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WSIE Radio Station

Serving the Greater St. Louis Area and Southwestern Illinois, WSIE-FM (88.7) The Jazz Station provides quality music, news, SIUE sports and student programming for a widely diverse listenership, while broadening the visibility of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and enhancing its image as an essential regional resource. As part of its overall educational mission, WSIE-FM offers practical training in the latest audio technologies for students, affording opportunities to work alongside industry professionals. Within a framework of creativity and freedom of artistic expression, WSIE-FM staff members encourage high academic standards and development of professional responsibilities.

RFT Names WSIE The Best Of

The Riverfront Times (RFT), recently named WSIE-FM (88.7), the Best Radio Station in St. Louis. The designation came in the newspaper’s annual Best of St. Louis edition.

“The radio station and its success are extremely important to the University,” said SIUE Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe. “WSIE acts as a critical education tool in the teaching, training and professional preparation of our students. We are proud of this recognition by the Riverfront Times.”

The RFT designation stated: “This year marks the re-birth of the Cool. In 2009 financial hardship reduced WSIE (88.7 FM) — since the 1980s the only all-jazz station in St. Louis — to running syndicated content 24/7. But its parent institution, (SIUE), was committed to revitalizing the beloved station, and in 2012 WSIE has hit its stride ….” The station offers modern American jazz, news, SIUE Cougar Sports and public service programming.

“SIUE made a commitment three years ago to return to an intelligent, high quality jazz format that also features local artists,” said Assistant Vice Chancellor for University Relations Elizabeth Keserauskis. “We are extremely proud of our staff and students who put the time, effort and hard work into restoring a great radio station’s grand tradition.”

WSIE General Manager Gregory J. Conroy said the award is shared by the entire station staff. “It’s a tribute to the hard work of our team here at the station,” Conroy said. “For the past two years we’ve been re-tooling the music to include as many local jazz musicians as possible. It’s been a labor of love.”

As a 50,000-watt NPR affiliate, WSIE-FM first went on the air in 1970 with an eclectic mix of music programmed by SIUE students as well as news, sports and other informational programming. In the mid-1980s, the station began a modern jazz music format, along with news, and built a solid reputation as The Jazz Station for the Greater St. Louis Area.

Today, WSIE-FM continues its dedication to serious jazz music and news programming with the added feature of SIUE Intercollegiate Athletics, now an NCAA Division I program, as well as student programming, and complete and accurate news, sports, and weather through daily newscasts and updates.