ABOUT
In 2005, Jason Habeck founded the station as a talk radio station. He became the first Station Manager of the eventual WGBX. After starting as a freshman at the University, Habeck began the process of creating the station, after only one semester the University agreed that it was time to get a student radio station on campus. In 2006 Andrew Pekarek came on board and was a vital part to starting the station. Both Pekarek and Habeck were passionate about the station and put in numerous hours configuring the new station Under Habeck’s direction, he developed a strategy, with the Chancellor and Dean, to create a web streaming station for the college campus. After a year of meetings and station set-up, the station streamed live worldwide on October 7, 2005 with Andrew Pekarek, Jason Habeck, and then-chancellor Bruce Shepard, hosting the first show. In his three years of managing the station, Habeck laid the groundwork for the plans of a new radio booth in the Union renovation in 2007, started talks with the athletic department to broadcast Phoenix Athletics, developed the first staff for the station, and the first station imagery.
In 2007 Ben Kvalo joined Habeck as joint Managers. Kvalo became the Station Manager at the end of 2007 and has overseen a vast change in the station since taking over, including the selection, along with Habeck, of WGBX as the call letters. During his time the station moved from what was a broom closet into a new radio booth in the basement of the University Union. Next up was new equipment, including a new mixing board, new microphones, a laptop and portable equipment for on-location events. In the fall of 2008 a new web design was made for WGBX to show the incredible change. During Kvalo's reign as Station Manager both the amount of DJs and the listenership has doubled four times over. Also, the station started broadcasting Volleyball, Softball, and Soccer. During 2009, the WBA presented WGBX with three Student Awards for Excellence, including:
1st place- Best Website
1st place- Sports Radio Show- The Double Team with Scott Kirst and Ryan Fantozzi
2nd place- Sports Radio Show- BC Sports Connection with Ben Kvalo and Chris Hady
Much of the credit has to go to the amazingly talented team Ben Kvalo pulled together for the fall of 2008 made of students who held the same passion for WGBX. Alex Ostrander, Chris Hady, Katelyn Broda, Adam Biemeret, Tim Maylander and Kvalo have led WGBX to become one of the major student organizations on campus and the University's only live media outlet. The growth continues and all the credit goes to the very dedicated DJs and Directors. All these people's hard work has enable the station to run concerts, help with charity events, and get involved with other organizations on campus to make a better environment for all students.
Currently WGBX is in another transitional phase that will take place over the next year and a half. First off, the station will now have live-streaming music in the Rock/Alternative genres. Through hours upon hours of hard work by Ben Kvalo and Alex Ostrander WGBX will for the first time play music on-air and have music shows. Along with this Steve Paulus a DJ with the station is set to become the next Station Manager. He is beginning to learn the ins and outs of radio and will become a Station Manager as Kvalo becomes the first ever General Manager of WGBX beginning in the fall of 09'. This slow but steady succession ensures the continuance of quality that WGBX guarantees. Paulus will lead, with the next generation of directors, WGBX to the next level in the years to come. Joining the staff as newcomers for the fall of 2009 is Public Relations Director Abby English, Entertainment Director Dan Schill, Sales Director Sanjay Murthy, Human Resources Director Jessie Moe, and Website Director Ryan Fantozzi along with holdovers Sports Director Chris Hady and Music Director Alex Ostrander. It is sure to be an exciting year with WGBX. The station is now beginning the talks to begin a band series called the "Deep Fried Series" with the Union and other clubs that will bring even more concerts to campus separate from the many that WGBX currently runs.
WGBX=Rock/Alternative
WGBX will have a new format starting this Fall! We are switching to Rock and Alternative music! Make sure you are ready to listen in to everything from metal to reggae rock and all the stuff in between. We will also feature a lot of local music, so if you know a band that wants to get their music on-air, have them contact us!
Fall 2009
We are looking for DJs for the Fall of 2009, if you are interested, contact Jessie Moe: moejl28@uwgb.edu.
Upcoming Concert!
WGBX is proud to announce the Deep Fried Series beginning on October 28th and going every other Wednesday after this. The concert will be held in the Phoenix Club at 9 p.m.
