The best thing about WUSC-FM, the on-campus radio station at USC, is that it’s not for profit — but the station has to pay the bills somehow.
Until March 5, is WUSC’s spring fundraiser week, where they host several events and theme shows to raise money for their annual operating costs. While WUSC is partially funded by the university, the station is expected to come up with additional money for their FCC licensing fee.
This year, WUSC is required to cover $14,000 in operating costs, and their goal is to raise $7,000 throughout each semester — that’s where the biennial fundraiser week comes in.
Every semester, WUSC comes up with a cohesive theme for its fundraiser that the DJs use to tailor their shows and hopefully earn donations. This semester’s theme, Spring Break, has DJs working together to plan their sets around road tripping, relaxing and vacationing.
Aside from tailoring on-air tunes around the week’s theme, WUSC is hosting several events this week as part of their fundraising process.
To kick off the fundraiser, the station paired up with Breaker’s to host a four-hour dance party on Thursday night, complete with live music from ACADEMIA, DJ Kodo and Callosum. This Tuesday, WUSC is having a percent night at Uncle Maddio’s Pizza Joint, and Wednesday, Mason Jar Menagerie will be taking the stage at Tin Roof with Noah and the Real Girls and The Half Measures.
“We put on really great shows, and we try to give enough diversity, so that we can reach new audiences,” said Sean Taylor, WUSC’s director of public affairs.
WUSC Station Manager, Ari Robbins, explained that fundraising weeks are not only important to raise money, but they also serve as a way to invite the public to support and enjoy everything that WUSC has to offer.
“I think that [Fundraiser week] is a staple of WUSC,” Robbins said. “People know that we have all these great events and people make sure to come out.”
According to Robbins, WUSC typically raises about $3,500 from donations and around $1,500 from the events that they host throughout fundraiser week. Any additional money they raise comes from other events held throughout the semester.
But you might be thinking — why should people donate to WUSC?
Aside from providing a platform for students to learn hands-on the ins and outs of the radio industry, WUSC-FM is the only non-Top 40, noncommercial radio station in Columbia. While WUSC is fun for the listeners and the DJ, the station works directly with local artists to help promote their music and performances too.
“We don’t do it for money,” Taylor said. “We do it because we love it. Because of that, I think we’ve become a pretty important staple in the community.”
With all of the community outreach, the station is viewed as a beloved element of the Columbia arts scene. WUSC hopes that their supporters will come out to prove their love for the greater good of the station because, without donations, they would have to shut down.
“Fundraiser week is a really good time for us to capitalize on what people are already feeling all year long,” Robbins said. “People say, ‘I love WUSC, this is great,’ but I should remind them: if you love us, we’ll stick around, but we need your donations to do that.”
For people interested in donating to WUSC-FM, visit wusc.sc.edu for more information.