'Great stuff' happening at campus radio station

Point Park University's student-run radio station, WPPJ, has a new general manager, a new outlook and soon, a new Web site.

Sophomore political science major and new WPPJ General Manager Anthony Costulas said "everything" at the station will be affected by upcoming changes.

"We are tackling a lot of issues that have been plaguing this station for a long time. [It's] nobody's fault really, just for the past couple of years it's just sort of fallen by the wayside...we're going back to how they used to do it 10 years ago," Costulas said, adding that progress is already evident. "The best sign is when I come in [to the station] in the afternoon and there's life at the station."

The station features a wide variety of content from music to political commentary to sports. Right now all of the shows are individually produced, but Costulas also hopes to introduce new shows produced by groups of people in the future.

"There's a lot of great stuff happening here," Costulas said. "Students are making things that I think would shock a lot of people at how professional they sound."

Some of the changes being made are updates rather than alterations to the way the station is being run. One of the biggest updates is the addition of a new WPPJ Web site. The new site will stream from the station constantly, feature DJ blogs and link to other social media Web sites such as Twitter.

There is a planned launch party for the Web site on Wednesday, Mar. 10. On that day, WPPJ will broadcast all day from the hallway outside of the Point Cafe and will be offering prizes for those who sign into the site.

One thing that has not changed is the desire for WPPJ to serve the Point Park community.

"I want [students] to always remember that all of the stuff we're putting out can be done by them as well, and also everything that comes out of us is produced for them, produced by them. It's really whatever the student body makes it, and if you listen to it, contribute to it, we can make it as good as we want it to be," Costulas said. "I want [students] to know that it's theirs every single day. You are listening to the content that you selected."

Costulas explained that having a successful student-run station can be challenging.

"The problem is we're not getting enough people, we're not getting enough listeners...we have a lot to offer, it's just not getting heard," Costulas said. "Just listen. Give us a chance and I promise you won't be disappointed...if it's as easy as not switching on Pandora and turning to 670AM for awhile."

One proponent for the lack of listeners is an overall lack of awareness about the station.

"To be honest with you, I really know nothing about the broadcasting," Erica Yablonsky, a senior elementary education major, said. "I'm in the cafe sometimes and I hear the radio and that's pretty much the extent of what I know about the radio broadcasting."

Junior sport, arts and entertainment management major Terrica Jones agreed.

"I know that the actual station is around the corner from the Cafe," Jones said. "It plays all day, but I don't really pay attention…it has to be newer stuff for us to pay attention to it."

Despite her distaste for some of the music played, Jones is interested to hear about future events.

"It would be nice to have something new going on so maybe we'll be more aware of what's coming," Jones said.

In the upcoming semester, Costulas hopes to usher in the "new" by increasing the number of students active at the station and by encouraging anyone and everyone to get involved.

"I would rather have 100 people in this studio working side-by-side in this tiny room like sardines ... than to have the same few people," Costulas said. "There's a place for everybody."