WVOF
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
WVOF is the student-run radio station at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. It is broadcast at 88.5 FM in the Fairfield area and on the World Wide Web.
| WVOF | |
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| Broadcast area | Fairfield, CT |
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| Branding | WVOF 88.5 |
| Slogan | The Beast |
| Frequency | 88.5 MHz |
| Format | Campus radio |
| ERP | 100 watts |
| HAAT | 10 meters |
| Class | A |
| Callsign meaning | Voice Of Fairfield |
| Owner | Fairfield University |
| Website | www.wvof.org |
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[edit] History
The studios of WVOF originally were housed in Regis Hall. Originally a carrier current station heard on 620 AM, the station could only be heard on campus. However, in the early 1970s then Station Manager Stan Hrniak, who later went on to work for Connecticutt public television, made the first application to the FCC for an FM license. The first antenna was placed on Canisius Hall. The station's broadcasts were piped into the Campus Center. WFOF's record library was kept in the basement of Regis Hall and the early news broadcasts were produced with the aid of a UPI rip and read teletype. By 1976 there were two broadcast studios and one production studio in the cramped quarters.
Some of the early student personalities during that time 1970-76 include the following. Hrniak, a senior when the station "went FM" who hosted music and news events. He is widely credited with being the single most influential person responsible for navigating the station's initiative to move to FM. Mick McCullough later became station manager and was a music host as well. Bill O'Neal was a Maine native who worked professionally for a number of stations in Portland after graduating from Fairfield in 1972. Mary Beth Carmody was one of the staion's first female hosts. Rich Mcheer was a hockey announcer when the Stags had a club hockey team that played at Bridgeport's Wonderland of Ice. Doc Hynes was a music host and basketball play-by-play announcer who teamed with McCullough blending sports and comedy during game broadcasts, which occasionally got them in hot water with the University administration.
During the mid-eighties, the station was at the vanguard of the American alternative music scene, under the able leadership of music Director Sean "The Hag" Hagearty. In 2002, the Fairfield University's world-wide, state-of-the-art radio station opened for business in a brand new three-studio complex in the John A. Barone Campus Center. WVOF regularly hears from listeners in South America, Europe, the West Coast and Canada.[1]
[edit] Leadership
WVOF is a completely student run organization. A group of students called "central staff" are the governing body; the members are as follows:
| Title | Name |
|---|---|
| Station Manager | Dan Grazynski |
| Program Director | James Maresca |
| Music Director | Meredith Moses |
| Music Director | Trish Galinat |
| Marketing Director | Steph Burr |
| Business Director | Kim Gryzbala |
| Sports Director | Brendan Monahan |
| Staff Advisor | David Grazynski |
[edit] Sports Radio
[edit] Bridgeport Bluefish
In 2002, WVOF began carrying Bridgeport Bluefish baseball games, and on July 12, 2006, it carried the Atlantic League All-Star Game.
[edit] Fairfield Stags Basketball
WVOF is the home of Fairfield Stags men's and women's basketball. Men's basketball coverage is led play-by-play analyst Bob Heussler with color commentary from Stag basketball legend Joe DeSantis '79. Women's basketball coverage is led by play-by-play analyst John Cummings with color commentary from former UConn guard Maria Conlon. Fairfield University students participate in the production and color commentary for both the men's and women's games.[2]
[edit] Fairfield Stags Lacrosse
WVOF is also the home of Fairfield Stags men's lacrosse. Its lead play-by-play announcer for men's lacrosse is Mike Vitale with Fairfield University students participating as color analysts for the games.
[edit] Independent Shows
[edit] Rocking Out with Flash and the Captain
Hosted by legendary college DJs John "Flash" Daly and Mark "The Captain" Gajda. The show has undergone various scheduling changes over the years. Unleashing the power of punk, ska, and rock alternative on your open ears. The show has been nominated for WVOF Show of the Year at the Ultimate Stag Awards every year since 2004 and won in 2007. Flash and the Captain airs Tuesday nights 8:00-10:00.
