FM90 keeps AC on cutting edge

Reyna Santos, a mass media major, moderates FM90 during her shift.
Reyna Santos, a mass media major, moderates FM90 during her shift.
Reyna Santos, a mass media major, moderates FM90 during her shift.

“New music first” has been KACV-FM90’s motto for almost 40 years now. FM90 has been committed to playing the best new music and serving the communities in the Texas Panhandle and still is going strong. FM90 has a 100,000-watt transmitter, allowing for one of the largest coverage areas in Texas and the largest in the Panhandle. The station features online streaming, more than 10 block shows run by Amarillo College students of all experience levels and is on the air 16 hours a day. FM90 can be a great place to start a career in the radio sector or just gain some valuable skills needed to be successful in the future, said David Lovejoy, student music director, disc jockey and a mass media major. He said FM90 has provided him the skills and tools he needed – not just for being on the air, but in staffing and other management areas. “If I had gone to WT or Texas Tech, I wouldn’t have gotten the same opportunities,” he said. FM90 staff members say they take a lot of pride in playing new music first. “As a fan, I like hearing music that no one else plays,” said Brian Frank, program content coordinator for Panhandle PBS, former program director for FM90, and an AC graduate. “I like the opportunities that it gave me to find a way to express myself. It gave me confidence and helped me get a job as well.” Frank said FM90 also has helped AC as a whole rather than just the mass media program. Recently, FM90 hired a new program director when Frank moved over to Panhandle PBS. Mike Fuller, a musician for more than 40 years and a fan of FM90 for 20, came on board the station with enthusiasm for all genres of music. He is a huge supporter of local music just as much as mainstream tunes.Fuller said working at FM90 has many benefits. One of them is that it helps people get over the “healthy fear” they may have when it comes to speaking in public. “I think it’s an all-around good experience. It’s a great thing for public speaking,” he said.Students who are looking to further a career in any communication profession, improve their public speaking and management skills or who just want to have fun working at a college radio station should feel free to contact Fuller or Lovejoy during normal business hours in the Gilvin Broadcast Center, located on the first floor of Parcells Hall on the Washington Street Campus.

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