Main Content Column
WSHC - Knutti Hall - Shepherd University
WSHC is an FCC licensed 950 Watt radio station in Shepherdstown, WV (click for maps) The Frequency is 89.7FM. We broadcast 24 hours a day from the basement of Knutti Hall on the Shepherd University campus.
Its all about the music
WSHC has had many faces come and go over the years; not just in the people running the station but in the music broadcast. In the past five years everyone has focused on the music. This is even more true today as we prepare to begin internet broadcasting to the world. We want WSHC to be the station everyone wants to listen to. SO... we focus on providing variety allowing you to hear more than forty songs played repeatedly. We also focus on the "eclectic" nature that is such a keystone for WSHC. These two elements are what separates WSHC from other radio stations. In the future we hope to provide more information about the music we broadcast. We especially want to provide information regarding performances in the surrounding area for both the visiting musicians and the fabulous local musicians.
Format: Alternative
What really is "alternative" music; the definition varies depending on the source. For example, TV Radio World defines "alternative" as...
“A format that grew up in the 1980's on college radio stations, alternative music can still be found on non-commercial and college or student run radio stations. Music is usually cutting edge, less mainstream, include local artist, and may include some punk, dance, industrial or heavy metal music.”
If you check out the footnote of "Alternative Music" at Wikipedia you get a quite extensive description and history of this music genre. A summary would be...
“The terms alternative rock and alternative music were coined in the early 1980s to describe punk rock-inspired music genres which didn't fit into the mainstream genres of the time. At times it was used as catch-all phrase for rock music from underground artists in the 1980s and rock music in general in the 1990s. More specifically, it is made up mostly of genres that appeared in the 1980s and became popular or well known by the 1990s, such as indie rock, post-punk, gothic rock, and college rock. Though the genre is considered to be rock, some of its genres were influenced by folk music, reggae and jazz music among other genres. By the mid-90s, alternative was synonymous with grunge in the eyes of the mass media and the general public and a supposed "alternative culture" was being marketed to the mainstream in much the same way as the hippie counterculture had in the 1960s.”
Specialty Shows
For WSHC all live shows are considered "Specialty Shows" in which the broadcaster is sharing not only the music but information about the music. WSHC gives broadcasters carte blanche to their show with only the restrictions placed upon the station from the FCC. The result is usually a show built with pride that everyone can enjoy.