Ball State University's student run station, "WCRD," is on the verge of seeing new life.
The station, whose call letters are actually WWHI-FM (91.3), just under a year ago finished upgrading its terrestrial broadcast license. Last March, Ball State took full possession of the station's tower facility and license from Muncie Community Schools. That alone gave Ball State and WCRD management a large opportunity to upgrade its image.
It would be welcomed. Despite its long history, the station has never really taken off. Internally, the station seems to be doing fine. Last year the station brought home seven communicator awards, five of which were for its sports broadcasts. In 2003, WCRD received two.
Externally, though, the station always seems to struggle. To most students on campus, the station is known of but not heard of in the literal sense. This is a serious dilemma for station management, and one that, in this new era, should be overcome. There are a few ways it could improve, including power, marketing and programming.
WWHI-FM broadcasts with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 310 watts, weak by many educational station standards. For comparison, WISU-FM, Indiana State's station, broadcasts with 13, 500 watts; Vincennes' WVUB-FM uses 50,000. Looking at those numbers, power might be a major problem. To make up for it, the station Webcasts and streams over in-campus TV channels. Success, however, still heavily depends on support.
Ball State needs to work harder on promoting its student-run station to its students not for employment but for listenership. The station broadcasts a wide variety of programming, including numerous sports. Yet, to most students, the station seems as invisible as the FM waves over which it broadcasts.
Eventually, BSU should work with the proper officials to see if a power upgrade (and all subsequent equipment replacement) can take place. It's not often an easy, fast or inexpensive process, but if the university is serious about touting the station, it should do what it can (funds, equipment, technology, etc...) to keep the station and its staff striving for excellence.
But before that happens, the station's management should reevaluate its place in Muncie and try hard to shoot for its target demographic. However, if the station expects for students to listen, it needs to provide (and demand) high quality programming around the clock. Unprofessional and irrelevant banter will not win listeners on an FM dial. That's why there's talk radio.
With some hard work, the station continues to have the capability of being something big, but will it?
We'll stay tuned.
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