WSOU-FM
Encyclopedia
WSOU is a non-commercial
, college radio station. The station broadcasts from the campus of Seton Hall University
in South Orange
, NJ
. It is a student
-run station with university administrator Mark Maben serving as its current General Manager
. WSOU currently broadcasts in HD-RADIO
and streaming online
.
format, featuring heavy metal
, punk
, emo
, hardcore
and post-hardcore
as well as other types of rock-based music. Student disc jockeys play music from this regular rotation during the vast majority of the week - with the exception of specialty shows and community programming (see below).
Current bands that see significant airtime on WSOU include Five Finger Death Punch
, Killswitch Engage
, Metallica
, E-Town Concrete, Black Label Society
, Clutch
, Fear Factory
, Pantera
, and Rammstein
.
WSOU has played a pivotal role in breaking bands and music genres within the New York
market. It was one of the first to play punk rock
in the 1970s
. Additionally, WSOU gave some of the first airtime to many commercial successes - Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam
, Incubus
, System of a Down
, Rage Against the Machine
and Korn
.
Examples include:
Syndicated programming
WSOU also offers a diverse lineup of syndicated shows, including several programs from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The list includes Lino at Large (Sundays, 7:30 a.m.), Personally Speaking with Msgr. Jim Lisante (Saturdays, 6 a.m.), Christopher Closeup (Saturdays) and Voices of Our World (Saturdays).
Online listening at WSOU.net increases significantly when men’s basketball games are broadcast. Following each men’s basketball game is Hall Line, a post game call-in show that allows Pirate fans the chance to share their thoughts about the game and/or the team. The show, which is hosted by student on-air talent, either in-studio or at the site of the game, has been on the air since the 1960s. It currently is the longest-running sports program at WSOU.
Along with Hall Line, WSOU also offers two Sunday evening sports talk shows hosted by students, From the Stands (pro sports talk) and Pirate Primetime (Seton Hall athletics talk).
Sports alumni
In its 60th year of broadcasting, WSOU has had many notable alumni start their sports broadcasting careers while students at Seton Hall University and members of the radio station. Several of these alumni are well known throughout sports, including Bob Ley
(ESPN), Bob Picozzi (ESPN), Jim Hunter (Baltimore Orioles broadcaster) and Matt Loughlin
(New Jersey Devils radio personality).
or through http://www.rcan.org/index.cfman online link posted on the lower left corner of the website of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
].
Seton Hall University first made the decision to invest in HD radio technology for WSOU, as to keep it on the cutting edge of broadcast technology. As HD radio technology allows broadcasting on multiple channels, the university chose to reflect its commitment to the Catholic mission through this additional channel. WSOU Chief Engineer
Frank Scafidi and Jim Malespina, chair of the WSOU Advisory Board, program the channel on a weekly basis. It operates out of the WSOU studios.
Programming highlights include:
The station also broadcasts some of the WSOU-FM weekend community programs, including the Celtic Heritage Hour and the Kinship of Catholics and Jews.
Given the assignment by then-Seton Hall University president Monsignor James Kelly to create a radio station, Monsignor Gillhooly got WSOU up and running in just three months and provided a steady hand during the station’s early days. Assisting Monsignor Gillhooly in building WSOU was the station’s longtime chief engineer Tom Parnham, who helped construct the station and then remained with WSOU. Parnham worked at WSOU from 1948 until his death in 1994.
WSOU began taking the shape of its current format in 1969, the first year it began to air rock and roll music. It embraced a hard rock and metal format starting in 1986.
Other station milestones include the move to stereo technology in the 1970s, the start of online streaming in the mid-1990s (among the first NJ stations to do so), and the move to digital HD radio technology in 2008.
In the 2000s, WSOU underwent amendments to its music format. At the request of university officials citing the Catholic mission of Seton Hall, certain bands were eliminated from regular rotation, while others were relegated to overnight airplay only. The most notable band that was eliminated from rotation was heavy metal act Slayer.
It is estimated that over 120,000 people listen to the station each week. Its 2,400-watt signal from the Seton Hall campus reaches all five boroughs of New York City and much of northern and central New Jersey.
WSOU’s studios were originally located in the basement of the university’s recreation center, part of its South Orange campus. In 1998, the station was moved to a state-of-the-art facility inside a new addition to the recreation center.
It operates there to this day, complete with three recording studios, a newsroom, the main on-air studio, the James Malespina Master Control Room, offices for student and station management, a classroom and the Dino and Diane Tortu Student Lounge.
