Newspapers / The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.) / Sept. 20, 1996, edition 1 / Page 6
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6 Happy Birth From an "Easy listening, fine music station," in its beginning on January 6,1970 to "Your only alternative" today—WQFS has been through many changes. The station started as a student club, The Fine Music Broadcasting Society, in 1965. The Board of Trustees received a license from the Federal Communications Commission on October 26, 1966. After receiving donations of both money and equipment, the station began a daily broadcast schedule from 4 p.m. until midnight in 1970. The student management quickly moved on this new opportunity and spread the length of the programming to a 14-hour day. In 1973, WQFS pushed the borders of radio in the triad by providing a variety of music from jazz and blues, to progressive rock, and a hefty amount of local, national, and international news under sta tion manager Alan Socol. Ahearn takes the mike BEN THORNE features editor Four years from now when you're walking the blocks of Broadway, don't be surprised if a tall man with long black hair and matching leather jacket starts shouting the date of the Whiskey Rebellion. Why, that's just Andy Ahearn, QFS' new General Man ager. Formerly a sleeper agent for the KGB and associated with the station since January of his fresh man year, Ahearn said "One of the reasons I came to Guilford was that it had a good radio station." Last year's music director, The Guilfordian September 20,1996 For 25 years, WQFS has been the voice of Guilford College. Ar has changed while staying independant and ahead of the pa heard throughout campus to an important resource for music t just a part of the Guilford College community. KELLY DAVIS Staff Writer Ahearn became General Manager because "at QFS you can get involved by doing little things until pretty soon you know everything. I stay up at night thinking about QFS. It becomes a part of you." Free time doesn't really exist for Ahearn, who's had to give up partying since his promotion. When he does find the time, he enjoys playing his guitar and watching movies. Majoring in history and political sci- WQFS initially started as a 10-watt station with a 5-mile broadcast radius. In 1979 the wattage was increased to 1,900, where it still stands to day. This gives Guilford one of the largest broad cast ranges for college radio in North Carolina. "I've gotten callers as far away as Virginia, "I've gotten callers as far away as Virginia, Burlington, ... Today the station broadcast radius with ter of a mill'ion listeners. Burlington, and Clemmons," says Duncan Dunn, dj and program director at the station. Today the station boasts a 30 mile broadcast radius with a po tential quarter of a million listeners. 'There have been a lot of changes at 'QFS," recalls Chuck Carroll, longtime dj and former mu- WQFS Personnel A bt£~&Zh) nam* wqfs 903 f!M Jew tmbf tdUmaHvr (iudfortt Cothflt Updio Jus' da facts on Andrew Ahearn ence, Ahearn's goal after graduat ing is panhandling on the comer of 34th and Broadway, spouting his torical and political facts for money. Either that or go to grad school. sic director. In Carroll's ten years with the station he has seen an increase in involvement from the community and development of more internal structure. Carroll remembers what things were like when he first started at the station. At that time he felt that "from the dj's stand-point, you really didn't know who the managers were." Today the man agement has developed into a more coherent unit. The General Manager, responsible to the Board of Trustees, is ultimately in charge of all work ings at the station. This position is supported by several other managers who fulfill the stations legal and stylistic requirements. "WQFS serves as one of the many voices of Guilford College, reflecting its views, opinions and beliefs and tries to uphold the traditions set by the college," says General Manager Andy Ahearn. "We are also a window through which the community looks at Guilford College," says Ahearn, "and we're trying to focus more atten tion towards the community, so Greensboro will know what goes on at Guilford." Anne Glenn, the station's ad visor, is one of many faculty and staff that help the students main tain this window. "I've seen a lot of improve ment over the past three years," says Glenn of her time at the sta tion. "I've never seen anything like this (WQFS) at any other col lege." Most notabl eis WQFS' recent number three ranking in the nation for college radio by the Princeton Review. "The fact that Guilford stu dents are given responsibility in the college (and the station)...has a lot to do with the principles of the college," says Glenn. "This is a big part of 4 QFS and will hope fully continue." Regarding the administration's responsibilities to the students,
The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.)
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Sept. 20, 1996, edition 1
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