Wednesday, February 27, 2008

WXCI Celebrates 35th Anniversary

Happy birthday to another college radio station as Danbury, Connecticut's WXCI 91.7 FM (Western Connecticut State University) celebrates 35 years on the air. They have eclectic programming (including jazz, folk, punk, black metal, country, electronica, grind core, funk, hip hop and indie rock) and loyal alums (see their WXCI Memories blog)...but what's intriguing to me is that they use DJ automation software between regular shows so that they can be on the air 24/7. Cool or creepy? I'm not sure. According to their website:

"In August of 2004, WXCI implemented a state of the art DJ automation computer (a.k.a. the 'Super Computer'). The computer can randomly play any song from our library, while also promoting our specialty shows and playing important Public Service Announcements. The automation computer works continuously between regular DJ airshifts and shows, and is what makes it possible for us to broadcast 24 hours a day!"

I would think that those automated shows could sound pretty weird if they are truly picking random songs from the entire library. What I love about college radio is hearing DJs who actually program their own shows, so that listeners get an organized glimpse of their point of view on music, not just an iPod on shuffle (whose basic concept the control-freak DJ in me just can't stand).

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