Grambling State University’s 50,000 watt non-commercial educational radio station goes off air due to technical malfunction. KGRM 91.5 FM radio station lost an important drive to one of their main computers. The drive was responsible for storing program information and the running of the entire on air operation.
The black and gold station was on and off the air for three weeks until the nine-year-old system had given out completely.
“It worked and stayed on air for three days then it died,” said Joyce Evans KGRM’s general manager.
While waiting for the new drive system to be built and mailed the station’s staff had to resort back to using CD players which was an older method used before the station’s 1996 automation.
KGRM is responsible for providing Grambling’s campus, local communities and neighboring areas with important information as well as entertainment. The station provides listeners with details on upcoming events scheduled to take place on campus and it also informs them about issues taking place around the world.
It entertains listeners with shows such as Smooth Jazz and Easy Listening and Way Back Wednesday where listeners can hear all the hits from the 60s, 70s and 80s.
The lost of the drive was major for KGRM but the station is back and ready for the semester. The station plans to continue bringing listeners music and much more.
KGRM will debut a new talk show called, “Perspectives” and it will be scheduled for Thursdays from 12 p.m. through 1 p.m. Perspectives will be hosted by Grambling’s mass communication students and is scheduled to start within the upcoming weeks.
KGRM will also host a radiothon on the day before Grambling’s homecoming game Friday, Oct. 12. The radiothon will last from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. The station will be raising money to help provide scholarships for students and to help provide funding to keep areas going that have suffered from budget cuts.
Donators are allowed to stipulate what they would like their money to be used for if they choose. Perspective donators can bring donations to the Institutional Advancement office on Grambling’s campus.