The student-run radio station WSUM provides the UW-Madison area with alternative music, a voice in the community and a hands-on environment to learn about media production, according to general manager Dave Black.
Student radio started on campus in 1952 in a small station out of a Lakeshore dorm room, and WSUM officially began broadcasting in February 2002, according to a document on the station’s history.
Hands-on experience with media production offers students involved in WSUM a leg up in applying for jobs post-college, Black explained. He said students involved in WSUM get more experience on the air and are able to make more important decisions for the station than what an internship would provide.
Black said several WSUM alumni go on to work for large stations across the nation.
“WSUM is the gold standard for college radio in our state, and right up there with Pitt and Ithaca around the country,” Black said.
Not all students involved in WSUM during their time in college go on to work in the field of radio or communications, but Black said there is still much to be learned from the experience.
The opportunity to be involved in the creation of media teaches students to be more critical consumers of media, and this deeper understanding will prompt students to demand better media, therefore improving its overall quality, according to Black.
According to WSUM’s mission statement, “the university has identified a need for an alternative source of music entertainment in the area.” Black said the station offers alternative music that can’t be found on other area stations, allowing college students to hear music selections suggested by other students.
With many listeners besides UW-Madison students, WSUM also offers an avenue for community members to learn about important issues and events happening on campus.
WSUM presented their budget for the upcoming fiscal year to the Student Services Finance Committee Feb. 4. The majority of the station’s funding goes toward updating equipment and salaries for the paid members of the station’s staff.
“In order to do our jobs well, there are some positions that we must pay for,” Black said.
SSFC ultimately approved WSUM’s budget Feb. 8, totaling $376,592.20.
