College radio going strong

SALT LAKE CITY — Anna Anderson was always the kid talking into the hairbrush pretending to have her own show. Now the station manager of K-UTE, University of Utah's radio station, her dream has been fulfilled.

"I can pinpoint exact moments where I was listening to radio and thought it was the coolest thing ever," she said. "I love it. I absolutely love it."

Anderson is a bit of a dying breed. Across the country, college radio stations are selling their rights to terrestrial stations to help cover costs. Twelve college radio stations have sold their stations in the past year, according to Collegiate Broadcasters, Inc.

Among the most popular and controversial cases are at the University of San Francisco, Rice University and Vanderbilt University, which have sold their broadcasting licenses to companies who changed the programming to classical-music forums. The students switched their shows to online formats but have voiced their anger about losing their dial on the terrestrial radio.

Because of the recession, many universities are faced with budget-cut decisions like firing faculty or selling their radio station. While it's understandable that most choose to sell, the stations can never really make a comeback because of strict licensing fees and regulations.

College radio has provided a vital role to communities like NPR, started by college radio junkies. College radio broadcasters convinced Congress to include radio in the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, which is part of the reason public radio exists today, according to RadioSurvivor.com, a site promoting college radio.

Radio Survivor Editor Jennifer Waits said the stations offer a way for campuses to seem less insular and communicate more with the outside community.

As the editor specializing in college radio and culture, she is a huge proponent of the effect radio can have on its listeners.

"People will call in and say they were having a really bad day and say you played a song that changed their day," Waits said. "Music can have such an emotional connection with people. It's pretty beautiful that you're putting together a show that can do that."

Some effects are more profound. Radio was one of the only mediums Haitians could turn to after the earthquake that rocked the island in 2010.

"(Radio is) heroic when there's a disaster," Waits said. "Terrestrial radio has helped find victims and save lives. At times when there's no service, radio is there."

The co-founder of RadioSurvivor.com, Paul Riismandel, also believes in the power of radio.