Big Red Radio!

WPEA’s production manager discusses the radio station’s impact and reveals its new look.

By
Matt Kang ‘19
April 8, 2019
Matt Kang at WPEA.

Call me old school, but you’ll never find me without a jotter and pen in my back pocket. In an environment that constantly gives me opportunities to learn, I need a place to store my thoughts before they get pushed out of my mind by clubs, committees and classes.

Trying to keep up with the constant rhythm of Exeter, I find myself searching for the space or time to revisit my thoughts, to answer the questions that I’m curious about, even if it’s only for an instant. I often only find the time to scribble down a word or a fragment of a thought in my jotter with the intent of someday returning to it. But with WPEA, I get the chance to catch my breath and attain that “someday.” During my show, “The Back Burner,” I reflect on thoughts about, say, economics, or questions about what that little pocket in my jeans is for, or if there really are no numbers with the letter A before 1,000. Or even how many calories a blue whale can eat in a mouthful. (The pocket was designed to hold your stopwatch, there are no As, and that’s half a million calories per mouthful, by the way.)

Radio has always been a third space for me, from when I was ten and falling asleep to the radio, to now when I tune into a podcast at the gym. But, it was only at Exeter that I realized the joy of simply sitting down and talking into a microphone. While I loved, and still love radio, just because it has remained a constant in my life, that doesn’t mean that it can’t change.

WPEA is proud to announce that the radio station is rebranding, complete with a new transmitter, slogan and logo. The station is upgrading to a model Ecreso FM 300 made by WorldCast Systems, a 300W capable transmitter. The new transmitting equipment will ensure that our shows broadcast with greater sound quality and reliability, especially during cold New England winters.

WPEA logoIn deciding to move forward, we have also taken this opportunity to look back. Our logo, designed by Hector Cruz ’16, was rediscovered this year as we looked for a new way to represent the station. Designing this logo was one of Cruz’s last acts as a WPEA board member in 2015-16. Even after passing the torch from board to board, Cruz’s passion for visual design continues to impact our station, helping WPEA to take another step in adapting to the world around it.

Finally, we are proud to reveal our new slogan. So the next time you’re listening on air, just know that you’re listening to: WPEA 90.5, Big Red Radio!

35

average number of WPEA shows per term

A few standout shows

“Wicked Good Sports Talk”
“Art Heist”
“Albums Still Matter”