IS WGCUFM THE WORST RADIO STATION IN AMERICA?

IS WGCUFM THE WORST RADIO STATION IN AMERICA?

The question needs to be asked.

Remember, every week is pledge week on WGCUFM,

the home of RADIO UNINTERRUPTED.

“We interrupt your regularly scheduled programing

to inform you the we are not interrupting your regularly

scheduled programing”

I wonder who thought that one up?

Imagine my dismay when, after having been a lifetime listener to, and supporter of National Public Radio in New York City, Minneapolis and Cleveland, I wind up in Southwest Florida, a victim of the local NPR affiliate, WGCUFM. The station’s inability to fund raise drastically interferes with its responsibility to deliver NPR programming to its listeners. In fairness, their ability to maintain their signal has improved. Over the last ten years, the amount of “DEAD AIR” on 90.1FM has been startling. I remember calling the station a few years ago, after three days without signal. After asking what was going on, the woman who answered the phone told me, “Radio is a very complicated technology”. I wondered if she grew up in the Everglades. The station is owned by Florida Gulf Coast University, whose staff seems oblivious to failings of its radio station. I exchanged emails a few times with the President of the school, in an attempt to make him aware of the mismanagement of WGCU. He was oblivious to the station’s performance, and questioned my criticism. I wondered if he ever listened to it. Similarly, I swapped a few emails with the station’s General Manager, who steadfastly remained in a state of denial over the station’s performance. Years ago, I subscribed to satellite radio, in order to listen to NPR programming without the tiresome interference of this NPR affiliate. But I don’t have satellite radio in my car. While driving, I remain a victim of WGCUFM.

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© 2020 Shaun Costello