Holy Cross Radio Station Marks Six Decades of Broadcast

WORCESTER, Mass. – The College of the Holy Cross will celebrate the birthday of WCHC 88.1, one of the oldest college radio stations in the nation, on Saturday Dec. 6. The events, free and open to the public, will take place Dec. 1 – 6, featuring a re-blessing of the station by Rev. Michael C. McFarland S.J., president of the College (via webcast); a talk by Joe Shortsleeve '79, WBZ-TV chief correspondent; special events; and a series of live broadcasts, including a 24-hour marathon.

“The station's anniversary is so special because it marks a milestone for the College as one of the oldest campus organizations, and also for serving the community as ‘Worcester's Only Alternative Source,’” explains Station Manager Deirdre Milionis ’10. “The station began as an experiment, but it has withstood the test of time.”

WCHC first crackled to life on Dec. 6, 1948, broadcasting from a renovated attic storeroom on campus with equipment consisting of Navy surplus gear.

“While doing research for the event, one of the things I found most interesting was that in the '60s, the station was actually forbidden by the then station manager to play rock and roll music,” exclaims Milionis ’10.  “It was actually locked up in a closet.”

Today, 70 student deejays work in the Hogan Campus Center studios, and WCHC broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The deejays occupy air time during the school year between 8 a.m. and 2 a.m.  Live Web streaming was instituted in 2005, so listeners are able to tune into WCHC, including student-run music and talk radio shows and a number of Crusader Division I basketball and hockey games, outside the 15-mile radius broadcast coverage area.

With an increasing number of students now on campus during the summer (conducting research, working in various administrative and student leadership positions), new summer programming was instituted for the first time in 2008.

List of events:

Monday, Dec. 1, 4:30 - 8 p.m. Kimball Hall Kimball anniversary “Dinner” and live broadcast from inside Kimball, featuring music-inspired menu items such as “Nirvana’s Smells Like Spaghetti & Wheat Pasta” and “The Clash’s Rock the Carbonara Sauce.”

Tuesday, Dec. 2, 10 p.m. Hogan Campus Center, Crossroads WCHC 10 Spot featuring the musical talents of deejays and a live broadcast.

Wednesday, Dec. 3, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Lower Kimball Live broadcast from lower Kimball.

Thursday, Dec. 4, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Hogan Campus Center, Cool Beans (Hogan, 1st floor) Live broadcast from Cool Beans.  At 3 p.m., the deejays will begin a 24-hour marathon broadcast in the station.

Friday, Dec. 5, 3 p.m. Hogan Campus Center, WCHC (Room 216) A blessing of the station by Fr. McFarland in Hogan Room 216. In attendance will be Joe Shortsleeve '79, WBZ-TV chief correspondent, a former WCHC deejay and assistant manager. Following the blessing there will be a reception in Hogan Room 304 where Shortsleeve will talk about how his participation in WCHC shaped his media career. The blessing and reception will be broadcast live on the Web.

Saturday, Dec. 6, 3 p.m. WCHC (Room 216) Guest deejays Mark DeFrancisco '79 and his daughter Jessica DeFranciso '04 will hit the airwaves to compare how WCHC has changed since they both graduated.