Duke Employees Share WXDU Airwaves

Jack Edinger always wanted to be a radio announcer but never had time in college to try it out. Now, thanks to Duke, he's fulfilled that dream.

Edinger, a graphic designer with the Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies, is one of about a dozen Duke faculty and staff who step behind a microphone and broadcast to an audience of thousands from Duke's radio station, WXDU. Unlike most college radio stations, WXDU encourages participation not just from students, but from everyone in the Duke community.

"This is something I always had in the back of my mind as something I wanted to do," said Edinger, 35. "Because of open policy, I knew I could take advantage of it and that I'd enjoy doing it."

Edinger creates and schedules public service announcements as public service director for the station and hosts a show on alternating Tuesday evenings.

Overall, faculty and staff comprise about a quarter of WXDU's staff of 60 volunteer DJs. WXDU was originally founded as WCDC in 1947 by three Duke students. It became WXDU in 1983 when it was approved for an FM frequency at 88.7. The station now plays a variety of music throughout the day -- from rock to bluegrass to hip hop -- all of which Edinger said makes the job more fun because of the eclectic nature of the station's music choices.

To join the WXDU staff, Duke community members can receive training at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters and during the summer. To get on-air, new DJs complete six weeks of training that include practice runs of what they would do during a show: play music from CDs and talk during music breaks. Faculty and staff can also volunteer with WXDU's community affairs committee or join the music selection staff.

Stephen Conrad, 31, a clerk with Duke University Stores, has been a member of the WXDU staff for more than seven years. He hosts a regular shift of eclectic rock on Thursday nights, a special garage rock show on Sunday nights and helps to select music the station plays as co-music director for the station. He said the fact that anyone from Duke can get on-air, help pick music or promote the station only makes it better and strengthens the relationship with Durham.

"I feel more of a part of the Duke community because of WXDU," Conrad said. "If I just worked here, I wouldn't feel as part of the campus, but I feel more close to Duke by working with WXDU."