WEDNESDflV
OCTOBEB 11, 2017
TUNING IN t
sounds of Eton
WSOE By the Numbers
WSOE is celebrating their 40th
anniversary in a new location
Diego Pineda
Contributor I @Diego Pine[laI9
Forty years ago, the Wonderful
Sounds of Elon radio station, WSOE,
broadcasted its first record ever through
its 89.3 FM frequency. The record was
“More Than a Feeling” by Boston. To
day, the record is set to be framed and
placed in the WSOE office built last year
in McEwen School of Communications.
WSOE first received its charter from
the Federal Communications Commis
sion in 1977. The original newsroom,
office and production room were across
what used to be Harden Dining Hall lo
cated where the Global Neighborhood,
now stands, and moved to the Moseley
Center in 1994. With the 2017 addi
tion to the School of Communications,
WSOE is now located in McEwen 002.
Senior Katherine Whiter, the general
manager of WSOE,
u
THROUGH SOUND
YOU CAN ACTUALLY
DO A LOT. I APPLAUD
THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE CREATIVE IN
EXPRESSING THEIR
PASSIONS.
is excited to begin
making the station
more, “homey.”
“This new place
is weirdly shiny and
clean,” Wolter said.
“We need to make
it more like us. We
want to make the
studio more of our
home.”
“The only al
ternative” has been
the stations slogan
throughout the
past decades. For
Wolter, this means
having an alterna
tive group of people
coming together for
a common purpose.
‘“The only alternative’ means were al
ternative in the sense that we have a lot
of different things going on in our sta
tion,” Wolter said. “But it is still cohesive
because were all WSOE. That’s one com
mon thread we all share.”
What started with one record, led
WSOE becoming one of the biggest stu
dent media organizations on Elon’s cam
pus. It consists of 90 DJs, 67 shows and
JAKEKEISLER
WSOE PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR
six executive staff members. Some have
their own committees ranging from sev
en to 10 people.
Since being elected general manager
last November, Wolter has made it her
responsibility to improve WSOE and de
velop the community attached to it.
“I wanted WSOE to be more of a so
cial environment,” Wolter said. “Not just
something you come in once a week and
not know anybody. I wanted more of a
community atmosphere and have more
positions available for people to get in
volved.”
Wolter has seen the growth of the or
ganization being a WSOE member since
her freshman year and an executive staff
er since her sophomore year. She began
her freshman year with her show “Vig
orous Vibes” and recalls her first show as
one of her most rewarding experiences
while working in the station.
“Music has always been an import
ant part of my life,” Wolter said. “For me,
having a radio show is a way of constant
ly keeping up with music and forcing
myself to make a good playlist each week
and talk about it and con
tinue learning.”
Though she has been a
member for the past four
years, Wolter believes a
majority of Elon’s cam
pus is not aware of what
WSOE does. Anyone
with a Phoenix Card, ei
ther student or staff, can
join the team and have
their own radio show.
“We want people to
understand you don’t
have to know anything
about radio,” Wolter said.
“As long as you’re inter
ested in music or radio in
some way, shape or form
and want to get involved,
we have a place for you.”
Junior Jake Keisler,
the promotions director of WSOE, also
joined his freshman year as a DJ through
his “Strictly Cat Music” show. He said the
organization is drifting away from being
a once a week activity for regular staff
and becoming more of a small family.
Keisler is in charge of “Live Sundays”
where local bands play and showcase
their talent in the performance room.
Besides having a show once a week.
people hosting
sports shows
members of
Production
Committee
~10
members of
Music Review
Committee
members of
Social Media &
Promotions
Committee
members of
Executive Staff
members can now participate in com
mittees they are interested in.
You can do so much,” Keisler said.
“There is not one authority that says what
WSOE should be. Everyone is in charge.”
Keisler said including members from
across different majors and neighbor
hoods is what makes the organization
special.
“I am looking for the type of person
willing to say, ‘I love WSOE and there is
a ton of stuff we can do with WSOE so
why not do it,” Keisler said.
For Junior and personnel director
Connor Dwyer, the diversity in differ
ent shows is something that first excited
hun about the organization. The shows
vary from one-hour shows of just music
sports, news, talk shows and celebritT
gossip to more. '
“The people who get reaUy excited
and really into their shows make me hap-
p to put them on the air and happy to
have them broadcasted because 1 know
they are gomg to be putting out good
content, Dwyer said. °
anTfff equipment, space
and staff, Dwyer said he befieves expand
ing beyorrd individual shows was neces
sary. Additions of committees allowed
members that were not interested in be
ing on-air to also find their place in the
HANNAH SlCHERMANIDfW
organization.
With the enhancements Wolter and
her executive staff have done, the recent
recreated website now serves as a base for
future members.
“My goal this semester is to really help
the future generations of WSOE and lay
a path for them to succeed,” Wolter said.
Wolter hopes to continue raising
awareness for the organization by work
ing with more student organizations like
they have done in the past, hosting events
on campus and increasing the publicity
so more people are interested in give
aways such as music festival passes. This
semester they are partnering with Turner
Theatre to show Schoolhouse Rock.
Keisler hopes more people will join
the organization and bring their unique
®^ows, perspectives and ideas.
Id love to see that whole show sched
ule just filled,” Keisler said. “I’d love to see
everyone having a show’’
Despite the limitations of radio, such
as the lack of visualization, Keisler says
being part of WSOE can help people ex
plore their interests and find their place
on campus.
Through sound you can actually do
a lot, and I applaud the people who are
creative in expressing their passions,”
Keisler said.
NEW HOME
The original ■
newsroom, office
and production
room of WSOE ■
was across the • •
Harden Dining '
Hall in Lake Side
Dining hail. With
the 2017 addition
to the School of
Communications,
WSOE is now ' '
located in . .'
McEwen 002. \*
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