In 2011, Vanderbilt’s college radio station, WRVU shut its doors. Over five decades of broadcasting over public airwaves were halted and WRVU was purchased by an NPR classical music station. I learned about last semester when Katherine Rye Jewell, Ph.D., a history professor at Fitchburg State University, visited Muhlenberg to talk about the history of college radio and mentioned the shuttering of Vanderbilt’s college radio station, her alma mater. It was shocking to hear that WRVU’s history as student DJ-curated, in the margin-style underground music was pushed to an online-only format. It felt like Jewell’s story was ringing alarm bells. For colleges, historical media formats like college radio are at risk.
Muhlenberg College’s radio station, WMUH, is a beloved 24/7 freeform station run by students and community DJs. WMUH proudly houses approximately 29 student DJs and 25 community DJs on air. Many of these community DJs have hosted a show at WMUH for years.
WMUH is living history. Its DJs contribute to a larger living memory of sharing music in a creative, experimental fashion. To its DJs, college radio feels a “public service” to curate shows for anyone interested. In its heyday, WMUH DJs were known as taste-makers, valued heavily by audiences and record labels to play newly released songs. College radio was the outlet the public turned to for new releases, alternative music and underground acts. Today, college DJs’ meaningful curation stands out within a world of commercialized, homogenized music.
WMUH’s DJs showcase their voices and lesser-known artists to anyone who’s listening. The station hosts a plethora of live music to expand the palettes of students on campus and aims to uplift student artist voices, which receives high praise and attendance from the campus community. WMUH appears significant to the music community on campus as they’re a part of late-night concerts and hypno-cow stickers on students’ laptops.
While students seem to know about WMUH, this does not necessarily mean that they actually listen. Even though WMUH feels alive to its DJs and to some regard, students, WMUH is lacking the draw it used to have. In 2017, about 20 percent of students responded to a survey saying they’ve listened to WMUH and 10 percent of students were unaware of WMUH’s existence. As a station that used to pull in up to an average of 10,000 listeners, it’s shocking to hear that only a few students are listening at any given time.
College radio is an aging technology, dying out among streaming services. Music consumption habits have changed, with more than 616.2 million music streaming subscriptions in 2022. There is a draw to play on-demand, popular content that outweighs a college station’s dedication to introducing unknown music. People want to hear what they do know, rather than listening to new music. It is also less likely for someone to hear something for the first time on college radio, meaning college radio is no longer seen as a hub for discovering new, underground music. As a result, stations are losing funding or are bought out by corporations to play pre-programmed playlists. Radio exists within the confines of its historical upbringing. It uses tired technology and equipment which makes it hard to fit within the changing economy of tailored music consumption. With this, college radio has lost its initial sparkle and appeal.Despite the decline in listeners, I believe students should invest in the traditions and heart of radio. While college radio is a vulnerable medium, it is an important bridge between current and past DJs. WMUH DJs care about their station. WMUH fosters an unforgettable, inclusive community through community events like concerts and programming, even if WMUH’s reach is not as widespread as it used to be. Tuning into WMUH brings voices of DJs who are passionate about what they play —their curation and dedicated Lehigh Valley listeners are what helps WMUH stick around. However, the future of Muhlenberg radio feels uncertain after the recent downfall of the historic Muhlenberg’s Ciarla Yearbook in its traditional format. Our campus should be asking the question, what could we lose next?