Listenership for the Wire radio station has increased by more than 300 percent this year, despite moving off one of its main media, said Lynn Franklin, faculty adviser for the Wire.

This year, the Wire has focused on diversifying its musical style and increasing its online listening base, Franklin said.This year's 300 percent listenership increase since last January follows a 400 percent increase the previous year. Listeners are counted by number of hits on the Wire's Web site.

Cable subscribers previously could listen to the Wire on Cox cable. This year, the channel was given a new identity, TV4-OU.

This forced the Wire to become a solely Internet-based radio station, Franklin said.

Stereo TV cable subscribers can still listen to the wire by switching into SAP mode, secondary audio program. Instead of regular programming, listeners will hear the Wire.

Franklin said the Wire's programming has changed significantly this year. DJs have recently tried to be more sensitive to those interested in urban and hip hop music. In the past, the station was identified with the more alternative, "college scene" music.

"That's allowed more people to become engaged in our music," Franklin said.

The shift in focus for the Wire has also enabled new listeners who would not have had access to the TV channel to discover it online. Franklin said the Wire staff has had positive feedback from listeners at other schools and military bases throughout the United States.

Listeners can also request songs online through e-mail or AOL Instant Messenger.

Franklin allows the DJs to have a lot of freedom, said Brandon Cole, a broadcast and electronic media junior and DJ for the Wire. He said he is allowed to play whatever he wants, as long as the songs follow Federal Communications Commission regulations.

The bulk of the student DJs are in a practicum class, in which students learn to operate the Wire equipment.Teresa Nguyen, station manager and broadcast and electronic media senior, said the Wire station has grown a lot and gotten a lot more focused. Still, it is hard to get students to recognize the Wire, she said.

Nguyen said the Wire staff is planning to launch a public relations campaign to increase listeners on campus.

"This semester, we're going to focus on brand recognition," she said.

Nguyen said she wants to get the word out about the station because she said she likes the diversity of the Wire.

"I just feel like it's independent radio. It's a lot more free, a lot more open," she said.

Listeners have the freedom to submit their ideas about what they want to hear, and local bands can submit their CDs to get played on the Wire. Staff members and practicum students also listen to a wide variety of music and bring in their CDs.
hello there & you too