WUSC a Place for Local DJs to Showcase Musical Taste, Crippling Lack of Communication Skills

If you’ve ever tuned your radio’s dial to 90.5 FM, you’re already familiar with WUSC: a station where new and seasoned DJs alike broadcast niche radio shows alongside their complete inability to communicate effectively.

WUSC is not only a university sponsored organization, but also a staple of Columbia’s diverse music scene. Avid listeners might tell you it’s the only station where you can hear punk rock gems played back-to-back with orchestral masterpieces, followed up closely with a solid minute of dead air as a DJ struggles to remember the name of the next track.

Chris Simpson, a sophomore and up-and-coming host on the station, spoke to The Third Spur about his show, Paper or Plastic or Bare Hands.

“It’s really an incredible experience to fumble over my every word on live radio,” he explained. “And while I’m often totally unable to verbalize the commentary that would provide some cohesion to my show, I’m really humbled to get to bring what is little more than a bizarre playlist with some mumbling to everyone in the city who happens to be listening at 4am on a Monday.”

However, quirky musical choices aren’t the only thing you’ll find while tuning in. WUSC also airs plenty of talk radio shows featuring conversations between DJs and guests seated too far from the microphone. Fan Diana Berry says that listening to hosts bicker about sports minutia for many unrelenting minutes at a time helps break up the monotony of her commute to school and work.

“I like when they ask each other what to talk about next, kinda like they didn’t know they’d be on the radio. Oh, and when one of them sneezes right into their mic,” Berry said.

So, if you’re looking for an eclectic, cool vibe to dazzle your Hyundai Sonata, look no further than WUSC.