Student-run WXYC radio station focuses on genre diversity and activism

During Chapel Hill’s hot summer months, residents and tourists alike might be inclined to listen to their pre-curated algorithms by Spotify or Apple Music. While these platforms might be more familiar, WXYC 89.3 FM — the student-run and freeform radio station broadcasted from UNC's Student Union — offers unique listening experiences 24 hours a day with several student DJs, each with a diverse setlist. 

WXYC was founded in 1977 after its parent station, WCAR, decided to acquire an FM license and broadcast over the air. Since then, WXYC has continued to innovate and expand their programming.

Jasmine Werry, the station manager of WXYC and a rising senior, said that the station aims to platform undervalued, under-appreciated and unheard songs, a central goal in freeform radio. 

"The music in our station library is stuff that you know was made before the internet and never was digitized, or the band broke up," Werry said. "It really only exists in physical form, or there's music that we have that isn't platformed on any mainstream services, so we're kind of the only way that their music will be heard." 

Along with several DJs broadcasting every day, WXYC hosts specialty shows that focus on different themes weekly. Most notably, Backyard BBQ invites bands to come over to the station and perform live on air. This year, the show hosted acts like Durham's Sluice, Raleigh's shoegaze band my sister maura, and femme punk band BANGZZ. 

The Backyard BBQ specialty show has been running since the '90s, Emily Benson-Tyler, the publicity manager and a rising junior, said. She had been instrumental in the resuscitation of the program in September 2023 after it had come to halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"In reviving BYBBQ, I wanted to refocus on the origin of Chapel Hill's indie scene, where there was [a] deep intertwined connection between WXYC, Chapel Hill music venues, and the local scene,” Benson-Tyler said in a message to The Daily Tar Heel. 

Other specialty shows airing this summer include the New Science Experience, which serves as an opportunity for DJs to strengthen their live mixing skills, especially over the summer, Werry said. 

Since the summer has less events because there are significantly fewer students in Chapel Hill, Werry said that this time has been an opportunity to prepare for the academic year.

Drew Tribble, the DJ coordinator for WXYC and a rising senior, is on air Thursday from 7-9 p.m. under the DJ name "oral fixation." As the new DJ coordinator, Tribble said that she works to shape the community at WXYC and play music she believes the student body would enjoy. 

As a DJ, Tribble's style of hosting is fairly relaxed and she never sticks to one style or genre of music, often playing from different artists and genres and moving around the library frequently, not relying too much on extreme preparation, she said. 

Tribble plays a lot of international music on air, going to certain region-specific sections and picking out songs accordingly. Recently, she's been playing music by Palestinian artists, using music for political advocacy, she said. 

"There's so much music out there," Tribble said. "It's literally impossible to know even a fraction of it, so having the opportunity to engage with the library and sift through and find new things every time you're there is such a privilege." 

Alex Lugones, or "the bandit," is the assistant programming manager and a rising sophomore, and is on air Sunday from 5-7 p.m. When curating setlists, Lugones explores genres he knows little about by identifying songs within the genre that he enjoys and finding songs that have a similar sound. Outside of the station, Lugones takes a mental note of songs that he hears while driving or listening to music leisurely that would be great to play during the show. 

"My talk sets are kind of like a form of organized chaos," he said. 

Lugones tends to talk personally with his audience while keeping it concise. He occasionally does tarot readings and finds fun facts to engage his audience with on air. 

"A lot of DJs are more focused on their music than their talk sets, which is — to be fair — what you're doing for the majority of the show," he said. "However, I do think having a fun talk set can make people a little more interested in what you're doing." 

Lugones often plays Spanish rock, even having one Thursday night feature dedicated to the genre, he said. 

"It's really because there's so much diversity within that [genre]," he said. "I can play metal, goth music, new wave, indie rock, classic rock — it's not necessarily just rock, but it can be more within that." 

Most importantly, beyond having the ability to share their love for music and platforming underrepresented artists, many of the DJs have found a community within WXYC, a group of individuals who care about their craft and a legacy that has lasted for decades. 

"It's fun to have people you can geek out with about certain stuff," Tribble said. "The people and the community around [WXYC have] been super awesome." 

@dthlifestyle | lifestyle@dailytarheel.com