WHBC 96.3 HD 3
Critiqued by: Raven Greenaway
Ownership: Howard University
Circulation/ Reach: 10,000 students on campus, globally through an online streaming and phone application, the broadcast reach is HD ( data unavailable)
Coverage Area/ Market: 18-35 year old college students in the DMV area. It is a student-orientated station with a variety of programming including music, news and information. The station can be accessed on HD Radio, online, through a mobile app, and through Resnet (Howard University Dorms).
Number of Employees: There are 6 Management Positions at WHBC
Contact information: General Manager/Program Director: Jasmine Catchings. Assistant Program Director: Devin T. Jones. Contact Persons: Jasmine Catchings, General Manager/Programming Director, gm.whbc@gmail.com ; Saryn Francis, Programming Director, whbcproduction@gmail.com; Daesha Smith, News Director, whbcnews@gmail.com; Tiara Edwards, Music Director, whbcmusic@gmail.com; Bianca Burns, Web Content Director, info.whbc@gmail.com,; Carrie Mills, Promotions Director, whbcpromo1@gmail.com.
Notable Information: WHBC is a student operated radio station, founded by a student in 1974. WHBC has received many awards at the Black College Radio Conference. In the Princeton Reviews 2013 list of Best College Radio Stations WHBC was listed as number 17.
The purpose of WHBC is to be a platform for students. WHBC does exactly that; the music and content tend to the student listener. Another goal of the radio station is to give students a chance to explore the world of radio with hands- on training. This goal seems to be executed. Students hold all of the management positions, and all of the personalities are Howard University students. The station has seen growth through the addition of listening options. The addition of HD has allowed WHBC to access rating information. The station can increase growth through other platforms such as social media.
The Primary content of WHBC is entertainment, information, and music. The station plays a great variety of music in the scope of urban contemporary music. The radio station can be accessed 24 hours a day with music streaming from noon, 6 p.m. or 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. The content discussed during the programs, is very relevant to the student population. The radio station picks current topics that any student or person with connection to the university would find of interest. One of the greatest aspects of the radio station is the appearance of celebrity guest. Often celebrity guest stop by the radio station to do interviews and have photo-ops with students.
The branding of the radio is complementary to the urban goal of the station. The graphics used by the station is consistent with its graffiti, street art theme, which supports the culture of hip-hop that the radio station tends to. The intent of the radio station is to attract the 10,00 plus students at the university, but the radio station’s social media does not reflect that.
AREAS OF IMPORVEMENT
According to Pew Research Center Internet users 18-29 have the highest percentage of people who access their information from social media at 89%. The WHBC social media should work to increase their presence on both Instagram and Twitter closer to 10,000 followers, because according to Ignite social media, the age group 18-29 has a strong presence on twitter.
The social media should reflect everything happening at the radio station.
On twitter, there is a consistency of host tweeting about their shows to attract listeners, but their lacks a link to the website so students know they can stream it from their computers. WHBC should use social media to attract its audience because social media is a platform that its audience is familiar with
The website of WHBC (www.whbc963hd3.com) is another aspect of the radio station that could use attention. The audience of WHBC is constantly using the Internet for both information and entertainment. According to Alexa.com, the global ranking of the website is roughly estimated around 9,783,949. Where as a radio station in a similar market WKYS is ranked 414,112. The Website offers a great variety of information; The News section offers a variety of stories, with topics based on and off campus, written by a variety of people. Although there is a variety of news content, it isn’t updated regularly. News stories span months apart, and show very little consistency. The overall look and layout of the website needs a modern look with easier navigation.
SOLUTIONS
Every Social Media Page related to WHBC should include a link to the website along with all the ways to listen on its homepage. Also a tweeting schedule should be added to the programming schedule. Host or someone designated to the social media of the radio station should be responsible for tweeting about shows an hour prior to a show, 10 Minutes before it airs, during the show, and after the show with a link to the WHBCs website.
Every celebrity visitor should be able to be seen on Instagram along with a snippet of his or her interview. Similar to shows like the Breakfast Club (Power 105.1), WHBC should record interviews with guest and feature them on the website.
The overall look and layout of the website needs a modern look with easier navigation. The stories in the news sections need to be updated regularly and reflect consistency. Stories can be released on a time schedule such as every Tuesday and Thursday. The launch of the reconstruction of the website can be used as a way to attract more students to the page and to the live stream that the website offers. Increasing both the web presence and listenership.
WHBC is a great entity of Howard University. The students who run the radio station are passionate and do a great job. WHBC executes its purpose and maintains its brand, through its content, creating a station that can remain in a competitive market.
Co-Curricular 