WGCS

WGCS
City Goshen, Indiana
Broadcast area Goshen, Indiana
Branding 91.1 The Globe
Slogan Your Home for Culturally Progressive Music
Frequency 91.1 mHz
First air date October 2, 1958
Format AAA, Americana
ERP 6,000 watts
Class A
Callsign meaning Goshen College Station
Affiliations Regional Radio Sports Network
Owner Goshen College Broadcasting Corporation
Website Globe Radio

WGCS is the noncommercial education radio voice of Goshen College and identified over the air as 91.1- The Globe. WGCS is a student-run college radio station based in Goshen, Indiana.

Mission Statement

"As a federally licensed trustee operating in the public interest, the Globe serves the greater Goshen community with a distinctive and professional radio voice. The Globe also serves Goshen College, its owners, by providing a quality on-air product that supports and extends the college's core values, mission, programs and standards. Within this framework, the Globe provides a dynamic environment in which students learn industry standards of operating, marketing and managing a radio station."

History

The history of WGCS actually begins prior to the actual start-up of the station. The initial interest for a radio station at Goshen College dates back to the 1940s. Clarence Moore, of WCMR in Elkhart, built a "carrier current" radio transmitter that was placed next to the public address system in Assembly Hall. The antenna was a 50-foot wire running from the Administration Building to a light pole near the library, then running just below a high-tension power line of the next pole. The makeshift "station" broadcast programs in Assembly Hall, which included chapels and church services. When a student placed a ticking alarm clock next to the microphone, listeners as far away as Milford, Indiana could hear the ticking. The output coupled into the high-tension line, causing the output to exceed FCC limits. On May 7, 1952 the Federal Communication Commission was conducting surveys in the Goshen area. The station was found to exceed power for limited power radiation. An immediate cease operation was issued. The "station" would need a station license covering its broadcasting equipment plus each person working at the station would need an operator’s license.

Clarence Moore tried to obtain permission to continue broadcasting church services but the FCC denied it. After a few years another attempt was made to reduce power and limit broadcasting to only the college campus. The output line was rerouted but the station could not continue to broadcast because of too much power.

In the fall of 1954, Goshen radio station WKAM asked the college to prepare programs to air on their station. On October 15, 1954 the first program was aired at 8 a.m. The 30-minute programs aired Monday through Friday consisting of previously recorded chapels along with hymn music, news, and some classical records. The listeners criticized the classical music being played but the station continued to air classical music as their main format. The Goshen College graduating class of 1956 donated $1845 toward the construction of an FM station. A construction permit was submitted to the FCC on January 31, 1957 but was denied due to some of the proposed licensees not being United States citizens. Another permit was submitted to the FCC with the licensee being the Goshen College Broadcasting Corporation. It was not-for-profit and consisted of three members appointed by the Mennonite Board of Education. The construction permit was granted on January 17, 1958. The next step was for the radio station to choose call letters. The first few choices had been taken but WGCS was available. In April 1958 WKAM ceased broadcasting college-produced programs due to program changes at the station. Many hours were spent hooking up the console and other equipment in the studio, located in the college's Union Building. Equipment tests began April 28, 1958. The 98-foot tower was erected in July 1958. The application for a station license was granted on October 2, 1958.

Throughout the first 40 years classical music had been the mainstay of the WGCS program lineup. On June 21, 2004, under the management and direction of Jason Samuel, WGCS changed format to Americana, and Triple a music. This time they also adopted their moniker of "The Globe". During its history WGCS has also broadcast a variety of college events, including chapels and convocations, sports, and music department concerts. In the mid-70s student-produced and oriented programs were added to the WGCS late night lineup (a cause led, interestingly enough, by a communication major and WGCS student station manager named Jon Kennel, who later became a General Manager at WGCS). Around 1980 the station began broadcasting in Spanish on Saturday mornings (which currently fills from 6 a.m. – 10a.m.) using community volunteers and students in the college’s Hispanic Ministries program. Past secondary formats in the evening have included Christian rock. Since 1970, the station has been broadcasting Goshen College athletics. In the late summer of 2005 Penn High School) football was added through the Regional Radio Sports Network and continues to be a regular part of their autumn programming.

Programming

91.1 The Globe is a student-operated college radio station that also broadcasts some programs like NPR's "World Cafe" and "Country Fried Rock" hosted by Sloane Spencer. WGCS features locally produced programs such as "Could Lead To Dancing," "The Mystery Mix," and "Acoustic Crossings." Some programming on 91.1 the Globe is sponsored by Ignition Music Garage located in downtown Goshen, Indiana. WGCS reports its playlists to the Americana Music Association weekly album chart which is available online. 91.1 the Globe also broadcasts Goshen College Athletics from the Crossroads League such as men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, softball, and baseball. In a partnership with Bethany Christian Schools, WGCS also broadcasts some of their high school basketball and soccer games. The Globe also provides listeners to enjoy in-studio interviews and concerts over the air featuring local artists.

Awards

2011

2012

2013

2014

Our students have won many individual awards at both the state and national level. Students have been nominated for awards through the College Broadcasters Inc., Broadcast Education Association, Intercollegiate Broadcasting System, Indiana Broadcasters Association, and the Indiana Association of School Broadcasters Some of these awards include best sports play-by-play, best newscast, best radio documentary, and best on-air personality. The Globe is the first radio station to win the Indiana Association of School Broadcasters Award for the Best College Radio Station back-to-back and three years in a row.

2016

Globe Programs

http://www.xpn.org/world-cafe

http://www.woodsongs.com/index.php

http://countryfriedrock.org

http://www.humanmedia.org/catalog/home.php

http://www.voicesofourworld.org

http://www.bioneers.org

http://www.stolaf.edu/singforjoy/

http://www.3umc.org

http://www.acafe.com

http://musiccityroots.com

WGCS Faculty General Managers

WGCS Student Station Managers

[1]

Associations

Ignition Music Garage WGCS and Ignition Music Garage have been partnered since Ignition Music Garage began. They bring together national and local artists to perform in a small concert venue to connect the Goshen locals with what is going on in the music world. Goshen College

References

  1. ↑ "A proud first: Goshen College radio station named Best College Station in the Nation". Retrieved 19 March 2011.

Coordinates: 41°33′29″N 85°51′06″W / 41.5581°N 85.8517°W / 41.5581; -85.8517

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