Monday, November 20, 2006
WSWI AM 820 celebrates 25 years with new format
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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. 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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