Where words fail, music speaks. This adage accurately describes the purpose of one of Eastern’s best-kept secrets: the old radio station.
“The Whole Gospel for the Whole World” was started on February 10, 1986 by a man named Kirk Thompson, the very first manager WGWW would have. Before starting in Eastern, WGWW had a history of eight years at the Seminary. For a year the radio station played on channel 640AM before making the change to channel 1410AM in 1987. That same year the station’s name changed from WGWW to WECR, beginning a long reign of success on campus.
Professor Kevin Maness of the communications department was a member of the radio station back in its prime. WECR was run out of Kea basement and was broadcasted every day. It showcased contemporary Christian music during the day and played more secular music, like “thrash” and heavy metal, at night. Callers could request songs to be played and the students would sometimes have debates and discussions on air. A band, “A Few Loose Screws,” even played on the show.
During its heyday, the radio station was the biggest club on campus, including 10 percent of the school’s population in its numbers. The only electronic communications median on campus, the station had a five-mile radius from an antenna on the library roof and grew in participation every year. Everyone was allowed to join, no matter their experience or lack thereof.
Despite all of these wonderful things, the radio station was never meant to live forever. Many problems arose because of the radio’s presence. Bettie Ann Brigham, vice president of student development, said in an e-mail interview, “The radio station was at first on ‘carrier current.’