WSOU has earned many honors and numerous awards over the years, including:
Additionally, students are elected to one-year management terms to head the station - specifically the programming, music, promotions, news and sports departments. Through the students and the community programmers, the station stays live on the air 24/7, 365 days a year.
Since its inception, WSOU has always been a student-run radio station and, to this day, Seton Hall University owns the station’s FM license.
Although a noncommercial station, WSOU’s management and staff structure is modeled on commercial radio, which provides students with enriching career-oriented educational experiences. Opportunities for student staff members include on-air hosting (DJ), production, promotion, newscasting, sportscasting, programming, sales and marketing, and engineering. WSOU draws students from all university colleges and programs, including communications, business, biology, education, nursing, sports management and diplomacy.
The WSOU student staff also participate with many university events, such as the annual University Day homecoming weekend.
The Mission of WSOU-FM is:
To provide students with an educational experience in a co-curricular activity which is both pedagogically sound and professionally realistic;
To foster the image of Seton Hall University as a principled institution of higher education committed to teaching in the real world; and
To provide the university and the immediate community of northern New Jersey’s metropolitan area with public service in broadcasting that meets the public’s interests, convenience and needs.
Non-commercial
Non-commercial refers to an activity or entity that does not in some sense involve commerce, at least relative to similar activities that do have a commercial objective or emphasis...
, college radio station. The station broadcasts from the campus of Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
in South Orange
South Orange, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 16,964 people, 5,522 households, and 3,766 families residing in the township. The population density was 5,945.3 people per square mile . There were 5,671 housing units at an average density of 1,987.5 per square mile...
, NJ
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. It is a student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
-run station with university administrator Mark Maben serving as its current General Manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
. WSOU currently broadcasts in HD-RADIO
HD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
and streaming online
ONLINE
ONLINE is a magazine for information systems first published in 1977. The publisher Online, Inc. was founded the year before. In May 2002, Information Today, Inc. acquired the assets of Online Inc....
.
Programming
The station currently broadcasts a modern active rockRock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
format, featuring heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, emo
Emo
Emo is a style of rock music and its associated subcultureEmo may also refer to:- Businesses :* Emo , an Irish oil company and filling station chain* Emo Speedway, a racetrack in Emo, Ontario...
, hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
and post-hardcore
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
as well as other types of rock-based music. Student disc jockeys play music from this regular rotation during the vast majority of the week - with the exception of specialty shows and community programming (see below).
Current bands that see significant airtime on WSOU include Five Finger Death Punch
Five Finger Death Punch
Five Finger Death Punch is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 2005, the group's name is derived from classic oriental martial arts cinema. The band originally consisted of vocalist Ivan Moody, guitarist Zoltan Bathory, guitarist Caleb Bingham, bassist Matt Snell,...
, Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbandment of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Howard Jones, bassist Mike D'Antonio, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, and drummer...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, E-Town Concrete, Black Label Society
Black Label Society
Black Label Society is a heavy metal band formed by Zakk Wylde, with nine studio albums, one live album, two compilation albums, one EP, and three video albums released since formation of the band.-Formation and Sonic Brew :...
, Clutch
Clutch (band)
Clutch is an American rock band from Germantown, Maryland, formed in 1990. The band's first release was an EP entitled Pitchfork, which debuted in October 1990. Their first studio album, Transnational Speedway League, was released three years later in 1993. To date, Clutch has released nine studio...
, Fear Factory
Fear Factory
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
, Pantera
Pantera
Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
, and Rammstein
Rammstein
Rammstein is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band from Berlin, formed in 1994. The band consists of members Till Lindemann , Richard Z. Kruspe , Paul H. Landers , Oliver "Ollie" Riedel , Christoph "Doom" Schneider and Christian "Flake" Lorenz...
.
WSOU has played a pivotal role in breaking bands and music genres within the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
market. It was one of the first to play punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
in the 1970s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
. Additionally, WSOU gave some of the first airtime to many commercial successes - Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
, Incubus
Incubus (band)
Incubus is an American rock band from Calabasas, California. The band was formed in 1991 by vocalist Brandon Boyd, lead guitarist Mike Einziger, and drummer Jose Pasillas while enrolled in high school and later expanded to include bassist Alex "Dirk Lance" Katunich, and Gavin "DJ Lyfe" Koppell;...
, System of a Down
System of a Down
System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
, Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
and Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
.
