Independent student-radio station WERW moves to Hinds
A branch of WERW has moved to Hinds Hall, where the School of Information Studies is located, mirroring the overarching trend of integrating radio broadcasting with the Web.
‘On top of the new technology, we feel that being part of such an incredible breeding ground for innovators is extremely important,’ said Marina Zarya, WERW’s general manager.
WERW continues to broadcast out of the Jabberwocky Café in Schine Student Center, but the managerial and decision-making sector of the radio station now works out of room 325 in Hinds. The new space serves as a quiet work area where the radio staff can accomplish a lot of work, Zarya said.
WERW is an independent student-run radio station and has been around for almost 30 years. It has always been a free-format radio station, where students have the freedom to do what they want within a few boundaries, Zarya said.
The move can provide an opportunity for iSchool students to get involved with the radio station, said Jeffrey Stanton, associate dean for research and doctoral studies in the iSchool.
‘Radio is in the middle of a transformation,’ Stanton said. ‘People want to interact with their radio station, and we want to have that chance to interact.’
Students in the iSchool will have the opportunity to take advantage of the station’s new location to apply their technological skills and build a social media presence for the station, Stanton said. Students can work to ‘forge a relationship between listeners and radio,’ he said, as many students possess expert skills with social media and creating applications.
The new location will also provide professors with a way to integrate the radio station into various class projects, Stanton said.
But participation will not be limited to iSchool students, he said. An array of students and groups are already involved with WERW, ranging from graduate students to cultural groups.
In its efforts to expand within the SU community, the station is developing a music blog, where music directors will find and post new music. The station’s music bloggers covered several shows over the summer.
‘Students from any school should consider getting involved,’ Stanton said. ‘It’s a learning opportunity. A number of different majors could get something out of it.’
Published on October 6, 2010 at 12:00 pm
