History of WSLX

Broadcast radio began at St. Luke’s School in 1973, when Peter Bush Swanberg ’73, formerly of WEBE 108 and currently on the air at 95.9 THE FOX FM,  built radio station WNCR. WNCR was a carrier current AM station, operated by SLS students under the direction of English Department Head Robert Blakely.  WNCR quickly evolved into a popular and unique student activity, and in 1975, was upgraded to an educational FM station WSLX. The new station featured an expanded format, and faculty advisor John Csenger increased the staff to include students in all grades. It was during this time that Dan Mecca ’81, formerly Media Director at St. Luke’s, first became involved with WSLX as a seventh grade DJ.  All programming originated at the school, and was created and produced by students. Sadly, a major theft of all the studio equipment forced an untimely end to on-campus programming.

 

In order to maintain its license, WSLX was modified to allow outside programming to be broadcast. For many years, WMNR Fine Arts radio could be heard on 91.9 FM, where WSLX resided. Several attempts were made to restore WSLX to its original purpose as a student-operated, educational station, but it was not until 2002 that significant progress toward this goal was made.

 

During the 2002-03 school year, a committee comprised of Peter Bush Swanberg, Dan Mecca, engineers Ed Butler and Paul Litwinovich, several faculty members, parents, and students met to explore the possibility of returning on-campus broadcasting to St. Luke’s. With the generous support of the SLS Parents’ Association, a significant equipment donation from WPLJ Radio, and the donated time and labor of the committee members and their many friends in the broadcast industry, Phase I of the WSLX initiative was completed.

 

WSLX can now be heard at 91.9 FM 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with all programming originating on the hilltop campus of St. Luke’s School. Using the latest technology, WSLX operates as a fully automated station, no longer relying on outside programming for content. WSLX has evolved back into a part of the extra-curricular activities program, which includes live student broadcasts on weekday afternoons, play-by-play broadcasts of home varsity football games in the fall, and boys and girls varsity basketball games in the winter. There are even live shows in the morning by select SLS faculty! With the addition of Internet streaming capability in 2009, and an upgraded web presence at www.wslx.org in the fall of 2010, WSLX has truly become, once again, a student-centered opportunity for teaching and the learning about the world of broadcast radio!

 

Dan Mecca, Peter Bush Swanberg, and SLS faculty members Troy Haynie and Jeff Kress currently manage WSLX on a volunteer basis. Technical help with programming and automation, along with a new logo design, have been provided by media consultant Pete Salant, and engineering support is being provided by Ed Butler. Stay tuned for more news on the continued evolution of WSLX, 91.9 FM!