WNSB continues to serve the community
Spartan News
12
By Malik Davis
Things are happening at WNSB Hot 91.1, “The Soul of VA.” Maynard Scales, the general manager of WNSB reminisces about the history, the now, and the future of WNSB.
February, 1980, WNSB signed on to the radio airwaves inside James Hugo Madison Hall with the visions of Dr. Wilbert Edgerton, Dr. Georgia. Ryder, Dr. Melvin Smith, Dr. Stanley Tickton, and Edward Turner. This initial broadcast consisted of instructional programming and NSU news.
There were also no commercials and the broadcast only played for 12 hours a day. This was just the beginning of WNSB as it shifted over time.
Despite the changes, WNSB keeps the legacy of its founders alive by continuing to serve the community, students, and the university.
“We have changed many times; we have reinvented ourselves. We have played jazz, hip-hop, and pop. Overall we went through some changes, but we continue to improve our sound to help our students and improve the craft,” Scales said.
Some of these changes involved the station becoming Hampton Road’s first full-time FM jazz station, “FM Jazz 91” in April 1980. The station was later called “The Jazzbeat of Hampton Roads.”
WNSB also became the first educational station in the region to use an earth station receiving satellite dish, according to NSU’s
website. The station increased to a playtime of 18 hours in 1983 and then to 24 hours in 1998. The format went from jazz to hip hop and R&B in 2000 and then took on the tagline “Hot 91.”
Serving the community is a standard at WNSB. Events such as the Daddy daughter dances, Feeding the City and Back-to-school campaign ensure that people in the community have resources. WNSB is more than a radio station; it is a family for the community and students.
Scales understands the importance of opportunity. As a double graduate from Norfolk State University, he shares that, from being involved as a student to later a professional, giving back to students is a priority.
Hot 91.1 offers internships, work-study opportunities, or just a safe place.
“This is an activity, just like how someone is a cheerleader or a basketball player for a team, this is an activity that gives students experiences where they find their tribe. They find their new friends here and also forge relationships,” Scales said.
Scales emphasized that WNSB's future is particularly important to the station’s staff. A few updates are necessary to uphold its future, including having a fully staffed radio station, and having enough radio revenue and rating points to sustain WNSB.
According to Scales, the station’s greatest responsibility is to serve its four key clients, the university, students, staff, and listeners through the excellence of service
The public can listen to WNSB Hot 91.1 on the radio, or on any smart device by downloading the TuneIn Radio application or by going to www.wnsbonline.org