KSWC
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KSWC 100.3 FM, branded as 100.3 The Jinx, is a campus radio station based at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas; the station broadcasts at 10 watts. KSWC provides informative and entertaining radio 24 hours a day to the Southwestern and Winfield community at 100.3 FM and streaming audio worldwide at http://www.scjinxradio.org .
As of February 5, 2007, the station plays hit music, has several evening weekly talk shows, news updates at the top of every hour, an all-request lunch hour, and a full service weekday morning show. KSWC also is the flagship station for Southwestern athletics with the Moundbuilder Sports Network with the voice of the Moundbuilders, Curt Caden.
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[edit] History
Early Days
The early days of Southwestern radio are somewhat sketchy. Students who were interested in radio formed a radio club at Southwestern in the late 1940s. The students used the facilities of KNIC, a local area radio station to learn more about radio. During the 1960s, Southwestern's radio station used the call letters of KLAS and was a 'carrier current' station on the Southwestern campus, broadcasting through the electrical circuits of the dorms and other buildings on campus. Those were the only places KLAS was heard.
In 1968, Southwestern was granted an official FCC license and began broadcasting with a transmitter purchased from Kappa Mu Psi, a fraternity at Wichita State University, for $125.
After considering different call letters such as WSCW, KSCW, KLAS and KWKS, the official decision was to use the call letters KSWC (Kansas SouthWestern College). Dr. Wallace Gray was acting sponsor for KSWC and the format included programs such as The Sound of Thought With Dr. Wallace Gray (and his faithful floating five) which aired at 8 pm Tuesday evenings and The Lunch Break weekdays at noon. The daily sign on was This is KSWC-FM 88.3 Megahertz, signing on the air for another evening of broadcasting. Located on the campus of Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, KSWC-FM is owned by the student body and operated by the radio club of Southwestern College, providing the Winfield area with educational and entertaining features from six to twelve PM seven days a week. We hope you enjoy this evening's program. For over a decade, the station was located at 88.3 FM on the radio dial, but in 1979, new FCC regulations forced the 10 watt station to move into the commercial bandwidth at 100.3 FM, and the station has been located there since.
1980-1985
After Dr. William DeArmond took over leadership of KSWC in the late 1970s, many improvements, including the location of the radio station changed. Up to that point, the radio station had several different homes. The first was in the Christy Administation Building during the days of the current carrier station. After KSWC became licensed, the station was moved to Stewart Field House and moved twice within the fieldhouse.
In 1980, growth of KSWC began as the staff grew from 7 students to over 40 by 1984, and broadcast hours increased from 21 hours a week to 105 hours a week. The studio at the time consisted of two small rooms complete with cement floors and gutted plaster walls, but at a cost of over $4000, the studio was completely rebuilt and new equipment was added. At this time, and throughout the early 1980s KSWC became very popular in the area. KSWC was branded as a non-commercial alternative to other commercial stations in the area, and was the only station with the freedom to play unique music, such as Top 40 to Nashville, funk to punk, gospel to jazz, disco, rock, classical, easy listening, and new wave music. In 1983-84, KSWC was the victim of two major thefts which crippled the station. Each theft closed the station for approximately a day. Over $1200 worth of radio equipment was stolen and never recovered. After the second theft, a grill was placed over the radio station window, and a radio student donated the use of his own personal equipment.
1985-2005
Throughout the second half of the 1980s, the 1990s and the first couple of years in the new century, KSWC-FM could be best described as inconsistent. Student involvement fluctuated, thus total hours per week and programming fluctuated as well. During this time, however, the radio station moved to its current location, and actually to the same building that housed KSWC to begin with: the Christy Administration Building basement. Dr. DeArmond continued leadership of the station during this time, as student managers came and went with the years, but one thing didn't change. DJ's still had the freedom to play what they wanted during their 3 hour weekly volunteer shift. The standard broadcast day during those years was Sunday-Friday from 3 pm-Midnight. However, around 2003 or 2004, after many years of technological advances in radio, that KSWC missed out on, it became quite evident that the station needed drastic updates to equipment and policies, and need a new direction.
2005-Present
In 2005, Dr. DeArmond stepped down as faculty General Manager and Advisor of KSWC-FM, and J.T.(Tom) Jacobs, chair of the Communication/Computer Science Division became interim faculty advisor during an overhaul of Southwestern's communications division. A large renovation was done to KSWC, including brand new computer hardware and software, a full production studio, and stronger capabilities for shows, recording and streaming audio. In addition, the studio was fully carpeted and ventilated.
In August of 2005, Jacobs turned over day to day leadership to student General Manager, Kelly Burgar and student Program Director, Tommy Castor. After a total of 5 months off the air, 2 months of technical updates (including song additions into a new automated system), a new moniker (100.3 The Jinx) and slogan The Station at the Top of the Hill and a staff of approximately 16 students, KSWC-FM went on the air at midnight on October 15, 2005 with Collective Soul's Better Now
Burgar and Castor decided to keep the standard DJ volunteer shifts at Sunday-Friday from 3 pm-midnight and be automated during overnight, morning and early afternoon hours. Several talk shows were born and eventually found a home weeknights at 9 pm. News and sports also became important with an hourly newscast and Southwestern football and basketball games with Curt Caden and Tommy Castor found a steady home on the station.