Specialty shows
WSOU broadcasts nightly "specialty shows", most of which are devoted entirely to a specific genre of music.Examples include:
- Punk University (Tuesday 8-10 p.m.) - Punk, hardcore, ska, dub, and reggae, including RancidRancid (band)Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
, The Misfits and Flogging MollyFlogging MollyFlogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-descendant band from Los Angeles, California, that is currently signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records.-Early years:...
. - Under the Stars (Tuesday 10-12a) - Post-hardcore and emo, including AlexisonfireAlexisonfireAlexisonfire was a five-piece, Juno-nominated post-hardcore band that formed in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada in 2001. The band consisted of George Pettit , Dallas Green , Wade MacNeil , Chris Steele , and Jordan Hastings .They describe their music as "the sound of two Catholic high-school girls...
, ThursdayThursday (band)Thursday were an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey. Formed in 1997, the group has released six full-length albums, their most recent being No Devolución, which was released in April 2011 on Epitaph Records...
and At the Drive-InAt the Drive-InAt the Drive-In was an American rock band from El Paso, Texas, considered part of the post-hardcore genre and active from 1993 to 2001. They were known for their extremely energetic stage shows which hearkened back to the 1980s hardcore scene...
.
- Street Patrol (Wednesday 8-10 p.m.) - Local, unsigned, underground artists within the metal genre.
- Vintage 80s (Thursday 8-10 p.m.) - Hair metal, new wave of British Heavy Metal, and early thrash, including Iron MaidenIron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, ExodusExodus (band)Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of over 30 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members. Guitarist Gary Holt remains the only constant member of the band,...
and OverkillOverkill (band)Overkill is an American thrash metal band, formed in 1980 in New Jersey. They have gone through many line-up changes, with singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and bassist D.D. Verni remaining from the original lineup. Along with Anthrax , the band is one of the most successful East Coast thrash metal...
. - Out of Babylon (Thursday 10 p.m. - midnight) - Christian metal and hardcore, including As I Lay DyingAs I Lay Dying (band)As I Lay Dying is an American metalcore band from San Diego, California. Founded in 2000 by Tim Lambesis and having completed their first Line-up in 2001, the band consists of vocalist Tim Lambesis, drummer Jordan Mancino, lead guitarist Nick Hipa, rhythm guitarist Phil Sgrosso, and bassist Josh...
and August Burns RedAugust Burns RedAugust Burns Red is an American metal band, from Manheim, Pennsylvania. Formed in 2003, the group began their first performances while a majority of the members were attending their senior year of high school, and soon began playing shows around Lancaster, before being signed to CI Records, and...
. - Blurred Visions (Friday 10 p.m. - midnight) - Doom metalDoom metalDoom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
, sludge metalSludge metalSludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that melds elements of doom metal and hardcore punk, and sometimes incorporates influences from southern rock, stoner rock and grunge. Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting...
, and post metal
Community programming
The current community programming lineup at WSOU includes:- The Global Current (7:30 a.m.), the weekly news magazine show of Seton Hall's John C. WhiteheadJohn C. WhiteheadJohn Cunningham Whitehead is an American banker and civil servant, currently a board member of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation and, until his resignation in May 2006, chairman of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation.-Biography:He was born in Evanston, Illinois...
School of Diplomacy, featuring world news presented and analyzed by students. - Pirate News Desk (8 a.m.), the weekly news magazine show of the WSOU News Department.
- Thank God For Monday (8:30 a.m.), a program dedicated to workplace satisfaction and career fulfillment, hosted by Seton Hall alumnus Brother Greg Cellini.
- Catholic Education Today & Tomorrow (8 a.m.), a half-hour interview program moderated by Msgr. Kevin Hanbury, the vicar of education/superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of Newark.
- The Kinship of Catholics and Jews (8:30 a.m.), a program presented by the Institute of Judeao-Christian Studies, Seton Hall UniversitySeton Hall UniversitySeton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
. Father Lawrence Frizzell, director of the institute, is the moderator of the program. - Celtic Heritage Hour (9 a.m. - 11 a.m.), a program with music, news and information for the Irish and Scottish communities.
- The Polish Polka Party (12 noon - 2 p.m.), currently the longest-running show on WSOU.
- Decompression with Frank Scafidi (10 - 11 p.m.), a one-hour showcase for jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and standardsStandard (music)In music, a standard is a tune or song of established popularity.-See also:* Blues standard* Jazz standard* Pop standard* Great American Songbook-Further reading:* Greatest Rock Standards, published by Hal Leonard ISBN 0793588391...
