Hi all,
So as everyone probably knows, CMJ's 2014 College Radio Award nominations are up now. I've never been much for campaigning -- you should vote for who you think deserves something, not who campaigns the hardest! -- but I'd like to send a reminder about what WVFS has gotten accomplished these past few months, in the hopes that we'll be considered for Biggest Improvement.
From what I understand, this award often goes to younger stations that are just starting up, but DID YOU KNOW that WVFS has a new website? If you've called me in the past few weeks, you do, but just a reminder: it took three years to get that up, and in doing so, we went from this to this. That alone seems like enough in my book, but if it isn't for you, know also that we got a new board for the first time since 1997, and made a jump in our production studio from using a 12-year-old computer with SoundForge and Vegas on it, to an iMac with Logic Pro X. We also started making videos! I'm also happy to say that we've mended what was, for a few years, a tenuous relationship with FSU's on-campus concert venue, and that this Fall we will be hosting our annual Birthday Bash show there with an internationally-known touring act -- Cymbals Eat Guitars! (last year, we were not able to do this, and instead hosted a local show at a smaller off-campus venue)
If you don't think Biggest Improvement is for us, OR you'd like to vote for us in two categories, I would also point out that we'd also make a great choice for Biggest Champion Of The Local Scene. If you've ever asked me what I was listening to, odds are that you've heard of a Tallahassee band you wouldn't have known otherwise. Just two weeks ago, the band that headlined our summer event, Ex-Breathers, became the first Tallahassee act in years to be posted on Pitchfork. If I haven't told you about Ex-Breathers, I've probably told you about southern psych kings Surface To Air Missive, the emo sadboys in Send Away Stranger, FL's finest chiptuners in Melt Channel, or any number of other up-and-coming acts like SALES or Buffalo Buffalo.
Admittedly, that probably wasn't the most recognizable list of names you've seen in one of these pitches, but all things considered, I think that's just another reason to vote WVFS Biggest Champion Of The Local Scene. We aren't a station that has the fortune of being located in New York or Austin or Seattle or Durham -- we don't have those kinds of resources or perception to work with, but we do our damndest to support what we have. We add so much local stuff here, in the past couple of months, I've only found one week when we didn't have anything local in the top 10 of our charts, and this summer we had a different local band play live in our studio every week. Nominating us would be a way to shine a little light on a place that could really use it.
Am I eligible for Rookie Of The Year, since I just started in May? Do I deserve it? I don't know. I won't pretend that I know what most other stations are like, or almost anything about other Music Directors. But I do all the listening at WVFS by myself, and I helped facilitate all of the changes mentioned above. Plus, I always hit you back if I miss a call (but you know this).
Everyone probably thinks they have the "Best Taste In Music," but if you want to know more about mine, my Last.fm is here and I have writing up at One Week One Band, Beats Per Minute (formerly One Thirty BPM) and elsewhere. Here are some of my playlists for various genre-oriented shows at WVFS that I have DJed (you should be able to tell which genre by the show names and what's played. If not, information on shows is up at our new website).
WVFS hasn't been nominated for anything in the past few years. Our school is not very cooperative in funding us, to say the least. If you think we deserve it, throw us a nomination so we can have something! If you don't, it won't change how hard we work, but it'd be nice to be recognized for something.
Thanks!
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