(by Ed Ryan)
A lot of broadcasters got their first introduction, their first break, on college radio. For me it was the State University College at Brockport's AM station - that I know for sure nobody ever listened to - where I fell in love with this industry. Broken switches on an old craggedy board, scratchy needles on side-by-side record players and walls and walls filled with shelves of albums. Our Music Director spent hours making sure those things were put in the correct order.
Last month, at the Chicago radio show, I once again ran into our college advisor. He had two students with him, teaching them the ropes and the station is still fully supported by the University. However, that's not the case everywhere. Many other college's are selling off their radio assets as reported in today's USA Today. Today's College Radio Day is intended to highlight that College Radio is important to the creativity of the industry and an important learning experience. A lot of mistakes and learning can take place at a college radio station for kids excited about radio. That saves time and money once they get out into the real world and go hunting for that first real job.
The original idea for College Radio Day was conceived by Rob Quicke (general manager, WPSC FM, William Paterson University, NYC market), and was founded in December 2010 by Quicke and Peter Kreten (general manager, WXAV FM, Saint Xavier University, Chicago market). The aim of College Radio Day is to harness the combined listenership of hundreds of thousands of college radio listeners throughout North America and to celebrate the important contribution of college radio to America's airwaves by uniting for this one day.
The organizers of College Radio Day believe that college radio is one of the last remaining bastions of creative radio programming, free from the constrictions of having to be commercially viable, and a place where those involved in its programming believe passionately in its mission. The organizers say college radio is the only free live medium brave enough to play unsigned, local, and independent artists on a regular basis. Many famous and successful bands today owe their initial break to being played on college radio.
College Radio Day hopes to raise a greater, national awareness of the many college and high school radio stations that operate in North America by encouraging people who would not normally listen to college radio to do so on this day. It is hoped that those people who do tune in like what they hear and become regular listeners. A list of participating stations in the USA, Canada and Jamaica is posted online.
Visit www.Collegeradioday.com for more information
Tell us about your college radio experience. Send your story to edryan@radioink.com
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