Pitt radio and TV stations for the aspiring celebrities

For anyone who thinks he can do a better job at the mic than Casey Kasem or produce more… For anyone who thinks he can do a better job at the mic than Casey Kasem or produce more exciting television than Jerry Bruckheimer, the University of Pittsburgh provides the opportunity for you to prove yourself. Pitt offers both a campus radio station and a campus community television channel that are run by and for students.

WPTS is the radio station. Their office can be found at 411 William Pitt Union, and the station can be heard at 92.1 on your FM dial. To offer a bit of history, WPTS has been part of Pittsburgh’s FM market since August 26, 1984, at 6 p.m. It grew out of the AM carrier station WPGH, which began with a group of 12 students in 1957. They were led by Adrian Cronauer, who was the basis for the Robin Williams film “Good Morning, Vietnam.”

The radio transmitter is found 530 feet above the ground, atop the tower of the Cathedral of Learning, which gives the station a broadcast radius of about 30 miles. Fortunately, the station has recently become integrated with the Internet, making it available worldwide. Students can log on to www.wpts.pitt.edu and download live, streaming audio of their peers playing a diverse array of artists.

Anyone who grew up in a college town will know that college radio usually provides a more eclectic range of music than your average radio station. WPTS provides a suitable outlet for any new student looking to expand his musical tastes beyond what he grew up with. It works well for people who want to brush up on the local music scene by showcasing bands from, and those that will be visiting, the ‘Burgh.

For those who feel the radio station doesn’t give them what they’re looking for, WPTS gives you the opportunity to change that. As with most radio stations, listeners can request songs they wish to hear. This can be done in several ways: Call the request line at (412) 383-9787, e-mail them at wpts@pitt.edu or send an instant message to wptsrequest.

Students who adhere to the old adage, “Be the change you want to see in the world,” can do exactly that if they so wish. WPTS is frequently looking for people to fill time slots for shows. Anyone who is interested in broadcasting or who feels he has something to say about music can get an application at the WPTS office or print one from the Web site.

WPTS is actually an educational tool created by the University. It gives hands-on lessons in production and broadcasting to students. UPTV, Pitt’s television network, serves the same purpose. It’s brought to students by the University Honors College and Communications Department, which recognized that the University’s coursework lacks experiential opportunities for students. UPTV is a way to provide production experience to interested students.

The network, which broadcasts to televisions in campus housing on channel 21, has staple shows, such as sports programs and sketch comedies with which students can get involved.

However, students can also create their own projects and showcase them on UPTV. The station provides equipment, training and experience to help spur creativity in students who would otherwise be stifled by the University’s primarily theory-based courses.

Students looking to get involved with UPTV can call (412) 624-6805 or e-mail creation@pitt.edu. A successful show could possibly make you as big a campus celebrity as Tyler Palko — and who knows where else it could lead!

Incoming students with creative natures should definitely get involved in either WPTS or UPTV. If putting yourself before the entire campus community is not your idea of a good time, though, you should think about at least supporting those who are willing to do so.