.
Syndicated programming
WSOU also offers a diverse lineup of syndicated shows, including several programs from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The list includes Lino at Large (Sundays, 7:30 a.m.), Personally Speaking with Msgr. Jim Lisante (Saturdays, 6 a.m.), Christopher Closeup (Saturdays) and Voices of Our World (Saturdays).
Sports programming
WSOU is also the leader in coverage of Seton Hall athletics. The sports department at WSOU broadcasts all home and away games for both men’s and women’s basketball, the school’s flagship sports. Also aired throughout the year are select games for men’s and women’s soccer and baseball.Online listening at WSOU.net increases significantly when men’s basketball games are broadcast. Following each men’s basketball game is Hall Line, a post game call-in show that allows Pirate fans the chance to share their thoughts about the game and/or the team. The show, which is hosted by student on-air talent, either in-studio or at the site of the game, has been on the air since the 1960s. It currently is the longest-running sports program at WSOU.
Along with Hall Line, WSOU also offers two Sunday evening sports talk shows hosted by students, From the Stands (pro sports talk) and Pirate Primetime (Seton Hall athletics talk).
Sports alumni
In its 60th year of broadcasting, WSOU has had many notable alumni start their sports broadcasting careers while students at Seton Hall University and members of the radio station. Several of these alumni are well known throughout sports, including Bob Ley
Bob Ley
Bob Ley is a sportscaster for ESPN. He, along with Chris Berman, is one of only two original SportsCenter anchors still with the network.-Biography:...
(ESPN), Bob Picozzi (ESPN), Jim Hunter (Baltimore Orioles broadcaster) and Matt Loughlin
Matt Loughlin
Matt Loughlin is an American sportscaster, and is the current radio play-by-play voice of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League on WFAN, where he is partnered with commentator Sherry Ross....
(New Jersey Devils radio personality).
WSOU-HD2
On July 1, 2009, WSOU launched WSOU-HD2, a 24/7 Catholic programming channel. It is accessible through an HD radioHD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
or through http://www.rcan.org/index.cfman online link posted on the lower left corner of the website of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Union, Hudson and Essex .-History:Originally established as the Diocese of...
].
Seton Hall University first made the decision to invest in HD radio technology for WSOU, as to keep it on the cutting edge of broadcast technology. As HD radio technology allows broadcasting on multiple channels, the university chose to reflect its commitment to the Catholic mission through this additional channel. WSOU Chief Engineer
Chief Engineer
In marine transportation, the chief engineer is a licensed mariner in charge of the engineering department on a merchant vessel. "Chief engineer" is the official title of someone qualified to oversee the entire engine department; the qualification is colloquially called a "chief's...
Frank Scafidi and Jim Malespina, chair of the WSOU Advisory Board, program the channel on a weekly basis. It operates out of the WSOU studios.
Programming highlights include:
- Daily MassMass (liturgy)"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
at 8 a.m. from Seton Hall's Chapel of the Immaculate Conception - Mornings with Mother, an EWTN program with Mother AngelicaMother AngelicaMother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, PCPA is an American Roman Catholic nun who founded the Eternal Word Television Network. In 1944 she entered the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, a Franciscan religious order for women, as a postulant, and a year later she was admitted to the order as a...
- Women of Grace
- EWTN Spanish programming during the overnight hours
- Catholic Answers Live
- Blocks of Christian rock and classical music in primetime
The station also broadcasts some of the WSOU-FM weekend community programs, including the Celtic Heritage Hour and the Kinship of Catholics and Jews.
History
WSOU began broadcasting on 89.5 FM on April 14, 1948 under the direction of Monsignor Thomas J. Gillhooly, the station’s first faculty director. It was the first college-owned FM station in New Jersey and one of the first FM stations in the United States.Given the assignment by then-Seton Hall University president Monsignor James Kelly to create a radio station, Monsignor Gillhooly got WSOU up and running in just three months and provided a steady hand during the station’s early days. Assisting Monsignor Gillhooly in building WSOU was the station’s longtime chief engineer Tom Parnham, who helped construct the station and then remained with WSOU. Parnham worked at WSOU from 1948 until his death in 1994.
WSOU began taking the shape of its current format in 1969, the first year it began to air rock and roll music. It embraced a hard rock and metal format starting in 1986.
