Keeping Radio Alive, KMXX is on the Rise

By Anthony Foster
Menlo Oak Staff

Many media consumers say radio is nearly dead, but a group of Menlo College students don't seem to be listening.

A handful of Menlo students have taken on the challenge of reviving the campus radio station, KMXX. One of their first creations was "Fun Fridays,” a new show and the station's main source of content.

"Fun Fridays" is recorded live in Kratt Hall every Friday morning. The show features a rotating set of co-hosts. It is easy to see that Menlo students are the ones completely in charge of the show's content. So far, the program’s topics  have ranged from sports to comedy to weekly movie and media reviews.  The best part of what KMXX now offers may be the humor that students bring to the programs.  

Inside KMXX Recording Studio
(From left to right) Sasha Selvin, Amanda Torres, Sasa Maksimovic

A recent “Fun Friday” show featured Menlo College students Sasa Maksimovic, Sasha Selvin and Amanda Torres.  The show’s topic was the weekend’s much anticipated Super Bowl XLVI between the New England Patriots and New York Giants.  While the talk was about weekend foods, best party spots and winner predictions, co-host Maksimovic’s best prediction came when he said slyly, “I think the Giants are going to win because Tom Brady wears Uggs.” 

Co-host Amanda Torres jokingly responded,  “But why couldn’t you wear them, Uggs are so warm and make your feet feel amazing.”  


Maksimovic seemed to think there is a manly inability to wear Uggs and responded humorously with, “I have a beard,” indicating that men, beards, and Uggs should not, and do not, go together.

"Fun Friday"  is funny and easy to listen to and it is attracting an audience, if the calls from students to the show is an indication.  

Raising the visibility of KMXX  is one of the goals of the students. Members of the student-run station have  created advertising banners that will soon decorate the campus.  The students hope this marketing campaign will create “in your face” and hard-to-miss advertisements that will spark the interest and lead to new listeners.  The marketing slogans are classic and clever featuring taglines such as, “You want the best, you got the best in KMXX,” and “So good that they had to put us in the basement.”  Additionally, to attract listeners, the station will hold contests with prizes given away to student listeners.

While the station has been around for some while, it went on a short hiatus before the 2011-2012 school year due to technical difficulties in the recording studio.  Now, with the studio back up and running, KMXX has attracted a distinctive student crew who promise to deliver diverse programming.

"I've done some voiceovers, but radio for the most part is something different that I can have some fun with," says Josh Waller-Weinberg, one of the more popular “Fun Friday” co-hosts.  Some say Waller-Weinberg’s on-air voice already sounds like a polished professional.  Waller-Weinberg is a great representation of what the show has to offer.

Currently the station's access is limited, but that all should change with a live stream active on KMXX.Menlo.Edu . This should give more students opportunity to listen to the station and tell their friends and family about it as well.


Waller-Weinberg hints at a positive future for the station as he mentions, "I know that I have come up with some surprisingly great and funny content, and I think if students were to listen they would be pleasantly surprised."