When I turn on the radio, whether I’m doing homework or driving in the car, I want to hear music I enjoy.

I would like to think that I listen to a wide range of music and am pretty accepting of most genres.

Still, I have never turned on the radio and searched until I found jazz music.

Here at Mercyhurst we have 88.5 Jazz FM, the station that plays nothing but jazz.

Call me crazy, but I do not think most of the student body enjoys the melodies of jazz music.

As a transfer student, my old school had a wide-ranged fan base for their radio station that allowed the students to have their own radio shows. The DJs were allowed to play whatever they liked as long as the music was appropriate.

I frequently listened to the radio shows and, most importantly, enjoyed the music. The music ranged from popular songs today to indie and alternative and more. I enjoyed the music and hearing my favorites as well as discovering new catchy tunes.

I have never had the desire to listen to 88.5 Jazz FM, nor do I know anyone else that has either. To me it is common sense that the genre the kids are listening to is not jazz.

I also wonder how the idea for a 24/7 jazz station came about?

Isn’t a college radio station supposed to be for the students?

Which brings me to my point of why doesn’t our radio station play anything the students want to listen to?

For example, our friendly college neighbor, Gannon University, plays a mixture of alternative and popular songs that people in the college age group listen to. I personally enjoy listening to the station and know several other people at Mercyhurst that also enjoy the songs.

Considering our school rivalry with Gannon, the fact that many students prefer their station to ours is supporting the enemy.

Gannon’s radio station caters to their students want to listen to. Jazz seems to be catering to possibly the older faculty here?

88.5 Jazz FM currently lacks student involvement. If the station gave more leeway for students and allowed them to have shows outside the jazz world, I’m sure the participation would increase.

Students don’t want to play or listen to music they do not enjoy.

It’s a great opportunity to have a radio station on campus; however, if the students are not listening to it, then what’s the point?

Gaining the experience from working on a college radio station is a wonderful thing to put on a resume. It’s a way students can express themselves and get involved on campus.
It saddens me such a hands-on experience seems to be going to waste.

I am happy to hear that changes are coming to the station, with hopes to revive the failing outlet on campus.

Hopefully, in future years students will be jamming to their own school’s station instead of our rivals down the street.