WGCC

As a June 1 deadline approaches, students anxiously wait for word of a license renewal for WGCC-FM.

The renewal  was filed amidst talk of ending the radio station that had circulated around the Genesee Community College campus, Student General Manager Cody Catlin said. Based in Batavia, the site has served up news and tunes since 1985.

“It was like a sigh of relief,” Catlin said to The Batavian Tuesday at the third-floor radio station.

The station’s license was to expire on Wednesday (June 1). The required paperwork was completed and submitted on March 31, however, officials had not received a decision by Friday (May 27), communications liaison Justin Johnston said. Submitting the renewal allows the radio station to continue operating, he said. As for whether the license will be renewed, he couldn’t say for sure.

According to the Federal Communications Commission website, WGCC-FM is in “pending” status for renewal of license, and neither General Manager Steve Petty or Johnston had any definite knowledge of its status as of Tuesday, they said.

In the face of an unknown status, a post was made Monday to the station’s Facebook site inviting alumni for one more visit.

“As we are gearing up for tomorrow’s (May 31) “Show Must Go On” Alumni takeover, we would like to share some news with you all regarding what will happen after tomorrow’s event,” the post stated. “In recent conversations with college administration, WGCC will continue to broadcast on 90.7fm after June 1! The timetable to see how long will be determined after college administration weighs all of their options and with some assistance from a consultant, the paperwork was filed with the FCC to renew the current broadcast license. If the frequency does get sold at a later time, that would mean that the frequency has a current broadcast license attached to it.”

Alumni Jason Reese came to participate for a few sessions during the day.

“I had fun. I’m enjoying myself," Reese said. "I hope other folks can enjoy themselves here.”

The alumni visit had a purpose beyond bringing together radio aficionados for old times’ sake. WGCC 90.7 FM has been in limbo the last several months, going from its license potentially being sold to the latest news of a license renewal being completed and submitted to the FCC.

Class of 2013 grad Stephen Trinder originally came to GCC for paralegal studies. He switched to communications after joining the radio team.  When he heard the license may be sold, he was “kind of surprised.”

“This was a flagship crown jewel of the college,” he said. “It’s one of the most powerful radio stations owned by a college.”

Odessa Cramer, a 21-year-old radio club member, has been on the air a few times, but she mostly assists with other types of support, she said. A veterinarian technician major, her classroom is just down the hall from the station.

“This is a hidden treasure,” she said. “I didn’t know it existed.”

Reese has put his degree to good use by conducting his own social media show, he said. He credits at least some of that to his college education.

“Coming from a small town of Pavilion and going to Batavia, I’ve met a lot of people. I met Steve Petty here,” Reese said. “I’m glad I’m a communications and media arts major. I think WGCC was social media before that was even popular.”

He was “sort of shocked” to hear about the license possibly being sold, he said.

“It’s been on the air for 37 years, and was great for the community,” he said. “We had phone calls, fan mail, we got the message out to the public.”

Some of the types of events promoted by the radio station have included Law Day, Cougar Connections, pizza and music in the Student Union and providing audio and music during Business Creators Club.

The final decision to sell the station will be up to the college’s Board of Trustees.

Top photo: Members of the radio station talk business Tuesday, including Odessa Cramer, left, Cody Catlin, Jason Reese and Stephen Trinder, front. Jason Reese of Batavia takes a turn at the mic during an alumni event Tuesday at GCC's radio station; and General Manager Steve Petty and Student General Manager Cody Catlin show the station's emergency broadcast sytem. Photos by Joanne Beck

Richard Beatty, the host of "Geezer Radio" on WGCC, 90.7 FM, invited me to come on his show tonight at 8 p.m. to share some songs from my rockabilly music collection.

We'll play some new stuff, such as Imelda May and the Bellfuries; the first stuff, such as Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins; as well as dig into the Sun Records archives a bit, and a few obscure rockabilly pioneers such as Jack Earls, Johnny Carroll, and Joe Clay.

Batavia resident Richard Beatty kicked off his new show, "Geezer Radio," on GCC's college station, WGCC, with guest Bill Kauffman, who helped select the music for the evening, digging deep into the station's archives to pull out little-known treasures from the '50s, '60s and '70s.

Geezer Radio airs Thursday nights from 8 to 10.

Previously: Batavia retiree and student team up for new weekly 'Geezer Radio' show airing on WGCC

Richard Beatty (right) with Kelli Pease (center), WGCC faculty advisor, and student announcer Austen Vroman (left) at GCC’s recent Student Club Fair.

Submitted photo and press release:

Richard Beatty, of Batavia, and Cody Catlin, of Waterport, opened their new radio show with a long song by Big Brother and the Holding Company, and they continued on to play a little Bob Dylan, Creedence Clearwater Revival and even a Chet Atkins number.

All were songs from the WGCC library of music that don't see a whole lot of play time anymore.

Those tracks of music from the '50s, '60s, '70s and beyond will begin to see a bit more airtime on most Thursday nights from 8 - 10 p.m.

Genesee Community College's student-run radio station, WGCC (90.7 FM), has welcomed the interest of Beatty, who has many years of music appreciation and a wide personal collection of albums, CDs, a few cassette tapes and now streaming playlists.

At 67 years old, he quickly reflects back on 50-plus years of attending concerts across the country. 

"One of my first concerts was the Who opening for Herman's Hermits -- after experiencing Pete Townshend's windmill attack on his guitar and Keith Moon's drumming, I didn't bother sticking around for Peter Noone's crooning," Beatty said.

"I was lucky enough to see many of the greats before their lives were cut short -- maybe the best was the Allman Brothers in '71 at a University of South Florida gym in Tampa -- my recollection it was a four-hour show."

RaeAnn Engler, Richard's partner in life, has shared many great club shows in the 21st century.

"We shy away from arena shows and prefer club shows featuring largely unknown acts," Engler said. "We saw a Jeffery Lewis show in Medina where the band outnumbered the audience. It was still a great show!"

Beatty, a retired industrial property appraiser for New York State Real Property Services, approached the College about his interest in developing a weekly program to feature music from earlier years, creating a community opportunity that he hoped would allow him to interact with GCC students, exchange an appreciation of music and even feature of few special guests on his "Geezer Radio" show.

On March 22, his first guest is local author and screenwriter Bill Kauffman, who was also GCC's 2017 Commencement speaker. Other proposed guests may be Craig Yunker, another friend of the College who attended Woodstock, GCC retirees and musicians Ray Chaya and Bob Knipe, Richard Schauf, detective for Batavia Police Department, and maybe even GCC President Jim Sunser.

Working with the students has been a pleasure for Beatty. He has enjoyed helping them relocate station equipment during the renovation project between the fall and spring semesters. He regularly attends station meetings, and he supported WGCC at the Student Club Fair.

"Cody (Catlin) has been a real pleasure to work with, and I appreciate all that he is teaching me about the equipment and airtime guidelines," Beatty said. "And Kelli Pease, the faculty advisor to the station and also a GCC alumna, has also been a joy to work with. In the world of being retired, it doesn't get better than this."

This spring, Beatty plans to help out at GCC's Scholars' Symposium on March 29.

Beatty is also president of Landmark Society of Genesee, a docent volunteer for the Darwin Martin House in Buffalo, and a regular supporter of Richmond Memorial Library Books Sandwiched In program.

WGCC is a not-for-profit non-commercial radio station run by the students, faculty and staff of Genesee Community College. It's been on the air since 1985 and has become a well-loved part of the Batavia community.