The radio tower that serves student-run radio station, We’re Rhode Island University, or WRIU, will be back up and running after four years of damage repair from Hurricane Henri.
The broadcast operates two stations, WRIU 90.3 FM and RIU2, an online station, according to Lawrence Cabbabe, a fourth-year student and engineer for the broadcast. Before the radio tower broke down, it was the largest non-commercial college radio station in Rhode Island, reaching as far as Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.
Since the destruction of the tower, the broadcast only reached listeners within a five to 15-mile radius, according to Kaylee Good, a fourth-year student and the general manager of WRIU 90.3. With the new repairs, the radio could cover almost all of southern New England and possibly Long Island, New York. There’s also more room for student involvement by gaining interest in the student body and beyond.
“We’re able to broadcast our self-expression to people [across the state] again,” Cabbabe said. “RIU2 will now be a good way to train people for a more professional setup.”
WRIU requested funding for the damaged radio tower to be rebuilt, according to the April 20, 2022 student senate report. Since the tower’s damage, WRIU has been operating from an antennae on top of the Memorial Union. With the proposed loan as of 2022, the broadcast would pay it back by 15 years from the bill’s passing.
The student senate covered the majority of the costs needed to repair the tower, according to an article from The Good Five Cent Cigar. An initial grant of $300,000 was approved as an interest-free loan; however costs escalated. The University of Rhode Island’s Alumni Foundation covered the remaining $350,000.
The RhodyNow fund supported the tower’s costs, according to the article. Originally, the estimate for reconstruction required $1.1 million, but increased to $1.55 million. Through the fund, the URI community contributed to operational costs, such as studio equipment for the students.
“I really feel bad for the community members to take time out of their days to come in and use our station with all of its tech issues,” Cabbabe said.
A normal show for each broadcaster starts off by welcoming listeners and stating the name of their show, according to Cabbabe. Then, they play music from setlists created for the week based on the student’s favorite artist or genre interests. Sometimes, they’ll speak in between songs, either talking about the song or musician and what they’ll play next.
The radio tower renovation was supposed to finish by January 2025, according to The Cigar’s article. However, other weather concerns caused setbacks for rebuilding. With continued funding from the student senate, alumni foundation and RhodyNow, construction was able to resume after extreme weather conditions ended.
The tower is expected to run by the end of November, according to Cabbabe.
“We’re all super excited for [the tower’s return],” Good said. “It’s been a long process and I’m just finally glad that the newly repaired tower so we can show more of [who we are].”
