OAKLAND PRESS Thursday, March 13, 2003 PAGE A-3
Student DJs celebrate bigger, better studio
By KORIE WILKINS
Of The Oakland Press
After more than 25 years, the music has changed — but station manager Pete Bowers said his students have access to more technology and power than ever.
The student disc jockeys at WBFH-FM 88.1 celebrated the station’s new studio Wednesday during an open house.
“I’ve seen this grow from 10 records to what we have today,” said Bowers, who has been with the station since its first broadcast in 1976. “It’s amazing.”
After years of operating with very little space in Andover High School, Bowers learned last summer that the data services department — WBFH’s next-door neighbor — was moving out.
He knew there was room to expand and got approval from the Bloomfield Hills School District. The new, state-of-the-art studio, with a large window, flatscreen computers and a desk where the DJs can face each other, was first used in January.
“It’s very high-tech,” Bowers said.
The high school station, one of 17 in the state, is a hands-on laboratory where about 19 Andover and Lahser high school students learn almost every aspect of the radio business.
To participate, students are required to take a beginner’s class about radio broiadcasting and then apply to take a staff class to work at the station. Each student must have a two-hour show every week.
“They have some flexibility on what they do on air,” Bowers said. “They usually play music or talk about current events.”
While hosting their own shows, picking music, gathering news, taping announcements and station identification pieces, these young broadcasters somehow find time to win awards.
WHO: Students at Andover and Lahser high schools in Bloomfield Hills.
WHAT: The student run radio station, WBFH-FM 88.1.
WHEN: Broadcasts are live 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. The station is on-air 24 hours a day, seven days a week with the aid of computer programming.
WHERE: The students work out of a studio at Andover High School in Bloomfield Hills.
HOW TO REACH THEM: Student DJs take requests by phone at (248) 341-9234 or through America Online’s Instant Messenger system. The station’s screen name is wbfh881.
The station, nicknamed, “The Biff,” was recently named the 2003 high school station of the year by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.
“A lot of people, including myself, got into this because we thought it would be fun,” said 17-year-old Kevin Rich. “And it is fun, but I discovered I wanted to do it for the rest of my life.”
Kevin, a senior, will attend Syracuse University in New York this fall. He hosts “Eye Opener” with Melissa Talon, also a senior.
“We take requests and play alternative-type music,” said Melissa, 17. “It can be a big commitment, but I like it.“
The station, which broadcasts at 360 watts, has live programming 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The station, funded by the Bloomfield Hills School District, is on air 24 hours a day, seven days a week - thanks to computer programming, Bowers said. Since the station is publicly owned, there are no commercials.
“That would be illegal,” Bowers said.
In additon to Bowers, there is another full-time staff member — assistant manager Randy Carr — and a part-time staff member, Webmaster Ron Wittebols.
The station can be heard from as far away as Clarkston and as far south as Detroit, but its personalities don’t know how many listeners they have.
But even though they don't know exactly how many fans they have, these student DJs say they like working at the station and learning about broadcasting.
“It can be demanding at times,” Kevin said. “But we all love it.”
