WNUB celebrates 35 years of broadcasting at NU

By Nicole Douglas
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

This month the Norwich radio station, 88.3 FM WNUB, will celebrate its 35th anniversary. WNUB began its transmissions to Norwich and the Northfield community in December 1967. According to Doug Smith, the Faculty Advisor for the radio station, WNUB will be sponsoring many activities to commemorate the anniversary. An open house will be held on Dec. 9, which will give the public an opportunity to see what the station has to offer.

"People don't know about our station," Smith said. "We will be able to show off our new improvements and highlight our new equipment, which was bought this year."

This is Smith's fourth year as faculty advisor for WNUB. With the assistance of students, he runs the station with a budget of $8,300, provided by the university.

All students and faculty are invited, and various special invitations will be sent out. The public is invited and will be able to tour the station, watch demonstrations, and talk to radio personalities. Food and refreshments will be provided.

The station, which is located at the communications building, has a traditional soft rock format during the day, and the night shows consist of students playing two-hour blocks of music.

These night shows range from rock and roll, to classic rock, metal, R&B, rap, hip-hop and country, according to Smith.

Each semester, WNUB will host promotions and contests ranging from raffles to scavenger hunts, and various prizes will be offered, Smith said.

Stephanie Tavss, 19, a sophomore communications major from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., hosts a show on Sunday nights from 8-10 pm.

"Our station is different from most others, because it is a non-commercial station," Tavss explained. "Sometimes, I like it more than television."

A non-commercial station has all funding come from underwriters, and only special commercials are aired.

The only commercials aired at WNUB are those produced by students as projects and public announcements.

According to Tavss, WNUB will be giving away prizes in celebration.

Some of these prizes include a Sony Playstation 2, a DVD player and gift certificates.

"Listen to our station to find out the details of our contests," Tavss encouraged.

Ronnel Daniels, 27, a senior communications major from Hartford, Conn., is another WNUB DJ.

"The equipment at our station has improved over the past few years, but we still need more equipment to be on the same par as other school radio stations," said Daniels, who added that he enjoys doing his weekly radio show.

"We like doing the show, because when we go to the city, we hear hot new music, and we just want to share that with everyone," Daniels said, whose show airs Friday nights from 4-6 pm.

"I spend my afternoon studying and listening to [WNUB]," said Blythe Sanford, a 20-year-old English major from Waitsfield, Vt.

"I have a lot of friends who are DJ's, and I listen and call in all the time," said Sanford.

The raffle tickets, which are on sale for $3, will be sold in the mess hall.

During the open house, Smith hopes to "show off new improvements, such as computers and automation."

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