Spotlight: UW Whitewater’s WSWU

Thanks to Station Manager Andrew Manthey for answering the questions!

Tell me a little history about your station and where your station is now?
WSUW has been on the air since 1966. Originally, our station was in Old Main until a fire burned the iconic building to the ground in 1970. Our station then rebuilt and moved to the remaining East Wing known as Hyer Hall, where our tower still remains. Currently, our offices and studios are located in the lower level of the Andersen Library on campus. We average about 40 on-air staff per semester.

What sets your station apart from other college radio stations?
We pride ourselves on being a student run-radio station. We have an Executive Board team of nine members that coordinate station activities from marketing and underwriting to training and scheduling events.

Why did you choose to work at the radio station?
I chose to work at 91.7 The Edge because I have always had an interest in radio. I grew up listening to WGN out of Chicago and Garrison Keillor on NPR. WSUW gave me the chance to develop my own on-air persona and entertain the campus community. I enjoy working with all of our DJs and staff and enjoy the open and friendly environment that has been created at the station.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for your station?
The craziest thing I have ever done at WSUW was an early morning all-vinyl show with my roommates. In celebration of Record Store Day, I rescheduled my normal show to the early morning (2-4 a.m.) so we could get to the stores in time to score some deals. To this day, I think it is still the greatest show I have done.

What’s the best part of college radio? And the hardest part?
The best part of college radio is the accessibility that is offered. Students have the opportunity to come in and fill out applications for time slots and pitch their ideas for a specialty show. College radio is a great way for students to be creative and try out new things. When recruiting new DJs, I always ask the question “When else will you get the opportunity to have a radio show other than college?”
The hardest part of college radio can be the staffing of events. Because we are all students with varying schedules, things come up that can prevent certain events to go understaffed or even prevent them from occurring. In the past, we have had many great ideas, but came to realize that staff and DJ schedules prevented us from having them. However, the dedication and passion of even just a few DJs and staff can more than make up for this, I have found.