In January of 2006, Kelly Burgar stepped down, Tommy Castor became the student General Manager and Kim Lowery became student Program Director. During this time, the station's popularity skyrocketed, and became more than just an instrument of learning, but a full fledged radio station.
In August of 2006, Nate Jones replaced Kim Lowery as student Program Director, and in January of 2007, Castor and Jones switched roles, making Jones the General Manager and Castor the Program Director for a second time. Under the team of Castor and Jones from August of 2006 to the present, the station has embarked on a successful ad campaign and stressed the importance of the web for 100.3 The Jinx for the future.
[edit] Music
Over the years, KSWC has been unique with its music. The station has been listed with the FCC as a College Rock/Alternative station, and DJ's have played the type of music that they liked. KSWC has evolved with the trends of music and currently some formats that are played on the station during DJ board shifts include:
Rock
Contemporary Christian
Christian Rock
Country
Classic Country
Hip-Hop
R&B
Adult Contemporary
Jazz
Punk/Alternative
Beginning in August of 2005, when KSWC became a 24 hour radio station, the automated music began as widespread as DJ board shifts with hits from rock, pop, country, R&B/hip-hop, AC, Christian, and Top 40. However, as of February 5, 2007, the presence of Country, R&B, and Christian hits are almost non-existent. Now whenever KSWC is automated, hits from the world of rock, pop, AC and Top 40 are played so KSWC could be considered as a joint format with Modern Rock/Top 40/Hot AC/Alternative. KSWC also maintains a Top 30 list of songs played on the station.
[edit] Speciality Shows
As of February 5, 2007, 100.3 The Jinx has its own morning show, The 77 Sunrise with Nate and Matt in the Morning hosted by Nate (NJ the DJ) Jones and Matt (Spiderwebb) Webb. The show airs weekday mornings from 7-9 am.
Also, KSWC also has an All Request Lunch Hour from Noon-1 pm hosted by Careth Eaton on weekdays.
KSWC also broadcasts Southwestern College chapel live Wednesday mornings at 11 am.
[edit] Talk Shows
Since 2005, KSWC has had a wide array of talk shows including shows about sports, campus events and entertainment. As of February 5, 2007, the talk shows on 100.3 The Jinx are as followed:
From The Perimeter (hosted by Tommy Castor and Scott Nuss)- This weekly sports show, which airs Wednesday evenings at 9 pm looks at the week that was and is to come in the sports world. Popular segments include Story of the Week, The Dordt Report, and ATrain's Alley with special correspondent Anthony (ATrain) Cook.
Pure Genius: Sports and All That Implies (hosted by Aric Cherry and Jason Jeschke)- Pure Genius is a Sports Talk Show for anyone and everyone. This show embodies all that every fat and out of shape washed up former athlete thinks and is actually said on the air. This show provides all from sports picks to debates on important sports topics. This show airs each Tuesday night at 9 pm, providing listeners with a chance to be entertained and informed about the previous weeks sports happenings.
The XY Factor (hosted by Careth Eaton and Tommy Castor)- This call-in show, which will air Thursday evenings at 9 pm, looks at many life issues from the humorous point of view of both a woman and a man.
[edit] News/Weather
News and weather have been a sporatic part of KSWC's history, but beginning in 2005, a strong emphasis in news was established. Former news directors of KSWC include Vincent Putera, Anthony Pool, and as of January 2007, Drew Logsdon brings a weekday newscast that airs at the top of every hour for KSWC. In addition, when DJ board shifts occur, weather forecasts are given 2-3 times an hour.
[edit] Sports
Beginning in the first couple of years in the new century, KSWC became the flagship station of Southwestern College sporting events with Curt Caden simulcasting on KSWC FM, online at buildersports.com and on local cable channel 21. In 2003, Paul Farney became the color commentator with Travis Phillips and Kelly Burgar as in studio engineers and Tad Humphries as the chief engineer. After Farney and Phillips' graduation, Tommy Castor became color commentator, and Kelly Burgar became sole in studio engineer. After Burgar's graduation in 2006, Castor, along with Nate Jones and Anthony Cook began rotating between color commentator and in studio engineer. KSWC, as part of the Moundbuilder Sports Network broadcasts all of SC's football games and most of the men and women's basketball games.
[edit] Current Personalities (as of February 5, 2007)
Nate Jones-General Manager
Tommy Castor-Program Director
Anthony Cook-Production Director
Drew Logsdon-News Director
Kim Lowery
Brandon Hessing
Kelsey Reynolds
Amos Dailey
Matt Webb
Krystal Cole
Ryan Hopkins
Ashley Holloway
Careth Eaton
Vince Putera
Grant Stackhouse
Jeremy Ryman
Eddie Carmichael
Gio Garcia
Ace Pool
Kareem Thompson
Aric Cherry
Jason Jeschke
Scott Nuss
Curt Caden-Sports
