Communications and Media

Summary
Although WGMU Radio has a mission of playing what listeners want, it has not lived to its expectations. The Radio had been played outsourced programs that play music which listeners are not familiar with. In addition Radio presents are not allowed to give any information on where the programs are outsourced from and most of them do not like the music. A survey among the students revealed that majority were not satisfied with the radio. In order to live up to its mission, it should restructure its programs to reflect the needs and preferences of its listeners.

Problem and background
A school radio station is an important communications tool that can be used to reach all students. A school radio station does not only serve the purpose of communication with students but it also plays other important roles like entertaining students, staff, and surrounding community.  However, school radios station, which is located out of George Mason University, has not been in a position to play this role owing to a number of reasons.

The main problem with school radio station is that it is located outside George Mason University and programming, timing, and guides are controlled by an outsourced third party company.  This means that it is the third party who decides what music will be played in the station and when it will be played.  Unlike in other situations where consumers, who in this case are the listeners, dictate what the radio station is to play, listeners in this case do not have a say in what is to be played.  The radio station does not in any way put into consideration the choices of students and schools faculty members.

In an interview with Sam, who is the music director for the radio station, it became evident that even the radio station staff is not allowed to disclose from the region from which the music is outsourced from.  They are prohibited by the management to disclose information on outsourcing of the programs.

Some of the employees who work on the radio station have expressed that they are not satisfied with the music played in the radio. They do not like playing music that is not in touch with their listeners. However, they are forced to continue playing this music because they are forced to do so by the department. If the employees in the station are not in touch with the music they play, who do they expect to listen to their music How do they expect to inspire their listeners

As a results, students and faculty members have been forced to listen to music they are not interested in and the overall effects is decrease in the number of listeners who tune to the radio station every day. This has reduced the competitiveness of the station and greatly undermined its value and purpose in the University.  The main reason for having this radio is to inform the students and the faculty members of important matters regarding the institution and at the same time provide entertainment. However, the noble functions continue to be constrained by lack of sense of ownership on the part of the University community because the school radio reflects an outside culture.

Recommendations
In order to assist the radio to pay its noble purpose as medium of communication for the university, a number of changes should be implemented. It is important to note that the mission of WGMU Radio reads like Music. Moving Forward. Were always talking about what you want to hear on WGMU.  However, WGMU Radio has not lived to this mission as it does not factor the needs and preferences of its listeners.  Radio is a mass media communication tool. Considered to be one of the most influential tools in any society, the radio draws its influence from its connection with members.  This means that if WGMU Radio has to live up to its mission statement, it has to create connection with the listeners and get them involved. To live up to this mission statement, the following need to be implemented in WGMU Radio

The programming in WGMU should be re-instituted.  This means that WGMU Radio has to put in place a new program that will reflect the needs and preferences of its listeners.  It has to draw its inspiration from its listeners. This means that more than three quarter its programs should be constituted of members input. Instead of outsourcing programs, WGMU need to rethink of how it can get local programs listeners can identify with.

WGMU Radio staff should interview students and the faculty members in order to understand what they feel about their programs. They should ask what students and faculty members feel about the radio station, what they likes and dislikes about the station and generally what they think should be improved to make the radio more appealing and inspiring. When listeners feel that their views are integrated in the radio programs, they would feel more connected to the radio programs and this would increase the demand and value of the radio station.

If these changes are implemented, the radio will become an important communication asset for the University such that even if it is located outside the United Stats or locally from George Mason University, it will become an important marketing tool that can also be used to advertise local business, increase university revenues, and at the same time increase the number of listeners through polling students since they will become participants.

Evidence
In order to understand the student feelings about WGMU Radio and what should be done, I carried out a survey in which 50 students participated. The survey was administered through a question that requested student to first rate their satisfaction with the radio and then pick the best alternative to improve it. The following were the results

The results of the study shows that on 1 respondent was very satisfied with the radio station and majority, 29 respondents were not satisfied with the radio station. This was a call for take strategies to restructure the radio.

The following were the suggestion that were made to restructure the radio station

From the study, it was evident that majority of the people wanted WGMU radio to change its problem.  About 55 of the participants required the radio program to change to use local programs.