WYOB, the reggae format radio station operated by Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School students, signed off the air Oct. 11, after a three year educational effort.
The station operated at low power over the airwaves at 105.5 FM, and streamed live over the internet.
Founder and advisor Skip Finley, a former radio station executive and consultant, said the school was unable to fund a full time position to keep the radio station on the air.
“It got exactly to the point where it needed to grow or go, and I chose go,” Mr. Finley said. “I certainly understand the financial situation of the school. It needed someone there full time.”
The original plan for the radio station was to grow the program to be part of the school’s Career and Technical Education curriculum.
Mr. Finley said he was disappointed that didn’t happen, but his disappointment was tempered because the program gave some high school students a good representation of the radio industry, and some hands-on learning experiences.
“Some kids learned some things, some kids had some fun,” Mr. Finley said. “Three of them are off to pursue careers in the business, they went to college. It was certainly worth a try, the effort, but this is not a part-time job. It started that way to build it. A couple of us were able to do it part time. I had help from parents that came to all the fundraisers, I had help from many people at the school.”
Mr. Finley said despite some skepticism, WYOB (which stands for We’re Your Oak Bluffs) earned a loyal audience.
“The station got a big following, you see our bumper stickers every place,” Mr. Finley said. “People liked it.”
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