WMWC Says It Is Better To Be Heard Than Seen On Campus Television

By Jenny Bell [Staff Writer]

originally appeared in the Mary Washington College Bullet on April 17, 2003

If a person wants to hear good music on the radio in Fredericksburg they have three options: country, country and well country.

Although there are exceptions, such as stations 99.3 and 104.1, the majority of music played in Fredericksburg is distinctly southern and not too many students liking.

Freshman Meg Cudahy said, "There is nothing wrong with country, but sometimes you just need a little something else. I usually have to get most new music off MTV and then download it, just so that I can get a little taste from back home. If only we could get it down here."

If only is a feeling that a lot of students have here at Mary Washington and the staff of WMWC is answering that wish. They have gotten their station to play music on TV on channel 26.

Originally supposed to air in the fall of 2002 the WMWC station was held up because of problems with receivers. Music Director for the group, Mike Roth, said, "We were supposed to be set up almost 6 months ago and then it was just one thing after another."

However, this did not deter the members of WMWC because they had worked too hard and too long to get the station on TV. "We had a TV station maybe two years ago, on channel 27," said Roth. "It got phased out. After that our goal has always been to get back on TV."

WMWC'S general manager Aaron Layman said, " We lucked out recently because once we got the material in that we needed Keith Gagnon from audio services, hooked the tuner up and set it up instantly. So we got on the air really quickly."

Before being on television WMWC could be heard in the Eagle's Nest. "They played a good bit of our music in there," said Layman. "We were completely happy with them and their services."

Roth agreed. "It's great that we got to play at Eagle's, we were happy with that, but the main focus was always on getting our own channel," he said.

Although only color bars can be seen on the channel right now, Layman said that the next goal of WMWC is to add still-pictures on the screen.

Having a station at the college offers a choice. "It is important for diversity of all kinds to be shown here at school. This way everyone can experience [different music] and not be limited," said Layman.