WSRU-FM is a student-run radio station based in the Strain Safety Building. Since the 1960s, they have been broadcasting music for the Slippery Rock community.
The organization DJs events that are held on campus. But recently, the station began to branch out, incorporating news coverage from The Rocket and a podcasting/production department.
Jeremiah Brown, a digital media production major, is the current general manager.
“In the fall, we’re gonna be adding a little more structure once we have more people trained on how to use the board,” Brown said. “We’ll be developing more structured shows. People can do podcasts and start going on air with them.”
Brown joined WSRU-FM in fall 2020. Nicholas Artman, who is the station’s new faculty advisor, encouraged Brown and a few other students to get involved. Brown spoke about developing leadership and time management skills through WSRU-FM.
The students of the WSRU-FM plan the programming, handle the audio equipment and keep everything running smoothly.
WSRU-FM recently DJ’d SRU’s 133rd birthday party and the Student Employee Appreciation Week event. Every spring and fall, they also play music at the Involvement Fair.
“It’s a club and org fair,” Brown said. “We are a club. So what else can we do? We’re gonna play music. We’re gonna make the whole place fun.”
The music they play comes from song packages, and they buy the rights to play certain collections of songs on-air. Being an FCC-regulated station, there are certain songs that can’t be played and words that can’t be said during a broadcast.
WSRU-FM plans to introduce other types of content in addition to music, such as sports coverage and podcasts, as well as newscasts from The Rocket.
Brown will be graduating in the fall, but he wants to “see the seeds [of the new programming] grow” before he leaves.
Those interested in contacting WSRU-FM can visit their website, wsrufm.com, check their CORE page, or email Jeremiah Brown at jtb1014@sru.edu. If you’d rather listen, go to wsrufm.com or their new mobile app, WSRU-FM 88.1.
