Live (again!) from Lerner: WCKR is back in business

No one knows how it happened, but Samuel L. Jackson once recorded a promotional spot for WKCR.

Zachary Vanderslice CC’25

Fidgeting with the controls in one of the station’s studios on a recent Thursday, Zachary Vanderslice CC’25 heard the actor’s unmistakable voice: “You’re listening to Columbia Leon, WKCR FM, New York home.” The clip is less than 10 seconds long, but as Vanderslees later says, “Cool.

This is an unexpected sound bite, but not surprising for a site as storied as KCR. Vanderslice, director of operations and host of the morning show Day off Express, clearly knows the legend well. He, along with former director Benny Majid CC’23 and station manager Ale Diaz-Pizaro CC’25, are generously showing visitors around WKCR’s Warren-like home on Lerner’s second floor. Saxophone and piano, the music of the show currently in the air, can be heard in the background.

Even though I’m all for talking about KCR’s post-Covid-19 recovery, it’s hard not to resist the past — literally, as we move aside boxes full of record albums and other related items. The students point to the so-called Dizzy Gillespie Chair, where musicians and other celebrities — from Duke Ellington to Betty Friedan to Mel Brooks, and the famous trumpeter — have sat down for conversation. The archive room, meanwhile, is packed with live recordings and interviews from the studio’s more than 80-year history.

For those who don’t know, KCR is a radio station run by Columbia students since 1941. The focus shifted in the 1970s, when the team of that era adopted a new commitment to alternative programming. Since then, KCR has been an important home for jazz, hip-hop and experimental music. It’s also known for its 24-hour (or longer) festivals deep in one artist, as well as its 365-day programming in the afternoons — a rarity for a college radio station.

But when the pandemic sent most of the campus packing in spring 2020, normal operations gear stopped. And while the music was played, so to speak, it was mostly re-recorded or pre-recorded material. When the students returned, Majeed recalls, “we had about five active people who knew what life was like before Covid – it was a link of institutional memory. And from there, we started a board leadership, actually for the entire 2021-22 school year, and we created a board of about 15 or so students that run everything.

Today, the site is finally back to its former self, with a 140-strong staff roster. Students continue live programs – hosts in the chair – almost 24/7; negotiated contracts to rebroadcast Columbia sports (also eyeing coverage of the Mets and Yankees); And they’re booking bands to perform on air. Friendship is also important. “KCR is this again. Place Where people gather,” Vanderliss says. “People are doing their shows, having fun, preparing for other things. You will constantly find people who enjoy what you enjoy.”

Ale Diaz-Pizaro CC’25

Diaz-Pizaro suggests that they’ve revamped the schedule by adding many new shows (usually new hosts taking over from existing ones). “Now we have like a couple of cross-sectional shows. Advanced techniqueOurs is a combination of classical and new music,” she says. “We want people who like classical to break out of the norm and try new composers, or people who don’t like classical – but like video game and movie soundtracks – to try it. [It ties back to] The site has this paradoxical mission: to preserve history, but also to push the envelope.

Outside of the DJ booth, students organize the site’s extensive library and work on several projects. KCR Alumni are aiming to strengthen generational ties by forming a network. They have identified nearly 1,400 members so far. “When I think about what I want to do as a graduate, I want a similar sense of community [that I have at the station]But he has a very large team,” says Majeed. “There’s also a lot of talent and interest out there. I would love to see it move to as many students as possible.

But as much as students have done to restore jobs, they still have concerns. Seriously, only two of the site’s three studios are up and running, and the soundboard in the main studio is on the brink of failure. (Earlier, the students pointed out that there was a gap in the soundboard at another studio, and the rooms were cannibalized to keep the main room going.) “This is what keeps me up at night,” Vanderslys said. The price of the new board is not easily accessible for a station in a tight budget. KCR is non-commercial and needs to raise funds to cover its expenses.

Funding is needed to help pay for summer housing for students who want to stay in NYC and continue KCR between academic years. “We want to get to the point where we’re fundraising to do the new things we want, not fundraising to survive,” says Vanderslys.

Diaz-Pizaro echoes the sentiment. “We want to get KCR to a place where he can dream of continuing safely. If the station has the resources to continue, it will allow the next generation of students to learn about music, learn about broadcasting, learn about journalism, learn about interviewing,” he said. “I think this is different. KCR is not your average radio station,” she says.

WKCR’s annual fund drive begins Monday, April 10th and runs through Sunday, April 16th. Visit the site’s website for more information.