Did you know NJCU had a radio station studio located on the third floor of GSUB? Did you know that it used to function regularly? If you didn’t know, you’re not alone.

In 2011, WKGR (the Gothic Knight Radio student-run station) received a $4,000 budget from the SGO to update equipment and buy other things for future events. Even with updated equipment the radio station still seemed to hit rock bottom.

A number of factors contribute to this. Who knew we even had a radio station on campus? The fact that GSUB was the only building where you were able to hear the broadcast is another possible reason. We want to hear the broadcast all over campus, not from the confines of one building.

SGO previously funded the station, but money alone can’t keep an organization up and running.

According to SGO Advisor, Scott Siegel, “At this time, there are a number of factors that play into the radio station not being active. First and foremost, student interest in reviving the radio station has been virtually non-existent, and those who do ask have not followed through. We also no longer own the rights to the WKGR signal, and the radio station equipment on the GSUB 3rd floor is outdated. That being said, the trend now-a-days seems to be leaning more towards podcasts and there are opportunities for involvement. Campus Life has hosted pod casts in the past and SGO has fairly new recording equipment that is open for students to use as well.”

Low student involvement is a likely contribution to the fall of WKGR as well. Between work, social life, family duties, clubs or sports and schoolwork, it’s hard to fit in extracurricular activities.

Grasiela Molina, sophomore SGO member, said “Originally we had a student running multiple types of broadcasts, music, interviews with students. He left the school and nobody ever replaced him.”

We need to rally together, round up a group of dedicated individuals who have an interest in broadcasting and production and take back the phantom radio station. This is a tremendous opportunity for our voices to be heard, to promote our interests, businesses or passions.

Get involved with the university community. We want our radio, and we want it NOW.