91.1 The Globe thrives with community support

May 13, 2016

Jason Samuel, WGCS General Manager, takes a call in station. Student Station Manager Victor Garcia holds the 2016 Indiana Radio School of the Year award.

How does a noncommercial, student-run radio station find success? If you ask Jason Samuel, general manager at 91.1 FM The Globe (WGCS), it’s all about community engagement.

“The community supports us and we support the community,” said Samuel. “It’s easy to think that everyone has a ‘Globe’ on their radio dial or in their community, but they don’t. The Globe is uncommon, it’s unique, and we’re blessed to have supportive community members who are invested in our mission.”

Through May 21, students at The Globe are focusing on their annual membership drive, encouraging listeners to donate to the station and become members.

As a student-run noncommercial radio station, WGCS relies on member pledges and community contributions to help pay the bills.

Last year, member contributions helped The Globe purchase state-of-the-art live digital broadcast equipment, which the station used to broadcast remotely from Ignition Music Garage in downtown Goshen, as well as from sporting events and other activities on-location.

This year, their goal of $25,000 will help purchase a new, more permanent console for broadcasting live from Ignition Music Garage.

The Globe’s partnership with Ignition Music Garage began soon after the venue opened in 2012, and has become a pillar of the region’s live music scene. The Globe broadcasts live from the downtown location on First Fridays, during concerts and for other events.

The combination of The Globe’s unique programming, community support and flexibility to try new things has resulted in a banner year for the station.

“When you look back on it, it’s hard to believe, but we won Indiana Radio School of the Year for the fourth time in five years, we were a national finalist for Best College Station in the Nation for the sixth year in a row, we were a BEA Signature Station honorable mention, and those are just station awards,” Samuel said. “On top of that, our students have won 25 individual awards since the last membership drive. You can’t find another student-run radio station doing that. And it’s the community that fuels what our students are doing.”

New and returning members can pledge online at globeradio.org/support or call the station at (574) 535-7488.