SUNY Geneseo’s radio station creates new student-led department
WGSU introduces its Department of News and Public Affairs
Photo courtesy of Web Editor Rachel Turner
WGSU introduces its new student-led Department of News and Public Affairs, while offering a welcoming environment for students to try out new things.
89.3 WGSU Geneseo’s Voice of the Valley— that’s the tagline of SUNY Geneseo’s campus radio station. WGSU was first licensed in 1963, introducing college radio to SUNY Geneseo and Livingston County. Their studio is located right in the middle of Geneseo’s campus, in Blake B hall. The station broadcasts music, with a mainly alternative pop and indie sound, 24/7, and also hosts live coverage of SUNY Geneseo Ice Knights hockey games!
Many students on campus call WGSU their community; from the marketing department, to sports, and all the students who host music-centered DJ shows, WGSU studios and its eclectic student lounge covered in CDs and posters of indie singers is a place where many students on campus come to sit back and feel free to bring any of their creative ideas to the table. Listeners include anyone on campus or in the surrounding areas who can tune in via radio satellite broadcasts or the online, live-streamed broadcast!
Although WGSU has been bringing music to the Geneseo campus for over 60 years, the station is still constantly growing and improving. This academic year, it is under the new leadership of Kelli Sperino-Pease. Kelli is serving as the director of the station with a long, successful career in radio herself.
Another exciting change coming to the station this year is the creation of its Department of News and Public Affairs. This new department was created so that WGSU can further serve listeners both on campus and in the Geneseo community. Now, beyond connecting listeners to great music and sports coverage, WGSU will deliver coverage of both local and national news to its listeners.
SUNY Geneseo sophomore, Madilyn Becker, has been announced as the head of the Department of News and Public Affairs. She began her involvement with WGSU last year as a freshman. She started her own radio show on the station, called “Story Station U,” with the goal of making news more accessible and interesting to young people and anyone else who wants to better their understanding of what is going on in our nation. While she continues her show this year, she is also excited to serve as the head of this brand new department at WGSU and share her passion for news with others.
As a political science major, she understands the impact and importance of staying up to date with current affairs; she also has a great appreciation for her local communities and understands the importance of building connections with those in these communities. However, Madilyn also recognizes that because there is simply so much news to absorb and so many forms of media to get news from, it can be overwhelming. She hopes that news on WGSU will create an interest and passion in others for national news and local happenings, and that her leadership will inspire similar goals in others on campus!
The goals of WGSU’s News and Public Affairs department include starting a WGSU morning show and maintaining a focus on local Geneseo news, while still informing listeners of big, national events. The department is also deeply committed to making news accessible for everyone and serving as a reliable, trustworthy news source.
Madilyn has been working closely with Kelli Sperino-Pease and WGSU’s marketing team this semester to spread the word about WGSU’s new department. Madilyn and Kelli are actively seeking interested, enthusiastic students to come join the WGSU community, and get involved in the creation of this new department. Big goals like the ones in mind for News and Public Affairs at WGSU require team efforts! Opportunities for those interested in working for this new department include the chance to build relationships on campus, strengthen public speaking skills by hosting on-air news shows and conducting interviews, learning how to find and share reputable sources, and become a part of something larger than themselves.
You can tune into Madilyn’s radio show on WGSU, “Story Station U,” on Tuesday evenings at 7:00PM. If you are interested in being a part of WGSU’s brand new News and Public Affairs Department, you can reach out to her through @storystationu on Instagram or by email at mpb22@geneseo.edu. For other WGSU inquiries, students can reach out to wgsu@gmail.com.