KUMM to Serve as Minnesota Headquarters for College Radio Day

KUMM to Serve as Minnesota Headquarters for College Radio Day

Summary: The student radio organization will raise awareness of college radio stations.

(September 30, 2013)-The University of Minnesota, Morris’s student-run radio station, KUMM, will serve as the Minnesota headquarters for College Radio Day (CRD). The event, founded in 2010, celebrates college radio listenership and the work that students worldwide contribute to high school and college radio stations. Over 30 countries will participate in the celebration, which will take place on Tuesday, October 1.

CRD stresses the importance of small, independent, and creative programming found within the college radio medium. Along with unifying the stations themselves, the event encourages non-listeners to tune in to college radio stations and pre-existing audiences to continue providing their support. KUMM and all participating radio stations will take part in CRD by broadcasting their best music selections, interviews, and radio shows throughout the day.

“College Radio Day unites many smaller radio stations,” says KUMM General Station Manager Taylor Barker ’15, Fridley. “It aims to raise awareness of college radio and call attention to as many of these stations as possible.”

The event also serves as a fundraising opportunity for all participating radio stations. With increased attention directed towards student radio, students and organizations can take advantage of revenue received from the event to sustain their stations. Barker is excited about the merchandising prospects he also emphasizes the importance of KUMM and other small radio stations cultivating a sense of community that is unique to non-commercial radio and honored in CRD.

“There is a human element to college radio that will never go out of style,” he says. “This event is a reminder that all of these small radio stations are not alone.”

As headquarters for Minnesota’s participation in CRD, KUMM will contact and invite college radio stations around the state to take part in the event in addition to managing a Facebook group to build enthusiasm for and promote CRD. They will also serve on a national decision-making board for the event.

More information on KUMM and streaming radio is available online at kumm.org. Additional information on College Radio Day as well as a full list of participants is available at collegeradioday.com.