Other station milestones include the move to stereo technology in the 1970s, the start of online streaming in the mid-1990s (among the first NJ stations to do so), and the move to digital HD radio technology in 2008.
In the 2000s, WSOU underwent amendments to its music format. At the request of university officials citing the Catholic mission of Seton Hall, certain bands were eliminated from regular rotation, while others were relegated to overnight airplay only. The most notable band that was eliminated from rotation was heavy metal act Slayer.
It is estimated that over 120,000 people listen to the station each week. Its 2,400-watt signal from the Seton Hall campus reaches all five boroughs of New York City and much of northern and central New Jersey.
WSOU’s studios were originally located in the basement of the university’s recreation center, part of its South Orange campus. In 1998, the station was moved to a state-of-the-art facility inside a new addition to the recreation center.
It operates there to this day, complete with three recording studios, a newsroom, the main on-air studio, the James Malespina Master Control Room, offices for student and station management, a classroom and the Dino and Diane Tortu Student Lounge.
WSOU has earned many honors and numerous awards over the years, including:
- Peabody AwardPeabody AwardThe George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
- CMJ College Station of the Year (multiple times)
- Friday Morning Quarterback Metal Station of the Year (three consecutive times)
- Recipient of over 30 gold and platinum records, ranging from Iron Maiden to Linkin Park
- Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
rock magazine distinction as a “Top 5 radio stations in the country” - Best College Radio Station in Playboy, May 2010
WSOU and Seton Hall University
WSOU has been a crucial part of the Seton Hall University community since its inception. In its current format, all of the station's DJs, newscasters, sportscasters and engineers are enrolled students at the university (with the exception of weekend community programmers, though many are Seton Hall alumni).Additionally, students are elected to one-year management terms to head the station - specifically the programming, music, promotions, news and sports departments. Through the students and the community programmers, the station stays live on the air 24/7, 365 days a year.
Since its inception, WSOU has always been a student-run radio station and, to this day, Seton Hall University owns the station’s FM license.
Although a noncommercial station, WSOU’s management and staff structure is modeled on commercial radio, which provides students with enriching career-oriented educational experiences. Opportunities for student staff members include on-air hosting (DJ), production, promotion, newscasting, sportscasting, programming, sales and marketing, and engineering. WSOU draws students from all university colleges and programs, including communications, business, biology, education, nursing, sports management and diplomacy.
The WSOU student staff also participate with many university events, such as the annual University Day homecoming weekend.
WSOU mission statement
The following Mission Statement concerning the nature of WSOU is taken from the WSOU-FM Task Force (August, 1988):The Mission of WSOU-FM is:
To provide students with an educational experience in a co-curricular activity which is both pedagogically sound and professionally realistic;
To foster the image of Seton Hall University as a principled institution of higher education committed to teaching in the real world; and
To provide the university and the immediate community of northern New Jersey’s metropolitan area with public service in broadcasting that meets the public’s interests, convenience and needs.
Notable alumni
For more than 60 years, WSOU has been mentoring and graduating students who go on successful careers in the news, broadcast, music and entertainment industries. The following is a sampling of the many noteworthy station alumni- Anthony Delia, National Manager, Atlantic Records
- Bill Rock, Promotional voice of NBC Nightly News and former WNBC/WYNY DJ
- Bernie WagenblastBernie WagenblastBernhard Robert Wagenblast is the founder and editor of the Transportation Communications Newsletter , an e-mail publication with over 7,000 subscribers as of January 2008 which is distributed via Yahoo Groups and Google Groups Monday through Friday...
, 1010 WINS/Metro Networks Traffic Reporter - Bob LeyBob LeyBob Ley is a sportscaster for ESPN. He, along with Chris Berman, is one of only two original SportsCenter anchors still with the network.-Biography:...
, ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
Sports Center Anchor - Bob Picozzi,ESPN Radio & TV, former Sports Anchor on ESPN's Mike & Mike National Radio Program
- Bob Salter, WFANWFANWFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
Host - Bob Windrem, Senior Producer (Investigations Unit), NBC Nightly News
- Bob WusslerRobert WusslerRobert J. Wussler was a journalist, executive, and co-founder of CNN.- Early life and education :Wussler was born in Newark, New Jersey and attended Seton Hall University.- Career :...
