Document Type
Honors Thesis
Major
Marine Science
Advisor(s)
Michael Socolow
Committee Members
Melissa Ladenheim, Ellie Markovitch, Judith Rosenbaum-Andre
Graduation Year
December 2024
Publication Date
Winter 1-2025
Abstract
WMEB 91.9 FM Orono, Maine is the University of Maine’s (UMaine) student-run radio station. I became the Station Manager of WMEB in spring 2022. The station staff and on-air presence was minimal due to the impact of COVID-19. From the spring 2022 to the present (fall 2024) I led WMEB’s staff as we rebuilt the station, and watched it, and those involved thrive, learn and grow. The station transformed from an unutilized space in the student union into a hub for creativity; fulfilling its ever-evolving role as a form of media for university students, staff and all communities that fall within our broadcasting radius, as well as a space for student’s self-exploration and expression, and an important contributor to the University of Maine’s community and student experience.
This Creative Thesis, “Between the Static” is a personal reflection on my experience at the radio station. Using college radio’s national history, WMEB’s history and interviews with WMEB personnel and other college radio personnel, I bring context to my experiences, positioning my story in the larger story of WMEB and college radio.
The collection of writing that follows will first bring you along on my path to finding and initiating change at WMEB. The first chapter, “The Beginning,” I tell you the story of how I found WMEB, got involved, and initiated change. In the second chapter, “Who is Murph?” I introduce you to WMEB’s station advisor and the role he played in my story before transitioning to a synopsis of WMEB’s history during his involvement at the station (1998-present). The third chapter, “Our Place, Our Community,” is a collection of stories and essays that explore the philosophical foundation of WMEB and our goals. I introduce you to WMEB’s station philosophy, our programming, how I perceive our role in building community, the sound of the station and our broadcasting policies and guidelines. The fourth and final chapter of Between the Static, “Is there a line at all?” focuses on the more frustrating aspects of WMEB: the line between personal and professional relationships and my own and other’s experiences leading as a woman.
Recommended Citation
Cleary-Reuning, Jessica, "Between the Static: A Personal Exploration of WMEB and College Radio's Cultural Influence" (2025). Honors College. 906.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/906
