Spring Break
New station offers a WHYS choice in radio
Students, faculty have opportunity to host shows, voice opinions, share taste in music
Chris Henson
Issue date: 9/8/05 Section: Showcase
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The Low Power FM community station 96.3 WHYS Radio, 405 S. Farwell St., first went on the air in late April. Since then it has slowly gained more programming.
This non-profit organization's staff is mostly volunteers and includes community members, faculty members and students.
Clinical instructor Jayne Bielecki from the UW-Eau Claire College of Nursing and Health Sciences has a ska, reggae and international music show called "The Freak Show" that airs Fridays from 8 to 10 p.m.
"The station is, first of all, hugely unique," Bielecki said.
She said the station's choice in news programming and locally-based shows are different from what can be heard on mainstream media. It can best be described as "progressive," she said.
Bielecki also said the station allows viewpoints from people who might be in the minority.
"It gives a voice to people who don't necessarily have a voice,"
she said.
One example is the show "Hmong Hour," which broadcasts in Hmong everyday from 7 to 8 p.m., she said.
Although the station currently is on the air, it will hold its official grand opening and ribbon cutting at 1 p.m. on Oct. 1.
There will be tours of the station, refreshments and live music, Bielecki said. That evening there will be a fundraising concert at the House of Rock, 422 Water St.
Senior Systems Programmer Dan Drumm in Learning and Technology Services was one of the earlier members of the WHYS. He said more programs are on the way.
"Over the next year, you are going to see big changes,"
Drumm said.
WHYS will continue to add more shows to its schedule with five or six shows in the currently in the works, he said. There will also be more students involved now that they are back from break.
Senior Drew Niese does a show with Ian Betsinger called "The Funkyard." Niese said the show is made up of anything they think