WSUM General Manager Dave Black has confirmed that the UW-Madison student radio station will broadcast a "major announcement" by Chancellor John Wiley during the 2 o'clock hour this Thursday afternoon.
The announcement will occur during "Raveathon," a seven hour broadcast marathon to be hosted by music industry veteran Bruce Ravid, from 1-8 p.m. Thursday. Ravid graduated from UW-Madison in 1974 and was an early pioneer of student radio on campus.
According to Tom Teuber, the former Triple-M program director who is a personal friend of Ravid, the gift announcement involves a "six figure" cash donation that will be used to help WSUM move into a new studio this summer.
"There are a certain number of unrestricted grants the Chancellor has discretion over, and he's choosing to direct one to the station to help with the move," said Teuber. "It's a huge show of support for the station by the university."
WSUM's new studio will be on the fourth floor of the University Square project currently under construction at the corner of Lake Street and University Avenue. The station currently broadcasts from a studio on the second floor of The Towers along State Street.
Wiley's announcement will come amid several live studio appearances from national indie bands that are scheduled as part of "Raveathon." Musical guests will include Chicago's The Redwalls and the Switches from the UK.
Ravid is a former Capitol Records Promotions Executive who signed The Knack and guided the careers of Duran Duran, Iron Maiden, Thomas Dolby and others. More details about Ravid and the complete schedule of Ravethon is available in the station's press release in the related downloads at right.
WSUM broadcasts at 91.7 FM and online at wsum.org. The station began broadcasting on February 22, 2002 after a five-year battle to get a tower approved and built in the Town of Montrose.
WSUM provides a wide variety of music and talk programming created by UW students.
