Album 88’s Comeback
With fifty student DJs, fourteen specialty shows, new merch, and the return of WRASFest, Atlanta’s college radio icon is having a bit of a Renaissance.
WRAS , Georgia State University’s student-funded radio station, is having a comeback. Ten years after Georgia Public Broadcasting assumed control of its daytime analog signal, and four years after Covid forced automation to take charge, WRAS is once again a live college radio station.
“Yes, you are hearing more student DJs!” Program Director Blue Tannery told me via email.
“The number wiggles, and attendance isn’t always quite 100%, but that represents about fifty student DJs, excluding specialty programming after 7pm. Adding in management and faculty advisors, the station has a staff of about 65 people.”
“I don’t have access to robust staff numbers from the pre-GPB era, but my impression is that we hovered around 90–95% capacity, with the gaps mostly on graveyard shifts. The schedule was also structured such that fewer total rotation DJ slots were available.”
While not back to its pre-2014 numbers that’s still quite a turnaround from just three years ago.
“I think the low point was during the ‘21–22 school year, something like a 15–20% capacity. I’m very happy we’ve been able to bounce back!!”
Tannery says the rotation schedule is about 80% full, “a highwater mark last reached circa 2017.”
The station still airs 24 hours a day, including daytime regular rotation, via streaming and the WRAS HD-2 radio subchannel.
GPB airs NPR programming from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the main 88.5 frequency. After 7, Album 88 takes back the analog with an evening schedule of specialty shows.
Student interest is up.
“We haven’t had problems in the last few years with recruiting, and we’ve received enthusiastic support from the student body when we engage them. As the university has grown, though, the relative size of Album 88’s footprint on campus has gotten smaller.”
But is college radio still relevant in the streaming era?
“Streaming has definitely impacted how most students interact with music. That being said, I have a Spotify playlist five hours long with tracks that I’ve found from the station. When students are made aware, it becomes a powerful tool for music discovery.”
The station still gets sent music daily with promoters and distributors submitting both digital and physical copies. The station also makes itself available to independent submissions. “This keeps the music department busy…”
Tannery says the rotation playlist has extensive human input. “Its variety of sources and influences, both from the music department and from the opinions and suggestions of the DJ staff, keep it fresh and engaging.”
As for the specialty shows, there are currently fourteen.
“Three slots per night gives twenty-one weekly slots, but it’s structured to allow for more one-off programs, and we’re occasionally preempted by sports programming, so that number isn’t always realistic.”
“Most of the philosophy for specialty programming is precedent, student taste, how accessible a genre is, and how well it fits into the schedule.
“Our most recent launch is Surf’n’Turf 88 hosted by DJ Salad on Thursdays, with a surf/ska/garage theme. The oldest still-running program is Melodically Challenged with Dr. Kat Kincer on Tuesdays, which launched circa 2005. That’s a variety show with an emphasis on poetry.”
WRASFest, the station’s live concert event, returns this Saturday with both free programming outdoors in GSU’s Hurt Park and a ticketed concert at the Masquerade’s new Altar venue in Underground Atlanta.
The lineup was being unveiled all week on the station’s social media pages:
So, about GPB
As chronicled on this blog, GPB is currently in the midst of a significant strategic planning process after a tumultuous 2023. That included a cut to its state funding, the cancellation of its main locally produced radio show, and the retirement of longtime CEO Teya Ryan who, along with GSU’s previous President Mark Becker, pushed for the controversial agreement in 2014.
I asked, gently, if Album 88 is involved.
“Album 88 isn’t included in any of GPB’s strategic discussions. We have no reason to expect our funding from them will change in the near future, nor do we assume student interests play a role in their decision-making. We do have a relationship with management on 14th St and have been able to work together, but I don’t think we’re considered stakeholders.”
The viability of an old medium
WRAS is now over fifty and terrestrial radio is in decline.
But like that other throwback to the last century vinyl records, it remains a great way to listen to music and, when done well, still has the potential to break new artists, build communities around subgenres, and support a local music scene.
Once an oasis from commercial stations, college radio can now be an alternative to the algorithm.
