Just in case some of the students of Northeastern Illinois are unaware and question the fact. Yes, the school does have a radio station, call sign WZRD and broadcasting at 88.3 MHz.
WZRD can probably be thought of as an escape form the common radio station. The station, because it’s fully funded by the school and run by students, allows it to run in freeform format, free of sponsors and commercials. A release from stations which always seem to be flooded with “words from our sponsor” or “don’t turn that dial we’ll be back after this”.
The Freeform format allows the students that run the station to have free reign on what goes on the air. The music is mostly things not heard on the mainstream radio; it’s very diverse and might be something that interest the passerby music lover, especially those who have already given up on radio all together as stick to their iPods. Since mainstream stations seam to play only the “same five songs fifteen times a day for three months”, WZRD DJs, known as wizards, remedy the situation. The WZRD website states, “Now we understand that [INSERT GENRE HERE] isn’t everyone’s thing, so if you’re not diggin’ what we’re playing, go ahead and switch your radio dial over to something else, but tune back in to WZRD 5 minutes later and you’ll probably hear something completely different.”
Whenever the station isn’t running music it hosts a TV/radio news programs Democracy Now! Mon – Fri From 8am – 9am, Free Speech Radio from 4:30 – 5 pm, repeating again at 9:30, and Thursday Night Live where the station welcomes a live band to perform, free to any genre.
For students who want to join or learn more about the station, WZRD is open to all students regardless of major join and located at Student Lounge under Beck’s Bookstore, near Health Services.