Behind the decks: Aggie Radio expands

With the relocation of the Utah State University Post Office to the Aggie Print Station, a space on the bottom floor of the Taggart Student Center opened up. Amid a competitive bidding war, members of Aggie Radio fought to secure the room as their own.  

With support from John Zsiray, USU’s Student Media program coordinator, and members of Student Involvement, Aggie Radio secured the space. The new space is located across the hall from the Student Media office and next to the USU Campus Store.  

Aggie Radio’s station manager Luke Arnold detailed the struggles of getting the new space. 

“There were a lot of people who were bidding for the space and wanted to turn it into a lot of different things,” Arnold said. “One of the biggest difficulties was that the university wanted it to be a profit-generating space.”  

Aggie Radio sought the new space for a few reasons including the opportunity for modern equipment and a studio better aligned with the Americans With Disabilities Act.  

“We tried to draw up many different diagrams to see if we could make it work,” Arnold said. “When this space became available, ADA compliance was one of the biggest pushes for student involvement. We need to make it accessible to all students. If you have mobility aids, a walker or a wheelchair, you can get to any position at the table. This creates a more equitable space for people on campus.” 

The new equipment includes an Arrakis soundboard that makes remote broadcasts easier and a sound-proof glass divider. The divider will enable the studio to record a live show on one side while creating pre-recorded content on the other.  

“An issue with the previous soundboard is that it was physically attached to the table and bolted to the wall, and every microphone had to be hardwired into an old telephone line,” Arnold said. “It was the same board they used in the AV Club in “Stranger Things”, and it was even presented as being outdated then.”  

 “We’ve already done quite a bit of recording with the new setup for podcasters and DJs. We’re still waiting on the glass divider and some other things to get everything going,” said Nate Jefferies, sound engineer.  

“The new space has allowed us to pre-record and practice going live with the show beforehand, which has allowed for a lot more quality control,” said Max Murray, Aggie Radio’s programming manager. “It helps the DJs stay engaged and want to participate more.”  

 The budget for the new room was $100,000.  

 “A lot of the budget went to less flashy components. Even the doors were very expensive because they are the same type used in hospitals because they are sound-tempered,” Arnold said. “It’s pretty common for us to bring in people with drum kits and full instrumentation. It can get pretty loud. As we were designing the space and allocating resources, our main priority was not to disrupt other spaces.” 

 “We have DJs, podcasting, all of that. If people want to be involved with anything music-related, come check it out. Check out our new studio and get a tour of it,” Jefferies said.  

 “Everyone’s got a place at Aggie Radio,” said Eva Uribe, music manager.  

 Aggie Radio’s shows air on Aggie 92.3 FM, TuneIn radio, and the My USU app. Students can contact the station via Instagram @aggieradio to get involved.