The call letters that I knew were WDFM. While working for
The Daily Collegian, I met the station's Steve Rubin, also covering the event. He was the News Director and told me I was welcome to join the staff. I hesitated because I was with the paper and was unsure about my speaking voice.
FM. While covering something for
A little later I took a break from the
Collegian, and went up to the WDFM studios in the Sparks Building. The place taught me a lot, and prepared me for my future in ways that I never imagined.
My first time on live radio occurred when I checked my box before an evening newscast. Whoever was to have done it was not there. The station manager gleefully gave me some wire stories (the old rip and read) and told me not to laugh at the strange one they found for the end.
Soon afterward I did Public Affairs, which meant selecting an hour's worth of programming to satisfy the FCC requirements. The I was asked to do the Fine Arts; that was the Third Program, the classical music show. The name came from the BBC, although it wasa
Programme.
All I knew about classical music was how to pronounce most of the names. Gradually I learned about the music, straightened out the filing system of albums, and managed a staff of music majors.
Along the way I developed my radio voice (friends did not recognize me), acquired some composure (being mooned while doing the news was part of that), and made some friends. Steve Rubin became a groomsman at my wedding and I am in touch with Lou Kolb and Jim Cameron. on Facebook. Jim and I go all the way back to high school.
Since I have spent a lot of time leading worship, speaking to a class, and writing/reading to classical music, WDFM did a lit for me. I was not surprised to learn that Penn State had been a leader in student broadcasting.
http://news.psu.edu/story/477055/2017/08/14/campus-life/new-historical-marker-celebrates-student-broadcasting
