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Chicago Tribune

Triton College's WRRG set to celebrate 50 years on the air

For decades, students at Triton College have been filling the airways with a wide range of music at WRRG, 88.9 on the FM dial. But for a long time, nobody really knew how many people were listening to the student radio station. 'Some of it depends on how clear the skies are,' said Kelli Lynch, who oversees daily operations at the station. At just 100 watts, it may be hard to pick up WRRG on a car radio or at home for those further out from Triton's River Grove campus. But that hasn't stopped generations of DJs from learning the tools of the trade while broadcasting music that, in some cases, isn't found anywhere else on the airwaves. 'We play a lot of local music. That's a huge, huge fixture here,' said student Sophie Eagan-Dvoretsky, one of 20 current DJs at WRRG. Triton's radio station first broadcast was on April 28, 1975, and a half-century later, on Monday, April 28, there will be a celebration at the station in Room 113 of Building A on campus to mark the occasion. There will be station and studio tours from 2 to 5:30 p.m., an anniversary program from 3 to 3:30 p.m., WRRG trivia, prizes, appetizers and the unveiling of the station's new logo. Eagan-Dvoretsky, 20, an Oak Park resident who is majoring in biology at Triton, hosts a weekly show from 4 to 6 p.m. each Tuesday. Her playlists rely heavily on 'my favorite genre,' she said — independent and alternative music. But her work as a DJ also has expanded her musical horizons. 'I listen to whatever we put on the radio,' she said. Eagan-Dvoretsky has not taken a radio class at Triton, which usually is required to be on the air, but she got some training from Lynch before starting at the station, which broadcasts from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. 'I always wanted to be a deejay because I love music and love listening to myself talk,' she joked. While the station's signal doesn't have high power, it can be accessed via streaming at by searching for WRRG. 'It's cool that anyone can tune in anywhere in the world and listen,' Eagan-Dvoretsky said. Lynch, who has worked at the radio station for 21 years, is thrilled the station is still going strong. 'I started listening to WRRG in 1983 when I was in high school,' said Lynch, 57, of Elmwood Park. 'That got me interested, (it was) an introduction to college rock, to indie music. I took a radio broadcasting class here in 2000 and started to deejay. It was a dream come true for teenage me,' Lynch said. After taking the 10-week Introduction to Radio Broadcasting class taught by Dave Miska, students sign up every week to sit in the studio. That's an example, college communications manager Melissa Ramirez Cooper said, of how 'Triton College provides hands-on training and learning opportunities.' Lynch said students 'observe the first two times. Some want to try the mic, some want to try the board. Eventually they do the show by themselves and pick an air time.' Being on the air, Ramirez Cooper said, teaches skills that 'are transferable to public speaking or writing.' Everybody who enrolls in the class wants to be on the air, Lynch said. 'I think these are people who are really passionate about music. And a lot of them are excited to learn about new music you don't hear on commercial radio,' she said. Those bands are found via radio promotion companies and independent record companies that work solely with college radio stations, she said. The station also promotes Triton College events, such as the annual car show expected to draw 800 vehicles to the campus April 27, Ramirez Cooper said. 'We are lucky to have such a dedicated staff and a dedicated group of DJs,' Lynch added. The station's humble beginnings go back to a radio club at Triton that wanted a student radio station. They started with a 10-watt transmitter. 'We didn't make 100 watts until 1985, but I could get the station before that in Elmwood Park,' Lynch said. One thing you won't hear on WRRG is commercials for local businesses. 'We're a non-commercial, educational station. We'll play public service announcements from The Ad Council, like prevent forest fires,' Lynch said. Navy veteran Julio Lope, 36, now director of broadcasting and media services at WRRG, joked that his job 'is to make sure Kelli stays in line.' 'Kelli is great for the radio station. I've seen her coach some of the new DJs. Very patient. Very knowledgeable. 'Having been here since 2004 speaks to her dedication,' Lopez said. Lynch, who owns more than 4,000 record albums, formerly hosted a show called The Vinyl Revolution. Two turntables and CD players in the studio are at the DJs' disposal. It's their job to make setlists for their shows, Lynch said. Today's team of 20 DJs includes students, alumni, faculty, staff and volunteers from surrounding communities. Some have worked on remote broadcasts from the Taste of Melrose Park and Taste of Elmwood Park, Lynch said. One memorable remote in the late 1970s found DJs broadcasting from a boat in the middle of a long-gone pond on campus. Fifty years ago, the opening ceremony of WRRG featured former Illinois Gov. Dan Walker, who spoke highly of Triton College and its mission, Lynch said. Sol Polk, president of 1980s electronics retailer Polk Brothers, provided seed money to get the station started, according to Lynch. She sees a bright future for WRRG, as a growing number of students express interest in broadcasting. For example, she said, a series of radio camps held during spring break brought junior high students in the studio. 'They were on the mic. They were putting CDs in. They were running the board. And they were so excited,' Lynch said. Another junior high radio camp and a high school radio camp are planned this summer. On April 28, guest speakers scheduled for the anniversary celebration include Scott Dirks, who has worked for WLUP and WLS AM and FM; Neil Fiorito, the afternoon traffic anchor for WBBM.; and Jamie de'Medici, of Dynasty Podcasts, Lynch said. Perhaps the most famous WRRG alum is Wendy Snyder. The La Grange resident has been heard on various radio stations in Chicago for decades and currently is on WGN 720 AM. Snyder was among the many who cut their radio teeth at WRRG just like the current crop of DJs. The learning never ends. 'There were a few times I forgot to turn off my mic,' Eagan-Dvoretsky said. 'We do have a button that allows us to get rid of eight seconds of radio before it goes live. That's saved me a few times.' Being on the radio has so impacted her, she's considering switching her major to communications. 'it's such a cool time,' Eagan-Dvoretsky said. 'We have every single genre (of music) you can think of. Everyone who works there is friendly and cool. Overall, it's a really good time.'