Quinnipiac to cease operation of WQUN
Photo Courtesy of AM1220 WQUN Facebook page
January 14, 2019
As technology continues to rapidly change, so does the radio industry. Due to this, the number of students considering careers in radio is decreasing, and the needs of Quinnipiac students are changing.
After careful consideration, beginning on June 30, 2019, Quinnipiac University will no longer be operating AM-1220 WQUN, the university’s Greater New Haven community radio station. The announcement came in a memo from Vice President for Public Affairs, Lynn Bushnell, on January 11, 2019. As a part of the strategic planning process, the building on Whitney Avenue will be kept and repurposed to match the needs and interests of the students.
“This difficult decision was made after careful consideration of our first priority, the needs of our students,” Bushnell stated in the memo. “The number of students who even consider a career in radio, or want to intern at WQUN-AM has declined sharply, prompting the university to re-examine the prudence of contributing to operate a community radio station.”
The university has used WQUN as a training tool for students looking to work on their broadcasting skills since it first went on air in 1997. It served as a space for students to further their knowledge before graduating and working in the radio industry.
Quinnipiac will continue to offer WQAQ, the student-run radio station, as an extracurricular activity for all students to participate in.
Although the university will not be operating the radio station any longer, Bushnell is certain that Quinnipiac will continue to support the Greater New Haven community.
“As you may know, I have worked with some of the affected staff for 20 or more years and could not be more grateful for their service to the station, to Quinnipiac and to our communities, especially North Haven and Hamden,” Bushnell said. “Despite the station ceasing operation, we can be certain that Quinnipiac will continue to be a generous and enthusiastic supporter of Hamden, North Haven and the region.”
Stay with Q30 News for more information as we learn how the building will be used.
