Campus Radio Station Improves
by Leandro Fortyz
Issue date: 12/1/05 Section: Student Life
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The radio station at Lehman College, WHLC, is looking forward to a brighter future of broadcasting. After a long slump, WHLC's new focus to is to increase variety in its program and news features by recruiting interns from the student body who are interested in careers in radio.
Leading the charge in the turn around at the station is General Manager, Barry Chalmers, a Junior in the Music Department. "In the spring of 2004 I was asked to take over the station, but declined due to the unorganized manner in which the station operated," Chalmers said. "Over the summer of 2004, I reconsidered the offer and accepted, under the condition that I clean house and start from scratch."
Before Chalmers assumed the task of turning WHLC into a viable radio station it was little more than a hang out for unmotivated students. As a result, the station remained stagnant and unable to maintain a level interest from the student body or the faculty. In previous years, WHLC had received a budget of $900 for equipment and operating expenses. Since Chalmers has assumed leadership, the budget has increased to $5000, a sign that the administration wants to help WHLC with its new mission.
Along with a new budget and total control of the daily operation of the station, Chalmers is also developing a crew of aspiring, professional students eager to make the station respectable. Chalmers is quick to share the credit of the station's new attitude with his hand picked team. Derrick Cox, WHLC's chief engineer, is optimistic that the station will not only reach far beyond the recreation room, but launch onto the worldwide web. Chalmers sees Derrick as a real asset to WHLC. "Cox is very knowledgeable about all the equipment at the station and can repair any broadcast problem," Chalmers said.
Interns play a key role in WHLC's turn around. Lou Gonzalez is an assistant to Chalmers and he is also a broadcast host. His show, "All Up in Your Face," succeeded in generating feed back from student listeners and they visited the station to voice their enthusiastic opinions. Gonzalez is a WHLC success story. Since his service at the radio station he has become an intern at ESPN. "I truly believe that the experience at WHLC played a key role in me receiving an internship with ESPN," he said.
The radio station has a long way to go before it can be heard in areas other than the recreation room. In the late 80's, WHLC broadcasted to the cafeterias in Carmen Hall and the Speech and Theater Building, but the students didn't like the limited programming of Heavy Metal music. Fed up, they took matters into their own hands and cut the speaker wires, reducing the broadcast to the recreation room in the Student Life Building.
Michael Sullivan, Director of Student Life, says that a lot of personnel are needed to extend the station's range and make the station truly viable. "A radio station needs around 50 to 60 members and must subscribe to the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System in order to broadcast music that involves paying royalties to the artists."
Though nowhere near 50 or 60 members, WHLC continues to move in the right direction. The staff has enjoyed a successful fall session, with workshops to assist new interns in understanding the many facets of radio broadcasting. They are always recruiting motivated individuals who have an interest in broadcast radio. The internship at WHLC is 30 hours and consists of many duties, from learning the board, to station up keep and on air personality training. For further details stop by the student life building room 110 and pick up an application.
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Leading the charge in the turn around at the station is General Manager, Barry Chalmers, a Junior in the Music Department. "In the spring of 2004 I was asked to take over the station, but declined due to the unorganized manner in which the station operated," Chalmers said. "Over the summer of 2004, I reconsidered the offer and accepted, under the condition that I clean house and start from scratch."
Before Chalmers assumed the task of turning WHLC into a viable radio station it was little more than a hang out for unmotivated students. As a result, the station remained stagnant and unable to maintain a level interest from the student body or the faculty. In previous years, WHLC had received a budget of $900 for equipment and operating expenses. Since Chalmers has assumed leadership, the budget has increased to $5000, a sign that the administration wants to help WHLC with its new mission.
Along with a new budget and total control of the daily operation of the station, Chalmers is also developing a crew of aspiring, professional students eager to make the station respectable. Chalmers is quick to share the credit of the station's new attitude with his hand picked team. Derrick Cox, WHLC's chief engineer, is optimistic that the station will not only reach far beyond the recreation room, but launch onto the worldwide web. Chalmers sees Derrick as a real asset to WHLC. "Cox is very knowledgeable about all the equipment at the station and can repair any broadcast problem," Chalmers said.
Interns play a key role in WHLC's turn around. Lou Gonzalez is an assistant to Chalmers and he is also a broadcast host. His show, "All Up in Your Face," succeeded in generating feed back from student listeners and they visited the station to voice their enthusiastic opinions. Gonzalez is a WHLC success story. Since his service at the radio station he has become an intern at ESPN. "I truly believe that the experience at WHLC played a key role in me receiving an internship with ESPN," he said.
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Michael Sullivan, Director of Student Life, says that a lot of personnel are needed to extend the station's range and make the station truly viable. "A radio station needs around 50 to 60 members and must subscribe to the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System in order to broadcast music that involves paying royalties to the artists."
Though nowhere near 50 or 60 members, WHLC continues to move in the right direction. The staff has enjoyed a successful fall session, with workshops to assist new interns in understanding the many facets of radio broadcasting. They are always recruiting motivated individuals who have an interest in broadcast radio. The internship at WHLC is 30 hours and consists of many duties, from learning the board, to station up keep and on air personality training. For further details stop by the student life building room 110 and pick up an application.