WIUX’s history at IU, beginning in January 1963, entered a new chapter this month with a physical move of the radio station studios from its 41-year-long home at 815 E. Eighth St. to 715 E. Eighth St.
Carolyn Suna, IU senior and general manager of WIUX, said the alumni will do the first radio shows out of the new house, which she feels is the best way to christen it as WIUX’s home.
“It’s unreal to see the people who laid the foundation come back and do shows because they haven’t lost a beat,” Suna said. “I listened to part of Alumni Weekend online last year, and it was incredible and is definitely some of our best ?programming.”
Don Worsham, a former DJ at the station, said he has attended previous Alumni Weekends and usually 50 to 75 alumni are present. He said it is nice to see old friends, go to Nick’s English Hut and to meet the next generation of WIUX ?broadcasters.
“By 1970 standards, WIUS could have competed in any major market with an extremely well-managed news department, a very creative team for commercial production and a well-conceived format playing Top 40 and album rock,” Worsham said.
The station changed its call letters to WIUX in March 2005 when the station obtained an FCC license to commemorate WQAX, an independent radio station that broadcast in Bloomington from 1973 to 1993.
“I love coming back and seeing IU again and seeing all that has and hasn’t changed,” 1975 graduate Greg Barman said.
1974 graduate Bob Rodenkirk said his experience of joining WIUS was different from most. He said he wanted to be a walk-on football player, but, because of a knee injury during practice, he was unable to play.
“One of the guys I was with worked at WIUS and basically dared me to do a better job,” Rodenkirk said. “I went down to the station to have my first broadcast and was hooked.”
Rodenkirk said his favorite memory of WIUS was the staff putting him in a bathtub on his 21st birthday during Little 500 week.
“I double majored in history and journalism, but everyone knows my real major was radio,” he said.
Greg Barman, a 1975 graduate, said he is more impressed with what hasn’t changed in the station — the current staff’s dedication and care of the station and the idea that radio can still be entertaining and relevant.
Worsham said that during Alumni Weekend former student DJs are in charge of the radio station, and listeners are able to send song requests to wiusrequest@gmail.com during the radio show ?8 p.m. to midnight Saturday.
