Friday, WRGC listeners will be able to get updated news and coverage of arts and sports by listening to “Morning Edition.”

Listeners can tune in to “All Things Considered” from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday as well. “All Things Considered” is a mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews and features.

Other shows include: “Ab’s Place,” a jazz show that plays emerging artists, “Car Talk,” a show that provides car advice, tips and answers to car questions, “Talk of the Nation,” an exchange of opinions about news among others.

Georgia College got involved with the creation of this station because it noticed a lack of GPB programming services in the Middle Georgia area. WRGC now fills the void for Baldwin, Putnam, Morgan, Jones, Wilkinson and parts of Jasper counties.

The station will be broadcasting 24 hours a day with an award-winning broadcast journalist at the helm.

Mike Wooten was named the Operations Manager for WRGC 88.3 FM. Wooten has 13 years of experience in broadcast. Before applying at WRGC Wooten worked in news talk radio for Cox Radio stations WGAU and WXKT in Athens.

“This is a really unique opportunity because you don’t often get the chance to be part of a new radio station from the ground up.” Wooten said. “I’m excited to have a chance to manage the station and bring quality public radio to the area. Since I’ve mostly worked in broadcast news, it’s a new and exciting challenge both personally and professionally.”

WRGC will offer mass communication students at Georgia College an opportunity to gain experience in a professional radio studio. Though students will be able to work for the new station on campus, Media Relations Manager Judy Bailey does not anticipate any rivalry between WRGC and the student-run station WGUR.

“WRGC will not compete or interfere with WGUR, but there will be a chance for mass communication students to work at the station,” Bailey said.

WGUR’s upcoming General Manager Wesley Buchanan thinks WGUR will still be a popular place for students to work.

“I think students are still going to want to get involved with WGUR because of the reputation we have made for ourselves even though there is a professional station on campus,” Buchanan said.

As of now, Wooten is the only employee at the station but when the local programming begins, students could be helping with the station and could potentially host a show.

The first local program will be called “Georgia College Presents” and will showcase musical performances on campus. Its features will include: concerts, choral assembles and visiting artists.

Posted by Bobbi Otis on Apr 2 2011. Filed under Lead stories, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.