Unless you have HD radio, internet or a digital satellite subscription service, the place to find jazz radio in the St. Louis area is at WSIE 88.7 – the station licensed to Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville.
However, unless the station can raise $150,000 in annual operating costs, the smooth sounds of jazz may be replaced by the silence of a state budget stalemate – as the station continues to fundraise toward the SIUE mandate to become self-sustaining.
Doug McIlhagga, executive director, University Marketing and Communications, said the station is in year two of its three-year drive toward self-sufficiency.
“We need to be able to build both our fundraising and sponsorship/underwriting opportunities to cover $150,000 annually,” McIlhagga told The American. “If we can do that through those means, we should be able to maintain the radio station.”
The ongoing Illinois budget crisis forced the university system to look at all of its operations and to prioritize budget items into three tiers, said Steve Jankowski, interim director, WSIE Radio.
Tier 1 is the most protected category, and includes the academic mission, teaching and student services. Tier 2 includes expenses the university could let go for a little while, for instance, mowing during the summertime. The radio station falls into Tier 3, operations that have been deemed expendable and in need of becoming self-sustaining.
“If we are not totally self-sustaining by [June 30 2018], we don’t know what will potentially happen with the radio station, but it could potentially be eliminated,” Jankowski said.
“So much depends upon the budget,” McIlhagga said.
Hourly on-air appeals are increasing awareness, donations and underwriting sponsorships, but they are only about one-third of the way from where they want to be in their monthly goal.
“We need to generate about $12,000 a month to be okay,” Jankowski said.
After more than 30 years of 24-hour jazz, in the past few weeks listeners have noticed a change in the music, with some R&B and Blues making their way into the mix.
“I think’s it has been a great format for the radio station because of the exclusivity – nobody else is doing jazz, but it’s also a very narrow niche,” Jankowski said. “It’s one of those formats that you either love it or you hate it. We have had to come to the point that, as a matter of survival, we need to broaden the format to the point that we attract a wider audience and open the door for other businesses to participate in terms of underwriting.”
While the jazz-listening audience is very loyal, the monetary support has not been at an adequate level. On the other hand, Jankowski said, the station has not promoted and produced a well-organized fund drive.
Even if the station is successful in raising needed operating dollars, the new music blend may be here to stay.
“The plan is to create a format that people can listen to over a long period of time – at work, driving in the car, at home –a very enjoyable, easy-to-listen-to format,” Jankowski said.
Jankowski said said the station also wants to increase its appeal to SIUE students as a training ground to learn about radio, sound technology and its continued relevance for today’s media platforms.
To donate or for more information, call 618-650-3607 or visit www.suie.edu/WSIE.
