Radio revived: how WUVT keeps the medium fresh
October 29, 2019 | Sophia Trout
Video killed the radio star according to The Buggles back in 1979, but that couldn't be farther from the truth for Truitt Elliot and the rest of the WUVT team at Virginia Tech.
Twenty-year-old Virginia Tech student Truitt Elliot proves statistics wrong by joining a crew of peers to run WUVT's daily 24-hour broadcast. How has the station been able to withstand the test of time and continue gaining interest students?
Blacksburg, VA., Oct. 25 - Beat Drop: Truitt Elliot makes sure all the ducks are aligned when it comes to promotions for WUVT. Photo: Sophia Trout
WUVT, the student-run radio station operating on Virginia Tech's campus has been on the air since 1948, according to information on their website. In the digital age of streaming, studies have shown the drop-off of radio in a world of YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music. According to a report written by Larry Miller, radio falls short when trying to connect with Generation Z. Only 19% of people cited AM/FM radio as a source for music consumption, according to the 2017 study.
According to a study done by Brendon Basile, 72% of college students surveyed spent less than an hour listening to the radio. How can such an old medium be revived for modern generations?
Elliot, a sophomore studying biochemistry, is the current Promotions Director for the station. The poster for the WUVT annual organization meeting dubbed the "orgy" was what initially sparked his interest.
Baffled how Virginia Tech would condone a school-sponsored orgy in Squires, freshman year Truitt decided to investigate, discovered WUVT and gave it a shot.
Today, he runs the various social media accounts, manages a team to hang promos around campus and organizes Radiothon, their main fundraiser event.
Blacksburg, VA., Oct. 25 - Beat Drop: Truitt Elliot makes sure all the ducks are aligned when it comes to promotions for WUVT. Photo: Sophia Trout
Keeping radio fresh, exciting and new is WUVT's specialty, and Elliot is sure that if the station's made it 70 years, it'll go on for 70 more.