The Gilchrist Foundation has recently awarded a $20,000 grant to the Mass Communication Department at Western Iowa Tech Community College (WIT). The funds will support startup costs for a new student-run radio station, KWSR FM 94.3.
KWSR received a construction permit from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in May 2024. Students in the department worked during the 2024-25 school year to remodel the Comet Radio streaming station's facility in preparation to go on-air. Students reorganized existing equipment and rewired the streaming station to accommodate over-the-air broadcasting.
The grant has enabled the department to purchase essential equipment, including a state-of-the-art transmitter, broadcast antenna, Emergency Alert System equipment, and engineering services.
KWSR's signal will reach a radius of approximately 30 miles from the Sioux City campus.
"This grant gets us the ‘last mile' in our goal of bringing another voice to the campus and community as a whole," stated Chris Mansfield, Mass Communication program coordinator. "It also gives our students firsthand experience in all areas of radio broadcasting."
"Comet Radio has been streaming as a student run radio station mainly for academic purposes. With our new upgrades we will be able to continue that mission as well as serve the community," added Mike Jones, WIT Radio Production Instructor. "Being able to broadcast keeps our students on the cutting edge of technology and provides opportunities for making creative content for locally produced programming. College radio traditionally has been avant-garde. KWSR will showcase music, news, sports and podcasts that will be of interest to the Sioux City area."
KWSR plans to be on the air by the end of September.
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For additional information, contact:
Chris Mansfield, WITCC Mass Communications Program Coordinator
Chris.Mansfield@witcc.edu | 712.317.3298