Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010
On the Air
School district launches online radio station
Emily Jarrett, Journal Staff
Julie Scheidegger, the Journal
Blue Springs South High School sophomore Nick Mozer takes to the airwaves of BSSD Radio. The online school district radio station broadcasts out of the Paul Consiglio Education Center 24 hours a day at www.bssdradio.com. Student disc jockeys are on air from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays.
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closeIt’s 3 p.m. and the afternoon radio show is just getting started. DJs Nick Mozer and Zach Kurth are taking requests.
The DJs read a few e-mail requests before playing “Love Shack.” After the song, they remind their listeners about an upcoming fundraising even at a local elementary school and encourage requests for favorite songs.
“Being on the radio is just fun,” Mozer said while taking a break. “I never thought I’d be able to do this so soon.”
Mozer and Kurth are both sophomores at Blue Springs South but from 3 to 6 p.m. a few afternoons each week, they’re on-air as the DJs of the Blue Springs School District’s online-only radio station.
“We’ve been online, officially, for just a few days now,” Pete Grigsby told the Journal last week. “It’s definitely a learning process but I’m excited the district has its own radio department.”
Grigsby, who teaches meteorology at Blue Springs South and works in the district’s communications department, is technically in charge of the radio program, but he said he likes to take a “hands off” approach and let his DJs learn things on their own.
“Ultimately, everything goes through me,” he said. “I approve all the songs and the content, but the students are the ones putting on a show five days a week, not me.”
The idea for a district radio station started a few years ago, said Annette Seago, deputy superintendent for the district.
“We wanted to work with kids on communication projects. And we knew they’d need a venue if we wanted to make this work,” she said. “It took two or three years of us trying to figure out the best venue, getting organized, deciding what equipment would be needed.”
Seago said the district wrote “a few small grants to receive funding to purchase equipment.”
“The radio station is actually very cost effective,” she said. “Since its online, not only does it reach a wider audience, it saves us money.”
“Some schools with a radio station apply for an FCC license and then they just have a three-watt program,” Grigsby added. “They could spend months or a year waiting for that license. Using an online format, we could start right away and also reach a much wider audience.”
The radio, which is fully-automated, plays music 24 hours a day, Grigsby said.
“We mostly play adult contemporary,” he said. “Then from 3 to 6 p.m. we have our DJs who play Top 40 and we have the 80s at 8 p.m., so we’re really covering a lot of different types of music.”
“We have around 2,000 songs available now,” Mozer said. “And we’re adding more everyday.”
Grigsby said all songs are approved by him before they’re allowed on-air.
“The DJs aren’t allowed to play their own music. I screen everything first,” he said. “We have a format we want to stick to but we also want the radio to be very family-friendly.”
The DJs said it took them only a few days to learn how to work the radio equipment.
“We came in on a Sunday and basically just played around,” Kurth said. “We’ve definitely made mistakes, but I guess that’s the best way to learn.”
“I enjoy listening to all our DJs,” Seago said. “I think the radio really allows their creativity to come into play.”
Grigsby pointed out if any of the DJs were seriously considering a career in broadcast, they already have a leg up on their fellow students.
“Not a whole lot of high schools have a radio station and as the students get a little older and really find their niche, they can start making audition tapes for internships or programs in college,” he said. “Right now, we only have four DJs – two from Blue Springs South and two from Blue Springs High School – but I expect more students will get interested as time goes on.”
Grigsby said he has big plans for the radio station – including live broadcasts during sporting events, district promotions and possibly expanding the station. Right now though, he’ll continue to work with his students to make the best radio show possible.
“I think it’s really great the district is letting us try something a little different,” Mozer said. “I think the more we’re on the air, the more people will see what a great program this is.”
To listen to BSSD Radio, go to www.bssdradio.net. E-mail requests to bssdradio@gmail.com.
To reach Journal reporter Emily Jarrett, call 816-282-7018 or e-mail ejarrett@bluespringsjournal.com.
