In celebration of its 25th anniversary
on November 3, USI’s student-operated radio station unveiled a
different format, new logo, and revamped Web site.
WSWI signed on for the first time at sunrise on November 3, 1981, on
a frequency donated by South Central Communications. Since then, the
station has been student-run under the guidance of a faculty
advisor. Many students who were former managers at WSWI have gone on
to professional careers in radio.
WSWI began as a classical and jazz station, but for the past several
years has featured modern rock and alternative music. The station
also broadcasts news, sports, and play-by-play of USI athletic
events. |
Alumni and friends of WSWI gathered for a reunion at the station
and toured Rice Library in September. Front row (left to right): JP
Engelbrecht, Seymour Brodsky, Bettie Engelbrecht. Middle row: Bill
Brodsky, Mike Bevers ‘85, Cyril Williams. Back row: Mark Lutz, Dean
Webster ‘83, John Engelbrecht, Andy Birkhead ‘84, David Kuhn, Terry
Ricketts ’83, Jim Cox ‘82, and Teresa Wolf Chadwick ‘82. |
The former logo was “AM 820 The
College Rock Alternative.” On November 3, 2006, the station took
to the air as “820 The Edge Southern Indiana’s Alternative.”
John Morris, general manager and faculty advisor for WSWI,
said, “We’re going more of an alternative route, instead of the
college rock. Alternative has a few more of the bands that
people would recognize – certainly college kids would recognize.
The station will be on the cutting edge of the alternative music
scene and bring an edgier feel to the college campus.”
Morris said college rock is regional, local, and unsigned bands.
“We will take a look at anybody who has the sound we are looking
for, but we’ll be playing more of the names alternative
listeners would know, such as OK Go, Beck, The Killers, Ima
Robot, and Aberdeen City.”
The new format, including the logo, graphics, and promotional
material, was conceptualized by students. “This is a student
station,” Morris said. “My job is to make sure we follow FCC
rules and regulations; keep the license, which is under the name
of the USI Board of Trustees; and allow the students to have
some leadership in running the station. We try to approach it as
a professional station. That’s why we’ve chosen a format and
have students in management positions. The day-to-day, on-air
decisions are made by those students, not handed down by me from
above.”
At a recent reunion of WSWI alumni, graduates from all over the
country returned to campus. “They couldn’t believe the changes
from tapes, cassettes, and records to digital and computers,”
Morris said. “Basically, you have a computer instead of a large
board and lots of things you have to do. That amazed most of
them.
“But even though it looked different, they were still part of
WSWI. There was something special there for them.”
Morris has been with the University since 1991. He became
general manager and faculty advisor in 1999. He also serves as
an instructor in radio and television.
FCC regulations allow WSWI to broadcast during daylight hours at
820 kHz, but the station is streamed on the Internet 24 hours a
day at www.820theedge.com. |
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