WOWD-LP is a locally run broadcasting space, which airs historical podcasts, radio shows, and uninterrupted music. Established in 2016, the group went live on 94.3 FM.
When I heard that my local broadcasting group included a session done by Jackson-Reed students I was intrigued, so when they asked me to profile the show I was more than happy to!
Current Jackson-Reed seniors Mabel Canty and Isabella Mackaye have passed their radio show, Sugar and Spice, onto juniors Haley Crouch and Marta Eriksson. It airs on 94.3 FM and Takomaradio.org every Tuesday at 5:00 pm. Typically the show plays a blend of folk rock, rock, alternate indie music, and of course Crouch and Erikssons commentary.
On January 14th, I joined Crouch on her weekly commute to the show. The building itself is quite understated, tucked into the back of a row of stores. Once inside, there are two main rooms, the production room and a waiting space. Separating the two is a glass door with a block above it that lights up when someone is on air.
When I stepped into the production room I was greeted with a mass of computers and complicated devices. Crouch was sitting in a chair positioned in front of a sound board akin to one a DJ might use. The board controls the volume of the music on air, along with the muting and unmuting of mics. Crouch then plugged her computer into one of the many machines, connecting her premade playlist to the show. Although the setup seemed quite complicated, Crouch said, “[the show] is a lot more chill than people expect, people normally think it’s a big deal, but we actually just play music and talk!”
I would be lying if I told you that I knew all of the songs, or even most of them! The week I visited, co-host Eriksson was in Martinique and in her place was JR sophomore Hope Ternet. Ternet and Crouch blended their music taste creating a mix of indie rock and folk. Every three songs Crouch would fade the music out while activating Ternet and her own mics. They then talked for around a minute. This dialogue ranged from discussions of the music to random rants about artists or their day.
If you ever find yourself bored at 5pm on a Tuesday, tune into 94.3! •