New programming helps revive SURadio.netv

Winston-Salem State's student radio station, SU Radio, returned Sept. 20 with new shows and new personalities.

The station was taken off the air last year for violating FCC rules involving disorderly conduct and playing unedited music.

"When students began doing their radio shows last year, there were no rules or policies set for them," said Leah Hightower, the general manager of SU Radio.

Ben Donnelly, the adviser, and the executive board created an SU Radio handbook.

The handbook contains all of the policies that all students working in the station must follow. If students violate the policies, they will take full responsibility and have their show              taken off the air.

"The station is not responsible for broken rules," Hightower said.

When students are interested in joining the SU Radio staff, they have to submit an application. The general manager then sends the SU Radio handbook via e-mail.

A commitment form is attached within the handbook for students to sign. With the commitment form, a student confirms that they have read the handbook and will abide by the rules. A day is set aside to train new staff members.

"The students who now have a show can begin to promote their show," Hightower said.

Donnelly said he is glad to see students excited about working in the radio station.

"My attitude is to set up guidelines that students should follow but also to give a hand-off approach so that the students can build the station to what they want it to be," Donnelly said.

Lena' Kithcart and Robyn Wiggins host a show called "Snack Break", an hour-long slot where they discuss everything from campus news to fashion, sports, and entertainment news.

"What I enjoy the most is being able to act goofy on air. I love the fact that I can say what half the campus is thinking," Kithcart said, a senior, mass communication major from Durham.

"The only really hard task that we have is finding the news. Once we have that, we are pretty much complete. We try not to repeat the songs that we played from the last show," Wiggins said, a senior, mass com major from Ceder Grove, N.C.

The station also broadcasts a gospel show from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. hosted by Arleatha Patterson.

"My focus is to inspire the students of WSSU and to motivate them to have a good day," Patterson said.

SU Radio also has a sports show hosted by Derek Saunders; The Quiet Storm hosted by Raven Jones;and "The Gems" hosted by La'Tia Johnson and Caneisha Smith.

SU Radio is available online at SURadio.net on campus. There are five new shows on the air. The station has a music playlist that plays all day Friday and Saturday. Hosted shows are from  8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

During specific shows, gospel, hip hop, R&B and reggae are played.

The News Argus is working to add  SU Radio link to the web site.