[edit] Swingin' West with Mike Gross
Mike Gross is the producer and host of the weekly program Swingin' West on WVOF. The program showcases Western Swing music, an American music form born in Texas and Oklahoma in the 1930's. It's an amalgamation of Irish fiddling/Scottish fiddling music, New Orleans jazz and Black Blues, and it evolved in the 1940’s parallel to Big Band Swing. It uses fiddles, mandolins, guitars and steel guitars, in lieu of or along with trumpets, reeds and trombones. The words and vocals tend toward the light, happy side. [3] The Western Swing Society-Seattle inducted Mike into the Pioneers Of Western Swing Hall of Fame on August 11, 2002. And the Academy of Western Artists named Mike Disc Jockey of the Year by in 2000. [4] The show broadcasts on WVOF every Friday afternoon from 1-4 pm EST.
[edit] Upper Room with Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault
The "Upper Room with Joe Kelley" has been on the radio airwaves since 1982. Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault co-host the show and are well-respected in the music business as creative air personalities and supporters of independent musicians. The show features creative music in funk, R&B, jazz, blues, rock, hip-hop, latin, and gospel. In addition, Joe Kelley has interviewed renowned musicians such as Victor Wooten, Sheila E. , Foley, Robin Duhe, Jef Lee Johnson, Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir, Rhonda Smith, Bernie Worrell, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Bland, Larry Graham, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, Steve Smith, St. Paul Peterson, JD Blair, Tori Ruffin, Kat Dyson, Eric Person, actor Jeff Daniels, Junior Giscombe, John Scofield, EC Scott, John Blackwell, Mystic Bowie, and many others. Finally, "The Upper Room" hosts an in-house concert series.[5] Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Prince featured the "Upper Room with Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault" on his official website NPG Music Club. This is the first radio show to have ever received that honor. The show broadcasts on WVOF on Mondays from 4-8 pm EST.
[edit] The Woodshop
The "Woodshop" is a student run show that originated in 2003. The original DJ team was Mike Wood (DJ Stile), Lead DJ, Kurt Leon, Zmunk, Bavid E. Kaveney, and later, Dan Akeson. This show was mostly unstructured talk about whatever came to mind during the program. It also contained various remixes created by Wood and occasional call ins were also a feature on this radio program. The Woodshop production was put on hold during 2006, but the creators plan to return to active scheduled programs very soon.
[edit] Fairfield Alumni in TV, radio, film, and other media
- Sonia Baghdady - News Anchor, News Channel 8, WTNH, Emmy Award winner
- Jeanne Begley ’84 - Producer/Director, AE's Biography, Emmy Award winner
- Joe DeCamara '00 - Co-Host, Kruk and DeCamara Show, Sports Talk 950; Executive Producer, Jody Mac Show
- Patricia E. Hutton '85 - Executive Vice President & CFO, NBC Universal Studios
- Burt Kearns '78 - Founder, Frozen Television/Frozen Pictures, Author, Tabloid Baby, Producer, A Current Affair
- Chris Miles '03 - Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter, WVVA
- Robert J. Murphy, Jr. '71 - Senior Vice President, TV News Coverage, American Broadcasting Company
- Donna Savarese - News Anchor, News 4 St. Louis, KMOV, Emmy Award & Edward R. Murrow Award winner
- Bill Watson - News Anchor/Reporter, WBZ Newsradio 1030
[edit] Radio Major
Fairfield University offers its students a major in radio, through a partnership between WVOF, the Department of Performing and Visual Arts and the Media Center.
[edit] External links
- WVOF Official Website
- Fairfield University Radio Major
- Swingin' West with Mike Goss Website
- Upper Room with Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault Website
- Query the FCC's FM station database for WVOF
- Radio Locator information on WVOF
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[edit] References
- ^ WVOF to open new studios
- ^ Michelle Morrison, 'Basketball and the Beast,' The Mirror, November 1, 2007.
- ^ Western Music Network DJ - Mike Gross
- ^ Western Music Network DJ - Mike Gross
- ^ Internet Radio Show: Upper Room with Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault- Bio
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