New Rowan Radio Archive captures recent history of University - through sound

Courier Post Online, December 13, 2009

For 45 years, Rowan Radio 89.7 WGLS-FM has captured the unique sound of Rowan University. Now, fans of the award-winning radio station can hear long-ago broadcasts of key University events through the station's new Rowan Radio Archive.

On the archive, which student staffers have been building over the past few years, listeners can hear everything from the first-ever Rowan Radio interview with Rowan President Donald Farish in 1999 to sound from the station's 40th anniversary celebration in 2004 to a 2002 broadcast that commemorated the first anniversary of Sept. 11.

The archive, which is still growing, can be found at http://wgls.rowan.edu/podcasts.html.

The new archive not only works to educate current students, faculty and staff about the University's rich history, but also helps alumni relive some of the most important days of their collegiate careers, says WGLS-FM General Manager Frank Hogan.

“Some of the programming on the archive dates back to the early 1990s and we're looking to go back even further. I've already heard from alumni from the 1980s who want to contribute to it,” says Hogan, noting that Rowan Radio interviews with broadcasting greats Dick Vitale and the late Harry Kalas will be added to the archive in the future.

“This will be an ongoing project for us,” adds Hogan, general manager of WGLS-FM since 1991. “We're very excited about this - and our alumni are just thrilled.”

The archive also helps document the station's long legacy of producing quality radio. Since 1993, WGLS-FM has won 172 regional and national awards and many Rowan Radio alumni have become radio personalities in the Delaware Valley - and beyond.