What's the Buzz? Millikin's WJMU-FM improves its sound and reaches out to a new audience
By ALICIA SPATES - H&R Staff Writer

It started with an irritating buzzing sound.

"For the last several years there was this really annoying hum in the station's sound," said Matt Tucker, general manager of WJMU-FM 89.5, Millikin University's radio station. "That annoying buzz sound is gone, and it's just amazing how the sound quality has improved."

Tucker, who took over as general manager in August, is looking forward to improving and expanding the radio station, and the "annoying buzz" was just the first step.

"Beyond that, we're really trying to make the station sound as good as you would hear on any commercial station," he said.

Under Tucker's leadership, WJMU's programming has changed, promos have increased, and there has been an added focus of the university's radio station on the community.

The station's broadcast signal now reaches a 20- to 25-mile radius, so Millikin students are not the only ones to receive it. That is why Tucker is making more of an effort to reach out to the community.

"We think because we have such a great opportunity with the 24-hour radio station that we're able to do a lot of things to serve both the campus and the community," he said. "It's about connections - making sure the community knows about the events Millikin has to offer," and vice versa.

Tucker plans to have community announcements announced on air, including public service items.

"We feel we have a couple of excellent community programs right now," Tucker said, mentioning the Spanish-speaking program "Español en Acción" that receives a noticeable amount of people tuning in.

The program, run by Eduardo Cabrera, chair of Millikin's Department of Modern Languages, highlights community, national and international events in Spanish. The program is broadcast from 8 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays.

WJMU plays a variety of music from alternative to rap to punk; there is even a traditional jazz show hosted by Bob Fallstrom, Herald & Review community news editor.

"We've moved forward. We've upped our standards," said program director Keith Chandler.

Chandler can be heard on the weekday radio show "The Drive" with assistant program director Jodi Cunningham.

Chandler said that WJMU has received a lot of positive feedback from students and that more people are calling in with requests.

"We really want to be a bigger source not only for Millikin but the community as well," he said. "We're serving an audience that's not being served in Decatur."

WJMU's new sobriquet, "The Quad," represents the four areas the radio station plans to focus on: music, news, sports and events.

"With those four areas, that is what we set as goals to accomplish here," Tucker said. "We want to do all those things well."

Tucker said he is looking to add local news reporting to the station's broadcast schedule in the upcoming year and plans to begin a summer workshop for local junior high and high school students who want to learn more about the radio business.

WJMU has already introduced its "Studio Series," a show for local bands to display their talent live over the radio and get interviewed.

Tucker has also remodeled the station's headquarters to make it more inviting.

"If we want to get more students involved with the station, it has to be a pleasant-looking place," he said.

"We really aspire to be one of the top-notch college radio stations of its size. As long as we focus on our audience and what they need and want to hear, I think we'll continue to improve."

Alicia Spates can be reached at aspates@herald-review.com or 421-6986.
Section:  Life
Page:  D1
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