University of Tampa’s WUTT has its history, but is still fighting to gain popularity around campus.
UT junior Rodner Salgado says he is aware that the university has a radio station, but is not familiar with their broadcasts.
“I don’t know exactly what kind of music or shows they play, but if they’re any good, hell yeah! For sure, I would love to hear my friends and other local bands on the radio.”
The University Broadcast Service was founded by Roy McGillivray in 1946.
The station was originally named WTUN, channel 88.9 FM.
It broadcasted weekly service and public programs and sports shows.
“Spartan Sports” was one of its first programs and featured nationally famous sports figures.
WFLA built and equipped a studio at UT in 1951.
By Christmas Day 1952, the University’s 1,000 watt WTUN (Tampa University), went on the air at 105.7 FM, broadcasting out of the second floor studios in Plant Hall.
The station would change frequency in 1953 to 88.9 and remain there for many years.
WTUN was the state’s most powerful educational station at the time, with over 30 different shows each week.
Today, under the new name of WUTT, over twenty shows go live every week on 1080AM and cable channel 95, where students can also see a scrolling TV guide-like program schedule.
Students that participate can even register to receive course credits.
WUTT is completely student-run and gives anyone interested the opportunity to host a show and gain live radio experience.
The programs cover a wide variety of musical tastes, “everything from hip hop, to oldies” says UT faculty advisor and adjunct professor Valerie Ingram-Hinkley.
“If you’re in the class, you have to have a show, but you don’t have to be in the class.
Any UT student can volunteer.
They can also play whatever music they want, but like I always tell them, don’t play anything your mother wouldn’t want to hear.”
WUTT hosts events and broadcasts daily on campus, Monday through Friday from 10a.m. to 10 p.m.
This Veteran’s Day, WUTT will be hosting an event in the Vaughn courtyard with possible live music.
UT sophomore Ali Cloutier frequently visits the gym and pool on campus and said she would like to hear the station for herself. “I think it’d be really cool to have WUTT’s shows play on campus, as long as the music is good and they talk about interesting things, [like] updating us on stuff going on around campus.”
That’s exactly what WUTT strives to do.
Communications student and WUTT radio host Anthony Rodriguez says the station “promotes all club meetings and anything else that gets sent out in the global email each week.”
“I have a show on Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. to noon called UT’s Underground,” Rodriguez says. “My co-host is Sheaya Dawn and our show promotes artists who haven’t been signed yet.”
For any new band, air time is the goal.
“You cannot hear anything we play on commercial radio — we’ve brought local artists into the studio and even UT’s own B-Neg with his hit song ‘Dance Floor.’”
Music major Gordon Bonnett thinks that WUTT’s broadcasts should play on the air waves around campus.
Gordon plays guitar in the band 20/20 Boulevard, which has performed on the UT campus.
“It’s a big deal to local bands that they get their music heard. Of course, the music is hit-or-miss, but people should open their ears and minds to new music.”
Music-based programs are not the only shows on air.
“Barry and I are starting a new show called Guy Time,” says Rodriguez. “We’re going to talk about ‘guy stuff’ and play ‘guy music.’ Yes,” he adds, “this will be a controversial show. Tune in Tuesday from noon to one.
Rodriguez says he would like for all the hard work put into planning and airing these shows to be worthwhile.
“Its annoying because we try and get our station played on campus, but we always get shut down. The gym says they have satellite radio. The pool’s radio is always broken when we ask. And Spartan Club says they don’t know when we are on. We give them schedules and they usually say, ‘We’ll see what we can do.’”
If WUTT’s campaign to play their station on campus is successful, it’d be possible to hear the station while grabbing a snack in Spartan Club or lounging by the pool.
Rodriguez says Student Government is equally as supportive of the station playing in public places on campus.
“SG [said] that it ‘sounds like a good idea,’ but nothing happens. We ask them again and again, but they brush us off. SG is always trying to figure out ways to boost school spirit. To do that, they need a voice, and WUTT is that voice.”
Sophie Erber can be reached at serber@spartans.ut.edu.