By Josh Hughes
At nearly any time of the day, you can tune in to 89.3 KUGS FM Bellingham and expect to hear something more refreshing than the usual slew of radio talk show hosts and top 40 singles. Built and run by students, Western’s own radio station prides itself as one of the most unique college stations in the country for just how integral students are to its existence.
“KUGS is truly remarkable because we are held to the standards of professional radio, and we meet and exceed everyone’s expectations time and time again,” program director Jordan Van Hoozer said. “All but one of our DJs are student volunteers, which is very impressive. I think KUGS also stands out because of the variety and content of our on-air programming. Our music is curated by students for students, so it’s quite representative of what Western students want to hear.”
This quarter KUGS is a 24/7 station, meaning it never goes off the air and it is constantly being run by students. Whether it’s a Music For The Masses show, a specialty show on beach goth music or news programming, the station can be heard at 89.3 FM or on their website at as.wwu.edu/kugs/ around the clock.
TOP: KUGS boasts an impressive music library spanning genre and format. BOTTOM: A student DJs one of the many radio shows hosted by KUGS. Photos by Janna Bodnar // AS Review
Each quarter students can sign up to volunteer with the station, starting as newsreaders and eventually working their way up to DJs. Van Hoozer helps coordinate the new student volunteers each quarter, training them over a course of five weeks and getting them prepared to be on air. Anyone is welcome to sign up to become a volunteer, but keep in mind that positions fill up quickly when signups become available each quarter.
While Van Hoozer runs the organization behind KUGS, the station also employs a Maintenance Engineer, a Music Director, a News and Public Affairs Director, an Operations Coordinator, a Marketing and Development Director, a Specialty Music Coordinator and a Project Manager, all of which are student positions. Jamie Hoover, the program manager, is the only non-student working at KUGS, though she keeps the station together and functions as the heart of the program.
Compared to other college stations, KUGS gives students many more opportunities for getting on air, offering volunteers the opportunity to host a news show, a Music For The Masses show or a specialty show.
Music For The Masses is the station’s general music show in which DJs play music from a selection of hundreds of CDs picked out by Jackson Main, the music director. Generally music labels or self-released artists will send their albums into the station, and it’s Main’s job to sift through and find the best new music. KUGS also follows a system that bases the type of music played on air by how much DJs play certain songs and albums. This way, the station is curated by students, for students.
Specialty shows (which volunteers can apply for each quarter) let DJs pick their own music based around some sort of theme, whether it be a genre, an aesthetic, or anything that binds music together.
In addition to the music shows, student volunteers can apply to have news reading shows if their interest lies more in journalism than music. KUGS also employs a Morning Show Host that goes on air every weekday morning.
“My favorite part about KUGS is probably just getting calls from people that are excited about whatever music I’m playing,” student volunteer and previous Music For The Masses DJ Chris Trotter said. Trotter also plans to host his own specialty show on various lo-fi music.
“KUGS is a fantastic way to meet people, and I definitely recommend getting involved here for anyone that might be interested, it’s a really great experience,” Van Hoozer said. “It’s a great way to discover new music, get involved with Western and the AS, and make friends!”
It’s easy to get involved with KUGS, whether that’s as a volunteer or as someone who just loves listening to music. While applications for this quarter are no longer available, students are invited to stop by the station, located on the seventh floor of the VU to ask about applications for spring quarter. The station is always open and looking for students with a passion for music and DJing. All you need to do is tune your radio to 89.3 FM to hear what Western students have been listening to.
