A new voice in radio will be heard Friday in Madison, as WSUM-FM student radio station begins broadcasting over the airwaves at 2:22 p.m.
Since fall 1997, WSUM has been broadcasting over the Internet, but with the radio tower built last year, dials can be tuned to 91.7 for UW-Madison’s first-ever FM station.
“I’m still in disbelief that we’re going on-air,” said general manager Dave Black. “I thought we’d be on the air back in 1997, and now it is finally happening. I promised my wife I wouldn’t cry.”
The debut show, “Welcome to WSUM,” is hosted by sports director Evan Cohen and will include background history on the station, special guests and segments devoted to WSUM programming.
Cohen expects the new format to have a much greater impact on the local Madison community.
“Before it was a national format; our listeners were basically families and friends of the hosts and DJs who would listen in on the Web,” Cohen said. “But now we’ll have a different, more regional audience. People in Madison can turn us on in their cars or listen to us on their Walkmans.”
Programming director Jacob Heule said WSUM will feature many types of music and talk shows.
“We have music ranging from indie/college rock to experimental noise to hip-hop to electronica,” said Heule. “That’s in addition to our talk programming. We have sports shows, shows on community issues and a film show.”
WSUM has live programming scheduled for 19 hours a day, but with new DJs in training and new shows added, they expect to have 24-hour programming by the summer.
As a non-commercial radio station and student organization, WSUM receives its funding from the university and a non-profit alumni organization. The station is staffed by almost 100 student volunteers.
Erica Salkin, chairman of the Friends of Madison Student Radio Board, a non-profit organization providing assistance to WSUM, said she has been awaiting a UW radio station for many years.
“A chief complaint of communication arts and journalism students over the years has been the lack of a student radio station. All of us who have been waiting for this to happen at UW for so long are very happy to finally have a station,” Salkin said.
In addition to programming, WSUM has several events planned for the current semester, including the fourth annual Party in the Park, the third annual Hip Hop as a Movement and a kickoff party next Thursday, Feb. 28, at The Casbah, 119 E. Main St.
“I think WSUM is poised to be in a position to set trends, to be on the cutting edge of music and entertainment in Madison,” said David Muhammad, a WSUM volunteer. “We’ll be a significant alternative voice on campus.”
A press conference will be held in Vilas Hall at 2 p.m. preceding the first official broadcast. Chancellor John Wiley, the executive management board of WSUM, retired journalism professor and student-radio advocate Jim Hoyt, WSUM co-founder and current Onion staff member Steven Thompson, and interim Dean of Students Roger Howard are all expected to attend.
