Arts Editor Jon Mitchell sat down with newly elected WSUM Station Manager Danez Smith to discuss his plans for the student-run radio station.
Q: What are your biggest goals as station manager for the 2011 calendar year?
A: I'd like to see the station have a lot more visibility. You know, there's a lot of things out there like Pandora and other online listening stations which detract people listening. But there's no reason why we shouldn't have more people listening. I think a lot of people don't even know we have a station, so just trying to raise awareness is really important. I want to get to the point where you think about music in Madison, and you think about WSUM.
Q: Why is having a radio station on campus so important for UW-Madison?
A: I think it's important because we have a campus where there's a lot of voices and not enough are being put out there. If you log in to the UW home page, you hear what professors and administrators have to say, but what we hear about students outside of athletics is a lot of negative things. So it's very important to hear students' perspective. Plus, who can know what students want to hear more than students themselves?
Also, with sports, it's really cool to hear people the same age as the guys or girls out there playing is really cool. We're not just a station for students, we're a station of students, which is important. It's also something many other schools want, and so the fact that we have it, it's a really important tool that we can use.
Q: What distinguishes WSUM from other Madison stations?
A: We're not mandated to play anything. We're not told we have to play eight T-Swift songs and four Kanye songs every hour. We play what we want to hear. Which does include some mainstream music, but most of the things we play you won't hear other places.
It's also pretty much the only place where you'll hear people of the college age talking, if you want to hear someone talking from your frame of mind. What we have is a certain amount of creativity that you're only going to find from college-age people. Plus it's really cool, I mean have you looked at this place? (laughs)
Q: On a national level, what distinguishes WSUM from the other university stations?
A: I think we do a good job of not falling into the stereotypes of being groggy, probably high DJs talking about music that was recorded in some garage. [General Manager] Dave Black keeps us innovative and moving forward, he's always trying to find what the next thing for us is. I don't even think of us as a college station, but as more of a radio station that happens to consist of college kids and that is on campus. Our goal is just to be a great radio station.
Q: What role do you think news and sports should play in programming for the station?
A: They're definitely a major component of the programming of the station. They're already a big part, and that can only become bigger. When I walk through a library, I see kids looking at news and sports websites. I think, those are all things you can find on the radio, you know? Sure, music is a huge part, but we don't hear about our talk or news programs enough. You know, our sports team is absolutely great, They did an awesome job covering the Badger football games. And there's so many more opportunities for getting them more involved with the station.
Q: As a non-commercial station, how does WSUM provide public service and do you have any charity plans for the next year?
A: We already do a lot with food drives and an event with the Red Cross every springtime, but we're really open to doing more and more charity events. Whether its partnering with other organizations, if they're looking for DJs for their events, or whatever, there's going to be big push for 2011 to do more community service. I think to fuse the roles of those DJs who already do service work outside the station, and bring those ideas back to WSUM is going to be really cool.
Q: WSUM has been most visible on campus in its involvement with the Mifflin Street Block Party over the past two years. What do you think has worked well and what are your plans for this year's event?
A: I haven't been to Mifflin in a few years … so I want to have a great time! But really, It's going to be great. Continuing the tradition with Mifflin, of having a good time before finals, is important. I'd love to see us broadcast live from Mifflin: One, for the dopeness of the artists and DJs performing there, and two just for the general craziness of the event.
