WMSC Named Best in College Radio

Joshua Tirado and Kaya Maciak brought home individual national broadcasting awards. They are seen here with General Manager Anabella Poland, right, in a rare moment together in the studio.
Joshua Tirado and Kaya Maciak brought home individual national broadcasting awards. They are seen here with General Manager Anabella Poland, right, in a rare moment together in the studio.

Looking for a great radio experience? Tune in to the University’s station, 90.3 WMSC-FM or listen on the iHeartRadio app. WMSC was recently named the Best College Radio Station in the nation by the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System for 2021. The station also picked up two awards for Joshua Tirado, Best Program Director and Best Use of Sound Effects, and one for Kaya Maciak, named Best Business Manager.

The recognition comes during a year in which the coronavirus pandemic forced the station to improvise and find new ways to broadcast its mix of alt-rock, sports and talk.

“Before the pandemic, you would just come in during your slot, sit down, maybe have a script prepared, go with the flow and trust the soundboard,” says Maciak, a junior studying Communication and Media Arts. “But now there’s no soundboard. It’s you and your computer recording and editing. I think we’ve definitely had to put in a lot more energy and strategies into how we want to operate.”