The Baker University radio station, KNBU-FM, is in the middle of a transformation of its identity.
Station manager Dominique Adkins has been working on a new name and image campaign to start a series of changes and improvements to the station.
No longer 89.7 the Wildcat, the station will be called 89.7 the Edge. Adkins said this identity transformation will allow students to know what the radio station is about.
“We really want people to know what KNBU is, be aware of us, and know that we are their station,” Adkins said. “We are for the students, by the students.”
Along with the name transformation, Assistant Professor of Mass Media and Communication Joe Watson said the radio station is working on students becoming more involved in different ways. He said the main focus is about having more students on the air, which should attract more listeners. Watson also said the station will be having longer broadcasting days during the spring semester when programming debuts at 8 a.m. Jan. 29.
Adkins said the addition of a new promotional director will help get students more involved by making them aware of events through flyers and advertising around campus. She also said the station will sponsor more events for students to become involved with, like karaoke contests and concerts.
A few technical transformations will be taking place as well. Watson said the station hopes to be replacing its old transmitter with a new one, which will allow the station to do 24-hour broadcasting. In addition, he said the station will seek to retrieve its license for web-streaming, which enables listeners to access the station anywhere, at any time.
Alongside an effort to increase student involvement, the station is also working on increasing organization involvement. Watson explained the station will be offering free public service announcements for any organization.
“These public service announcements will be about 30 seconds long to promote an issue or event,” Watson said. “We want to expand the public service announcements to student-produced public service announcements.”
Watson said organizations seeking to produce public service announcements should contact Adkins by e-mail, and the station will work with them to produce appropriate announcements.
Another new feature students will notice this spring is local band exposure. Adkins said the station is giving local bands the opportunity to introduce themselves, perform live on-air and be interviewed during a show. She said this feature can be a very beneficial starting opportunity for local bands.
“College is a good opportunity for local bands to get their stuff out there and have their music be heard,” Adkins said. “We would love to put anyone on the air who would like to.”
Adkins said any local bands who are interested should contact her by e-mail.
These changes and improvements are not the only components students can expect. Adkins said the entire Sunday night line-up of shows will be back for the spring semester, as well as some of the more popular shows like “Getting Cocky with Ferrell and Rockey.”
Co-host of the show Zack Rockey said he has been trying to spread the word about his show to increase the number of listeners for the upcoming semester.
“I’ve really been trying to get it out there by word of mouth, with flyers and just talking to my friends and having them pass the word on,” Rockey said.