The past and present life of Notre Dame’s only student-run radio station
In the 1940s, WSND-AM—the carrier current of Notre Dame’s radio broadcaster—found a home in an old practice gym at the Field House, which is now obsolete. However, when O’Shaughnessy Hall was built, then-University President Father Theodore Hesburgh, CSC, gave WSND-AM a home in the building’s clock tower. From that initiative, WSND-AM eventually became WVFI: The Voice of the Fighting Irish, founded by their parent company WSND.
In the 1950s, many college broadcasting stations were seen as an “interference” for commercial radio, but Fr. Hesburgh’s persistent opposition to this claim preserved the AM carrier system, allowing for continued broadcasting success. An FM station was later made possible after he accumulated $25,000 in grant funding for WVFI.
Father Hesburgh not only listened to student shows, he also encouraged them to do meaningful fundraising for important initiatives by making special announcements on air asking for donations. He would often call in on student radio shows and comment on the music being played and topics being discussed on air.
In 2000, WVFI began broadcasting exclusively online, and in the 2005-2006 school year, it had a staff of over 130 students broadcasting daily from 10 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. The club continues to grow in number each year. WVFI not only plays a wide variety of music, but also features programming slots of talk, comedy, sports, and classic rock shows.
The Rover talked with WVFI’s current president, Notre Dame senior Christopher Revord, about interesting WVFI initiatives. Revord said WVFI has continued to heed Fr. Hesburgh’s suggestion to use the student-run radio station not only to play great music but also to raise money for charitable foundations.
“This year marks the third consecutive year in which WVFI will have a radiothon to raise money for La Casa de Amistad, a local westside South Bend organization that functions as a youth center. We raise money by constantly making announcements on air and by interviewing famous celebrities, musicians, actors, who speak about our cause and help bring awareness to it,” Revord explain.
This year, WVFI will interview Flea (from the Red Hot Chili Peppers), The Struts, Corbin Bleu, Josh Brener (from Silicon Valley), Smallpools, Sean Flynn (Chase from Zoey 101), Rob Fee, Reel Big Fish, and Stephen Rannazzisi (from The League). The artists promote the charitable effort in a way relatable to current students and a diverse groups of listeners.
Last year, WVFI raised $4,000 through this initiative. Revord told the Rover, “It’s fairly easy to get help from these celebrities because they are usually pretty excited to do something for a good cause.”
This year’s radiothon will occur on April 17 from noon to 10 p.m. This semester, WVFI also is sponsoring a concert by the indie pop band, BØRNS, on March 31.
Revord was very pleased with the variety of shows put on by students this year. From classical music shows, to sports shows, WVFI has it all. “I went on a few road trips to Fenway Park with a few other broadcasters as a WVFI representative and Notre Dame paid for it. It was a really cool experience,” he said.
When asked why he saw WVFI as a powerful and relevant student run radio club Revord said, “People overlook the importance and unique aspect of radio because everyone has Spotify accounts and their own iTunes playlists, but by hearing other people’s cool music taste, you can discover new music and further develop your own musical taste.”
WVFI has its own Facebook page and all of its shows can be accessed live at http://wvfi.nd.edu/. The studio is located on the second floor of LaFortune. The entrance walls are painted bright green with hanging records. The studio houses over a thousand records and CDs, a turntable, and lounging space. WVFI also sells a wide variety of apparel and can offer WVFI magnets, stickers, and pens.
Crystal Avila is a junior studying Film and Television. She encourages all of you to listen WVFI’s radio shows, especially her and Sophie Buono’s show, Since the Seventh Grade, Sundays at 9 p.m. She hopes that the rumor of a new Strokes single is actually true! If you have any music suggestions or need any, contact her at cavila3@nd.edu.
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