WKWC celebrates 40th anniversary

Feb. 8—Kentucky Wesleyan College's radio station, 90.3 WKWC, is celebrating a milestone this year — its 40th anniversary.

Derik Hancock, instructor of communications and manager of WKWC, said since it began 1983, the station has had to evolve in order to survive, just like with all radio programs.

"When it initially signed on, I'd like to say that was in radio's peak moment, when there was still no streaming, no internet to compete with," he said. "Radio has had to adapt to the change of times."

To stay competitive with the endless options of music access, listeners have access to WKWC from anywhere at any time through streaming apps, the station's website and an Amazon Alexa skill.

The station has also added podcasts, an audio form that gained traction in the mid- to late-2010s.

"Podcasts have really ramped up over the last five to six years," Hancock said. "It's been around for awhile but it's really become a big part of our society."

Students aren't the only ones taking advantage of the podcasting option. KWC's president, Thomas Mitzel, and provost, James Cousins, both have shows that air on WKWC.

Since 1983, Hancock said audio production is another facet within radio that has evolved with time.

"It was strictly analog at that time; we recorded on to tape in real time," he said. "Now, in 2023, there's digital editing and audio production used in software where you can manipulate and record much faster."

With the changes in audio formats, from vinyls to digital, WKWC had to make more adjustments to how music is played on-air.

"In 1983, music was played over records and cassettes, now it's all computerized," Hancock said. "Students now learn how to use an automation system that runs the station."

The station's efforts in keeping local radio alive on campus and in the community hasn't gone unnoticed.

Hancock said the station has been competing in the Broadcast Education Association awards. WKWC has taken home two awards with nine entries waiting to be judged this year.

"Each year that we've competed so far we've won an award," he said. "This is a relatively new thing that we're competing in."

WKWC has amassed approximately 25 students who work at the station, and one of those is Las Vegas native Logan Reed.

Reed, who is a junior at KWC, began his time at the station in 2020.

"I grew up listening to the radio," he said. "I always through it would be cool to do something like that, but I never thought I'd have the opportunity."

After arriving at KWC, Reed heard that the campus had a radio station and he asked about how to get involved.

"Derik asked if I wanted to become the news director and that's when my interest in broadcast journalism began," he said.

Reed hosts a podcast called "Coffees and Conspiracies" with his friend, along with doing live DJing from 9 to 11 a.m. on Mondays and Fridays and a news broadcast on Mondays from 6 to 8 a.m. and noon.

Since working with the station, Reed changed his major from law studies to communications.

"When I arrived here, I wanted to be a lawyer," he said. "But then I realized that you can do a lot of things you might not expect. You don't know what opportunities are out there."

Working in radio is something that Reed said has changed his outlook on life and he's part of something bigger than himself, and part of that is due to the environment.

"I work with different people here, and it's nice to see that the work environment is so collaborative, but also has a structure," he said. "The people I've met are incredible."

Through the positives, Reed said the crew has encountered issues they have had to navigate through.

"COVID was entertaining because that was around the time I became involved with the station," he said. "We had a different set up. We had to put small socks on the microphones and wear masks when guests were in the studio. We weren't able to have that in-person collaborative environment."

Another hurdle the team faced came after a virus attacked the station's software.

"The virus deleted a lot of the music we had and we spent a year rebuilding our catalogue," he said. "The files were there but they were empty."

WKWC alum Mike Sprague, who was at the station from 1983 until 1988, said things began a lot simpler for the team at that time.

"We had classical music in the afternoon and evening and had NPR programming," he said.

At the time he joined, WKWC had just began broadcasting sports.

"You started on the bottom and worked your way up," he said. "It was a good eye-opening experience."

Sprague began working as a board operator for the high school football and basketball broadcasters before being asked to go on the road with them.

"I then transitioned into keeping stats and talking during halftime and at the end of the game," he said. "After a month, I started doing color, and by the end of the season, I was doing play by play."

Today, Sprague is a librarian at Henderson County High School and coaches the school's cross country team. He also broadcasts women's basketball games.

"The organizational part of working at the station prepared me for what I do now," he said. "I try to do research on teams to learn something and to make connections with the coaches so I can talk with them before and after games, win or lose."

Sprague said he still tunes in to WKWC.

"There's just a bunch of people there who want to be there and learn," he said. "It's helping each other get to where they want to go."

To listen to 90.3 WKWC, download the RadioFX or myTuner apps or visit wkwc.org.