, Former President, CBS Television Network; Co-founder of CNN (deceased) - Brandi Ferraro, Evening Host on New York’s 102.7 Fresh FM
- Bryan DeNovellis, Weekend Sports Anchor, News 12 New Jersey
- Chris Perucich, Executive Producer, Clear Channel New York
- Christina Deyo, TV Producer (Martha Stewart Show, Rosie O'Donnel Show)
- Christina Stoffo, Metro Networks, Traffic reporter for 1050 ESPN Radio and Channel 5, New York
- Dan Blackman, Afternoon Drive Host, Philadelphia’s B101
- Dan Turi, Program Director/Afternoon Drive The Breeze WWZY 107.1/99.7-FM
- Dave Packer, former 102.7 Fresh FM’s Morning Man
- Donna FiduciaDonna FiduciaDonna Fiducia is an American media personality who worked in New York television and radio for 26 years.Fiducia gained international recognition when she was hired by The Fox News Channel, New York, NY in September 1999 as an anchor and live host. In 2003, she was reassigned to overnight duty...
, Former Fox News Channel Anchor and NYC Television Personality - Frank Garrity, 1010Wins Sports Anchor
- Gary Susalis, Senior Manager of Music Programming, Music Choice
- George Meade, News Anchor/Reporter WOR-AM (retired)
- Glenn Schuck, 1010Wins Reporter/Metro Networks News Director
- Jackie Kajzer, Host of nationally syndicated program Full Metal JackieFull Metal JackieFull Metal Jackie, Jackie Kajzer, is the host and creator of the nationally accredited and syndicated radio metal show, Full Metal Jackie. She is known for her unique playlists and detailed interviews with legendary rock artists, including Ozzy Osbourne, Slayer, Zakk Wylde and Children of Bodom....
- Jen Kajzer, Emmis Communications, NYC
- Jewelz Lopez, DJ, WYUU, Tampa, FL (formerly on NY’s WKTU-FM & Pulse FM)
- Jim Hunter, Play-by-Play Announcer, Baltimore Orioles
- Joe Guzik, SVP Promotion & Integrated Marketing, Red Bull Records
- Joe Nolan, WABC-TV and WPJL Traffic Reporter
- Joey Wahler, WFAN Sports Anchor
- John Kobylt, KFI talk show host
- Kim Mulligan, Co-Host, WDHA's Morning Jolt
- Linda Fowler, Arts & Entertainment Editor, Newark Star-Ledger (retired)
- Marc Rivieccio, Director of Promotions, Clear Channel Radio New York
- Mark St. GermainMark St. Germain-Career:He has written Camping With Henry And Tom , Out of Gas On Lover’s Leap, Forgiving Typhoid Mary , Ears On A Beatle, The God Committee, The Collyer Brother At Home, The Gifts of The Magi , The Book of the Dun Cow,...
, Playwright - Matt DeVoti, General Sales Managers WDHA/WMTR, former DJ WNEW & WOBM
- Matt LoughlinMatt LoughlinMatt Loughlin is an American sportscaster, and is the current radio play-by-play voice of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League on WFAN, where he is partnered with commentator Sherry Ross....
, New Jersey DevilsNew Jersey DevilsThe New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
radio Play-by-Play Announcer - Mike DePippa, Sony/Epic Records Vice President, Rock & Alternative
- Paul "Mr." Roper, Erie OttersErie OttersThe Erie Otters are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League . Based in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA, they have played their home games at the Louis J. Tullio Arena since 1996...
radio/TV play-by-play announcer, former Trenton Devils radio play-by-play - Pat Parson, Former WCBS-AM News Anchor (deceased)
- Pete TaurielloPete TaurielloPete Tauriello is a veteran traffic anchor on 1010 WINS, WKXW and several other radio stations in the New York City area including a few years on the Z-100 "Morning Zoo." He has also served as a traffic reporter on WWOR-TV and more recently on WNBC-TV's "Today In New York."Tauriello graduated from...
, 1010 WINS/Metro Networks Traffic Reporter - Richard Oppenheimer, Retired Radio Station Group Owner
- Rob Moorhead, WNNJ-FM DJ, former host of the "Big Greasy Breakfast" show WDHA
- Robert DesiderioRobert DesiderioRobert Desiderio is an American actor best known for his television roles.Desiderio was born in New York City, New York, the son of Mary and Anthony J. Desiderio. He first came to prominence in soap opera, with parts in daytime dramas such as Search for Tomorrow, Ryan's Hope and One Life to Live...
, Actor - Sal Petruzzi, Senior Vice President, Public Relations, Turner Broadcasting
- Stephanie Wightman, MSNBC, WNYC-AM/FM