WESU, Wesleyan's predominantly student-run college radio station, has been around in one form or another since 1939. For most of its existence, it was operated as a "freeform" station, meaning that the DJs were given complete creative control over the content of their shows and how they filled the airwaves. They were largely able to ignore commercial interests and the like for many years. In 2004, WESU partnered with NPR to change up the format. The station would carry NPR programming for part of the day and continue with its freeform shows presented by student DJs and community member DJs for the rest of its programming hours.

I have found WESU to be an ever-improving and much appreciated community service over the years. Both its community member and student shows offer a diverse set of music shows, information relevant to the Wesleyan and Middletown communities, and interesting DJs with way more personality than the talking heads on the commercial channels. And you never know what you'll hear next when you flip your dial to 88.1 FM. That is a rare treat for a radio addict like myself as most commercial radio stations have the same ol' stuff on heavy rotation all day long. If you're a new student at Wesleyan this semester or new in Middletown, I suggest you turn on the radio to find out what's going on in the community, hear some amazing music, and listen to WESU's incredibly informative, stimulating programming. A program guide is available on their website. Don't have a radio? --You can also stream WESU's shows live by going to their website: www.wesufm.org.