On The Kowch supports College Radio Day

Hear tomorrow's radio stars today on college radio

From where I sit On The Kowch, college radio is home to the future stars of broadcasting. It is where they start chasing their dream to be on radio.

I remember Radio Loyola in Montreal where some of that city's biggest names in broadcasting got their start. I see it happening at Toronto's Humber College and Seneca College today where I teach. And it happens every day, around the world wherever students can sit in a studio on campus and be on the radio.

I hate to think where radio would be today without college radio stations and the professors who volunteer their time to provide an opportunity to students to chase their dream. College radio is where many of today's biggest radio stars came from.

Why am I talking about college radio?

Because the first ever international College Radio Day was held Tuesday, October 11th. It didn't get much press here in Canada. Maybe because only four college radio stations in this country participated.

The stations were: CKMS 100.3 FM at the University of Waterloo; CHMR Radio at Memorial University of Newfoundland & Labrador; CJSW at the University of Calgary and CJUM-FM at the University of Manitoba.

In the US more than 350 college radio stations were part of College Radio Day. In Jamaica the station at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus added to the international roster of participating stations.

College Radio Day was conceived by Rob Quicke, the general manager of WPSC-FM at New York's William Paterson University and Peter Kreten, the general manager of WXAV-FM at Chicago's Saint Xavier University.

"College radio is a very, very important medium," says Quicke. "Don't take it for granted, because if it vanishes, the voice of an entire generation of students will vanish with it".

Quicke came up with the idea of unifying college radio stations across North America while watching the movie, The Social Network. A lot of college radio stations are being sold off by cash strapped colleges and universities. Many can only be heard online having sold off their transmitters and licenses.

"College radio is one of the last remaining bastions of creative programming that's free from the restrictions of commercial viability," said College Radio Day co-founder Kreten.

From where I sit On The Kowch, I hope more college radio stations in Canada participate in College Radio Day next year. The aim of the event is to draw attention to college radio. To attract new listeners with special programming to sample the talent of a future generation of broadcasters.

But you don't have to wait a year to tune in to the college radio station near you. College Radio Day may be over, but you can still hear tomorrow's radio stars today by going on the internet to find the frequency of your local college station or to listen online.

If you're enrolled in college or university radio, broadcasting or journalism programs check out http://kowchmedia.com/services/student-tutoring for some great tips.

To help you chase your dream to be in broadcasting check out http://kowchmedia.com/book

Steve was in charge of programming Canada's two largest newstalk radio stations for 14 years

You can email Steve at steve@kowchmedia.com

Follow kowchmedia on Facebook