KGSM presents Radio Lab, a series on science and culture
Gustavus’ KGSM Radio has successfully collaborated with the Public Radio Exchange, New York Public Radio and National Public Radio to feature the series Radio Lab during the first annual KGSM Week. Aside from broadcasting Radio Lab, KGSM Week will consist of a week’s worth of special programming and evening activities that culminate with Friday’s Relay for Life and Saturday’s Ben Folds concert.
Radio Lab is a liberal arts program with investigatory, documentary-like content related to science, humanities and the human experience. Topics include ideas and questions about morality and deception, how memory works, why we sleep, why songs get stuck in people’s heads and others. It provides a contemporary view of cultural curiosities and offers investigations, proof and conclusions from the mouths of field professionals. In its own style, Radio Lab is highly unique.
Junior KGSM station manager Greg Boone, a Communication Studies and Political Science double major, said, “Radio Lab is one of the best things on the radio right now…[it’s] the best of what’s going on in the radio journalism industry.” Radio Lab’s latest season of five shows will be aired at 9:00 p.m. each weeknight from April 14 through April 20. After KGSM Week, the show will be aired Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m.
This will be the first time that KGSM has licensed an NPR program. First-year student and KGSM DJ Emma Squire said, “Radio Lab is basically the gateway drug into public radio.” Squire and Boone hope that the broadcasting of such a popular program tailored to the interests of students will boost KGSM listeners. Special Valentine’s Day programming increased the audience significantly.
KGSM hopes to create a similar effect with the promotion of KGSM Week. The conception of the week came from Boone and fellow DJ, Junior Communication Studies major Spencer Broughten. Over January Interim Experience, they had the intent to expose the campus to KGSM and create a more solid reputation for the station.
Senior Communication Studies major and KGSM Music Director Josh Orpen hopes that KGSM Week will “not only raise community awareness of the station, but also allow people to experience and appreciate the value of college radio.”
Monday, the first night of KGSM Week, will be the campus Media Night—an open house showcasing all campus media.
Tuesday will be a night of musical chairs, with Music Directors Leigh Ann Mason, Anna Dzurik and Josh Orpen. “I have to give credit to Anna for her brilliant idea of musical chairs, which is something that, I think, we all remember playing back in grade school. If you didn’t, then you really missed out,” said Orpen. The event will be from 8:00-9:00 p.m. in the Courtyard Café. Prizes for this event will include KGSM t-shirts.
Wednesday will feature the CAB Coffeehouse event: Ben Folds Cover Night, which is an event for Gustavus students to perform covers of their favorite Ben Folds songs.
On Thursday, KGSM will bring Gary Gilbertson of Wisconsin Radio Network to campus. Gilbertson received the 2007 Media Person of the Year award. His on-air programs include sports and news.
The last day of KGSM Week, Friday, will be the apex of the week. It will consist of three hours of KGSM programming—live at Relay for Life—from 4:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. The crew will provide music as well as live programs.
Listeners can tune in to Radio Lab by visiting kgsm.gac.edu, beginning at 9:00 p.m. on Monday, April 14.
Photo by: Alex Stassen