WCCR Has A Worldwide Audience

WCCR is Now Streaming Online

University of the Cumberlands campus radio station, WCCR, is now available online. The online website features live streaming of all the radio programs throughout the day, a daily program guide, and biographies from all the DJs. The official website for WCCR is http://www.ucumberlands.edu/wccr/.

Dr. Keith Semmel, chair of the communication arts program and general manager for WCCR, believes streaming online could be a very valuable recruiting device for potential communication arts students.

“My one goal for the online streaming was to have it used as a recruiting tool. Potential students, whether they were interested in communication or radio, could have the opportunity to listen to the radio station,” said Semmel.

Senior DJ, Russell Ridenour, believes that having a live online stream is a big stride for the radio station.

“Streaming online is a big step for WCCR. We can now reach listeners that may be the friends and family of the faculty and students that do the shows. Plus, we can reach other countries and expand even further than the U.S.,” said Ridenour.

By streaming online, WCCR has gained a worldwide audience. Listeners have called in and requested songs from many different states including Kentucky, California, Texas, New York, and Tennessee. WCCR has also gained an international audience. People from Norway, Taiwan, Brazil, Germany, China, England, The Netherlands, Japan, and Canada have all listened to the station. According to Stretch Internet, Norway has the second biggest percentage of listeners behind the United States, with 4.3% of listeners.

The live radio program lasts from 8 a.m to 7 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday. WCCR also features over-night and weekend programming. The website’s daily program guide is a time listing for every program on the radio station. The website biographies feature a detailed analysis of each DJ and his or her own show.

(The interior of WCCR)

Journalism Is Now A Major

University of the Cumberlands Offers New Major


Journalism and Public Relations is now being offered as a major at the University of the Cumberlands. Mr. Jeremiah Massengale, Ms. Marianne Worthington, and Ms. Jamey Temple will be the primary faculty members responsible for teaching the new major.

According to Mr. Jeremiah Massengale, director of the new journalism and public relations major, the staff and faculty had certain goals they wanted to achieve with this new major.

“Our biggest goal was to prepare journalists for a future in the industry. Our goal was to have students have a high degree of professionalism, ethics, and to be very objective in their writing,” said Massengale.

The new major has added many new classes to the curriculum, including: Introduction to Journalism and Public Relations, Public Relations Writing, Public Relations and Advertising, Editing and Layout for Print, Magazine and Feature Writing, New Media and Online Content, Public Relations and Management, Media Technology and Society and a Senior Colloquium.

According to Dr. Keith Semmel, professor and chair of communication and theatre arts, each teacher will mainly teach a different group of journalism classes. “Jeremiah will mainly teach the Web Journalism classes. Marianne will be mainly be teaching the Journalism and Publication writing and Jamey will be teaching the Public Relations classes,” stated Semmel.

Both Massengale and Semmel are hoping that the journalism department will one day grow so that the faculty and the number of classes can increase.

“I would love to increase the faculty. The faculty we have right now are stretched. By increasing the number of majors and faculty, it gives new possibilities to students for internships and opportunities,” said Semmel.

“We don’t have any plans to add any more required classes, but we are hoping within the next few years to add some special topic classes like photo journalism, ethics, and opinion writing,” stated Massengale.

The new journalism department and the campus newspaper, The Patriot, are also keeping up with the emergence of online media, social networking, and online journalism. The Patriot, features its own fan page on Facebook, in order to update readers and keep in close contact with staff writers. The campus newspaper can also be read online through a Word Press Blog.

(This photo is featured on The Patriot's official facebook page)