WFWM Completed Move to CCIT

WFWM Public Radio has finally found the perfect space to match the tremendous levels of energy and passion the staff already possessed. With a change of location from the Stangle Building located beside Edgewood Commons to the third floor of the CCIT (Center for Communication and Information Technology) building, an infinite amount of possibilities were opened to the staff, including musical features and even a possible segment for the awareness of black culture within Allegany County. Charles Dicken, the Station Director of WFWM, in particular was extremely optimistic about the change of atmosphere due to the freedom for his visions to expand to other organizations within Frostburg State University. Through the change of scenery, fresh equipment, and lack of limitations, WFWM Public Radio has finally reached a point where success is nothing less than inevitable for its staff and involved students.

The move from Edgewood to the main campus bestowed goals that exceeded achieving larger rooms and fancier microphones. Dicken’s dreams for the future of WFWM were so powerful and influential that it seemed like only destiny for the station to have an opportunity to move into a more convenient location for making connections with Frostburg students and professors. Now that WFWM is located at the heart of the university, Dicken saw his new surroundings as the perfect foundation to start a new chapter for WFWM that included the involvement of other campus organizations for the benefits of not only students but the community as well. He possessed a clear passion for the contribution African-Americans have made to the history of Allegany county, and emphasized the effect radio can have on the community through knowledge traveled from a speaker’s lips to awaiting ears:

“As someone who has lived here since I was 6, maybe 7, I know that most people here have no clue about that kind of stuff. I’d like to see the NAACP and African-American studies folks help us to do these segments on African-Americans in Allegany County…and they would be directed to the general public area.”

–Charles Dicken, Station Director of WFWM

With WFWM’s move to the CCIT building, Dicken and his staff may find themselves developing better connections on campus that can lead to more participation from students. Unlike the old building, the new station is capable of allowing more than one student to record segments for their own shows on XFSR Frostburg Student Intranet Radio, making the task far less difficult than it was before. Dicken also provided a tour of the new station demonstrating the significant improvements and modifications made to the Main and Live Performance studios which included the supply of more modernized equipment for the control room and overall size of each individual station (which increased considerably). Although he mentioned that the Performance Studio was “not as sound proof as we [he] like[s]” he still appreciates the ability the room has to “sound bend.” With an upcoming live performance from jazz performer Sean Jones on April 9, the upgraded equipment and studios came right on time for WFWM, allowing the station to have the benefit of getting the best out of each of the guests.