A fire in the College of Communication this past Friday sent five people to the hospital for smoke inhalation, caused $500,000 worth of damage and forced WTBU to stop broadcasting. Our radio station’s role on campus is only emphasized in its absence.
WTBU serves as a voice for students and a place for aspiring musicians, journalists, entertainers and more to express themselves and gain experience. Programming was canceled indefinitely, according to WTBU’s Twitter.
When WTBU was shut down, my own Sunday show, “Class and Sass,” was canceled and I felt silenced. There was a sizable void in my world where the radio station used to be. As an integral part of student life, hopefully a system is already underway to reestablish WTBU.
As a student-run radio station, WTBU provides a platform for Terriers to showcase their skills and provide entertaining content on air. College radio, as it always has been across campuses, is an opportunity for students to give themselves a voice in a system in which their voice is frequently overlooked.
Young people across interests are trying to break into industries and make their mark on the establishment. Young people listening to other young people broadcasting and performing is part of what encourages generation after generation to pursue their interests. College radio is and always has been a voice for young people that other generations can tune in to, a pulse of what our generation is interested in and is talking about.
The reason WTBU is “the beat of Boston University” is because it allows its DJs to create their own content and broadcast it in an effort to entertain, inform and reflect on what is happening on our campus and elsewhere.
But WTBU is more than just the beat of Boston University. It is a heartbeat on campus, the pulse of what’s going on and a medium through which talented and overlooked musicians are given a chance. The sooner that heartbeat recovers, the better.
WTBU is not only our campus voice, but is also an award-winning radio station — specifically, College Music Journal College Radio Awards’ Station of the Year for three years in a row. It was also the start of Howard Stern’s and countless other DJs’ and broadcasters’ radio careers. As a launch pad for careers in radio and music, WTBU gives real-world experiences to its DJs, which are increasingly valuable today.
While the impact of WTBU can be felt by listeners, the studio is a sense of home for many involved. WTBU is where I have met some great friends and have made some of my favorite memories at BU. Seeing the photos of the studio walls covered in soot makes me sick. Thinking about a place I love suddenly being inhospitable made me close my eyes and wish it were not true.
Many other DJs and I were supposed to report to WTBU and broadcast our two-hour shows throughout the weekend. Personally, when my time slot came, I felt as if I was supposed to be on the air, talking to my fellow DJs and friends about some pop culture phenomenon that astounded us this week. I instead thought of the memories made inside a studio I grew to love.
I thought of the signatures covering the wall of the Howard Stern lounge and all those shows, musicians and people who contributed to WTBU. The flow of information on Friday was so sporadic that I did not know what to expect. So when I heard the station was damaged, I felt heartbroken.
I hope that WTBU will broadcast soon, as any day without it feels incomplete to me. A part of our campus is missing, and while it may be a much larger part for me than for others, WTBU is something that is accessible for any student whenever they want. WTBU was a gem on Boston University’s campus, and I am sure that it will continue to be the beat of Boston University in the future.
