Students benefit from WEKU radio

Illustration by Staff

Last year and in the years past, efforts to start a student run radio station have failed because of lack of funding. Fortunately, Eastern has its own radio station, 88.9 FM WEKU, on campus to air programs, local and state news and music.

What it needs is student support.

Young people should be supporting the radio station. It’s an easy way for students to get their daily news, aside from The Progress, and offers a free public service that should be taken advantage of.

Additionally, the radio station is supporting the students by providing us with important information and with broadcasting opportunities. The least we students can do is tune in every once in awhile.

Though many of us may not have been raised listening to the radio like our parents and grandparents, the radio should still be a tool students take advantage of in order to stay informed.

While we at The Progress may be inclined toward reporting and supporting media, because of the nature of our degrees, there are many benefits for students in majors aside from journalistic ones.

An Eastern chapter of Public Radio News Directors Incorporated is beginning in order to offer students the opportunity to get involved in radio broadcasting and produce radio style stories.

Working for a radio will bring a range of experience and employment opportunities for students interested in vocal and musical opportunities and be a great asset to a resume in any major.

Additionally, because there isn’t a student run radio station on campus, it is very important that students take advantage of the experience that can be gained at this hands-on learning opportunity.

Agriculture students can gain hands-on experience in their field of study at the campus farm. Political science and government majors can gain experience through Student Government Association. And journalism majors can gain experience at The Progress. Virtually every major on campus has some form of co-op or experiential opportunity available for students to apply skills learned in the classroom to a real life setting.

It’s important for students to support each other by supporting the radio station as a valuable resource for students in media majors as well as those from across the campus.

We all have the same goals in college, to gain experience for careers after college so we should support each other. It’s only going to make us more well-rounded, well informed students.

It’s not too late to become an avid radio listener, and why not start by supporting one that is giving back to you already, on your own campus.

Give the radio a chance. You may be surprised by what you hear.