Pitt’s radio station WPTS wants a Woodie

What does Pitt’s student-run radio station have in common with bands Death Cab For Cutie,… What does Pitt’s student-run radio station have in common with bands Death Cab For Cutie, Green Day and Kings of Leon?

Give up?

They all want Woodies.

Along with these artists and others, mtvU recently nominated Pitt’s student-run radio station, 92.1 WPTS Pittsburgh, for a Woodie — an alternative music version of the prestigious MTV Video Music Award.

WPTS made the list of five finalists contending for the College Radio Woodie, an award for stations acting as pioneers in the radio industry.

“This is a very cool award for us, because it is all based on listeners and how they feel,” Sean McCann, WPTS’ station manager, said. “I have faith our listeners can help us win the Woodie and bring another trophy to the city of champions.”

Chelsea Vincent, a Pitt physics and astronomy major, plans to help WPTS win the Woodie.

“I am definitely going to vote for our Pitt radio station,” she said. “I don’t listen all the time, but an MTV award is a huge deal.”

Vincent hadn’t heard of the Woodie Awards before WPTS was nominated.

“Alternative rock isn’t really my thing,” she said of mtvU’s programming. “But it’s still really cool that we’re in the running.”

McCann explained how nominees for the College Radio Woodie are chosen. mtvU considers input from a variety of sources, including the Princeton Review and CMJ College Radio — an organization connecting music fans to the music industry, McCann said. mtvU also distributes questionnaires to record labels across the nation and conducts an open online vote. People across the nation can vote for the College Radio Woodie on mtvU’s website until Nov. 16.

“In September, we found out that we were being considered in the top 100,” Rebekah Mueller, the station’s promotions director, said. “As soon as we found out about the nomination, we put it on Facebook, Twitter and on the air. It just kept picking up speed that way.”

mtvU periodically cut the list of nominees over the last two months, first from 100 to 50, then from 50 to 25. Last week, directors at the WPTS found out they made the top five.

Other stations in the top five include WCRD 91.3 from Ball State University, Coyote Radio from California State University, San Bernardino, KCOU 88.1 from the University of Missouri and KUPS 90.1 from the University of Puget Sound.

WPTS program director James Bedell said he thinks WPTS made the list of nominees because the station and its employees have a progressive attitude.

“We don‘t just play the hits,” Bedell said. “We have a lot of variety: a metal show on Tuesday nights, a live show every Wednesday featuring local, national and international bands. We have blues on Fridays and even show tunes on Sundays.”

Unlike many college stations, which have disc jockeys play a random mix of songs, WPTS programs always try to involve some sort of creative direction.

“A lot of college stations do more of a free-form thing,” McCann said. “As a DJ you get a time slot and play whatever you want, whatever you‘re into. WPTS is different.”

Many WPTS programs revolve around a theme. For example, a program called “Girls4EverBoys4Never” explores the roles women play in the music world.

“We play screamin’ riot girls, croonin’ girl folk, powerhouse female vocalists, sunshiney ’60s girl pop, yodelin’ cowgirls and all other forms of GIRL MUSIC, along with the Cute Boy of the Week and coverage of the latest female-related news,” says the WPTS website.

mtvU will announce the winner of the College Radio Woodie on Nov. 18, and the winner will be invited to the awards ceremony on Dec. 4 at 10 p.m.