TCNJ

16 The College of New Jersey Magazine before Wtsr … … THERE WAS WTSC, a campus radio station that reached residence halls through telephone lines. Each hall had its own transmitter tuned to 640 AM. Programming began in 1958 with three turntables and one microphone. Mostly a club activity, the station focused on reporting news across campus. Soon after its start, students led an effort to obtain a Federal Communications Commission license. But there was one glitch: The call letters, which matched the school's name, were already being used. On September 12, 1966, the station got its license to broadcast on 89.7 FM, and WTSR (for Trenton State Radio) was born. A new tower transmitter on top of Armstrong Hall provided 10 watts of power and a signal that covered about a half-mile radius from campus. MY VOICE WAS THE FIRST to announce a message on WTSR: "If you can hear us, let us know." We hopped in cars and drove around Ewing to see if we could get the signal. Then, in the summer of 1967, I built the Kendall Hall studio. It was originally a bathroom. We put up walls, made a studio and control room, and installed all the equipment. We had a remote control to the transmitter in Armstrong Hall. I had a career that included working at Nassau Broadcasting in Princeton; doing voiceovers; and teaching radio, television, and communications technology. It all started at WTSR. JOHN ANASTASIO '69 Chief engineer tHe aduLts iN tHe rooM THE STATION IS RUN by a board of students elected to roles of station manager, music director, and program manager, among others. But a staff or faculty advisor has always been there to oversee the operation. Two advisor names loom large in WTSR memories: Dave Rogosky and Kevin Potucek. Rogosky was the pipe-smoking, structure-setting advisor of the late '80s and '90s who played a vital role in moving the station from the student life office and into the curriculum of the communication department. "I don't think anyone is more responsible for the success of the station than Dr. Rogosky," says Gregg Savarese '97. "He fought to keep it running, and he fought for us." Paul Alfieri '97, who was a communication major, appreciates the professionalism and skill he learned from Rogosky. "He really encouraged us to innovate and be creative and explore the medium." Kevin Potucek entered as advisor in the early 2000s, a pivotal time when the station was moving from analog to digital. "KP is the star in any story with WTSR," says Nina Navazio '20, who served as station manager for two years under Potucek. Still the advisor today, Potucek keeps WTSR relevant in a changing media landscape. "People are always asking me, 'How many people listen?'" he says. "And I'm like, 'I don't care.' Because that's not the mission. The mission is about our students and learning." fuN fact Kevin Potucek won "Best Faculty Advisor, Radio" for the 2026 Intercollegiate Broadcasting System awards. "WTSRwasagreatorganizationtojoinifyouwerecreative, ambitious,orjustwantedtobepartofsomethingbig." Kevin Quinn '75 KEVIN POTUCEK DAVE ROGOSKY

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