For Wright State University, the local radio station, WWSU 106.9, is a place for students and staff to share their ideas and express their creativity. For electrical engineering major, Adam Wightman, it is a way of life.
After moving from San Diego, California,Wightman chose Wright State for its location near family at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and he has been a part of the radio station here ever since. Now 25 years old, Whitman recently became the general manager of WWSU 106.9 in the spring, a change that he said has been amazing so far. His new position at the station encompasses many things, but Whitman said his favorite part had to be the chance to host live events.
“For some shows, I have to make all of the announcements, and I have to introduce people on to the stage. I’m under the spotlight, which can feel completely unnerving, but it’s exhilarating at the same time,” he said. “I got to DJ somebody’s wedding last fall, and they were ecstatic that we were there. It really does not feel as real until you make somebody excited right before your eyes."
Besides hosting live shows, Wightman said a major part of his role is promoting the talent and originality in the station. “I make sure that we are in FCC guidelines, but most importantly, I have to make sure we are playing things that people want to listen to that they can’t get anywhere else,” Wightman said. “Outside of those hours any computer can generate a playlist, but it is the people here who have interesting, thought-provoking conversations and playlists on air.”
Wightman added his focus on originality at the station means that listeners are constantly engaged in the content, and he said most of the listeners are from the Dayton area, some are listening as far away as Russia and Amsterdam.
Despite the lighthearted and fun nature of the station, he said there was something even more important to him. “I have a two-year-old son, and he is the joy of my life,” he said. "I love where I work, but at the end of a long day, hanging out with my son is really the reason I do any of it. Family always comes first, and I make sure that I don’t lose sight of that.”
