WFWM Campus Radio Celebrates 40 Years

The greater Frostburg area has been fine-tuning their radio dials to alternative programming for 40 years now. And the message is coming in loud 和 clear: WFWM public radio from Frostburg State University is an important part of our local community.

 

多年来, at any given hour of the day, listeners have been able to tune in to hear classical, 爵士乐, 蓝草音乐, 岩石, 现代, 朋克, 民间, 跳舞, techno 和 other alternative music. You name a genre 和 it has probably been played on WFWM.

“It’s a truly unique station,” said Chuck Dicken '96, the station’s director 和 program manager.

In May of 1984, WFWM started transmitting its “uniqueness” into the community. Student DJs would haul their cardboard boxes of LPs to the small studio located in the basement of the old Compton Hall 和 spin tunes. It was for students by students.

According to Dicken, 1984年以前, there was a carrier current radio station that broadcast on campus only. By 1990, the community started getting involved with the station. Dicken was one of those early community volunteers who hauled his record collection to campus to entertain listeners with his “Dead Air” show, showcasing the Grateful Dead 和 like musicians.

Former FSU President 凯瑟琳Gira saw the potential of the station 和 encouraged its development, Dicken recalled. Rene Atkinson M'78 was hired as the first full-time station director 和 collaboration between the radio station 和 academic departments was introduced.

“That’s when the programming settled down,狄更斯说, noting the schedule of classical mornings 和 afternoons, drive-time 爵士乐 和 student programming in the evenings.

By 1998, WFWM became a National Public Radio affiliate, bringing NPR news 和 content to local listeners. That same year, Dicken joined the station as the program direction. He was named station director in 2008.

Dicken 和 his small team have set up the current block of programming. Many of the shows are now prerecorded 和 automated, a far cry from the early, live antics of Frostburg students. But Dicken insists the spirit of the station remains the same from its beginnings.

“It’s still very much a local public radio station,” Dicken said. “The station continues to heavily promote local events 和 happenings.”

WFWM also helps organize 和 support music events in the community, including the FSU Appalachian Festival, the Roots Music Series, Saturdays at Canal Place, 代夫特陶器, Garrett Lake Arts Festival 和 more. They have also collaborated with other local nonprofits such as the Allegany Arts Council, Cumberl和 Choral Society, Cumberl和 Jazz Society 和 Frostburg’s Palace Theatre.

“We have been recognized by the city of Frostburg, the city of Cumberl和 和 Allegany County for our promotion of tourism in the region,狄更斯说.

Being a public radio station, WFWM continues to seek out community volunteers, underwriters 和 support. The station is conducting its on-air fund drive the first week of March 和 continues to run an online fundraising campaign to commemorate its 40th anniversary.

Today, the station broadcasts from a suite in the Catherine R. Gira Center for Communications 和 Information Technology on campus. As Dicken looks to the future of the station 和 the next potential 40 years, he hopes the community continues to rally around the little campus radio station that has managed to make a big impact on its community.

“Any public entity is going to need support from its listeners,” Dicken added.

To learn more about WFWM’s 40th anniversary 和 how you can help, visit http://give.aprender-a-bailar.com/40-years-of-wfwm.