In the basement of Memorial Hall at St. Paul’s School, Maggie Murray and Henny Zobel march through the studio doors of the high school’s radio station, WSPS, 90.5 FM. In 15 minutes, they’ll take over the airwaves for the first time with a new radio show. Its working title? “The Doctors Are In,” Maggie laughs confidently. “It’s gonna be so awesome.”
The teens are greeted in the cozy one-room studio by Glenn Reider, the station’s general manager, and two student station coordinators, Peter Kelly and Eric Wilson, who are there to walk the rookies through the basics.
Asked if they’ve prepared for the show, the girls roll their eyes. “Not really. Only that we know we’re going to be really funny,” Zobel replies. “We’re all about the freestyle comedy.”
As their on-air time nears, the anxiety sets in. “Oh my God, I am way too nervous for this,” Murray exhales.
The show goes fine, save for a few seconds of dead air at the beginning. Reider gives the girls a few pointers about manning the equipment and pacing transitions, just like he’s done for dozens of other student DJs in the six years he’s managed the station.
Since 1971, WSPS has, without question, pumped out the greatest variety of music in the Concord area. If you’ve never tuned it, you’re missing out. The 24-hour station’s streamable mix of songs rivals any good college programming.
“We’re a non-commercial format and we’re eclectic,” says Reider, who also teaches Latin and coaches squash at the school. “We get a lot of positive feedback from the community.”
The station has a collection of more than 20,000 songs in its library and boasts 23 shows, with a mix that ranges from jazz to world music to folk. One show, “Adam’s Motion and the Void,” even showcases creative writing on Friday nights.
This year, the 240-watt station won a New Hampshire Magazine award for being the best low-voltage community radio station in the state. There’s hope the station can expand when the money’s there, Reider said, but right now even institutions like St. Paul’s are feeling the economic pinch.
During the day, a computer takes over the mix and chooses from four categories of music determined by Reider ahead of time. At night, students take over the mic and play whatever they want.
“We get people from all over listening,” said Wilson, who hosts a hip hop show on Friday nights. “My co-host and I talk about current events, what’s happening on campus. We get a lot of calls with requests, and it’s cool knowing people listen to your show.”
If you can’t listen live, WSPS streams its music. Check out wsps.sps.edu for a full schedule.
