WYCE provides the soundtrack of West Michigan at Rosa Parks Circle

Grand Rapids has always been hip to everything local, so it is only fitting that our own community-sponsored radio station, WYCE 88.1FM, will now be providing the soundtrack to the city.

Thanks to a  partnership with the city of Grand Rapids Parks Department, when you are at Rosa Parks Circle and there is music being played through the speaker system, it will be a live stream from the West Side studios of  the Community Media Center and WYCE. 

The program, which began precisely at 7pm on Dec. 2 (following the lighting of the Christmas tree), was the result of multiple conversations that station manager Quinn Mathews had with the team from Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc. “Since I began working with WYCE, I’ve been wanting to team up with community partners,” Matthews says. “We are the only radio station that plays local and regional music, and we want to spread the world.”

This program follows the introduction of GR Live, a live radio program happening every Thursday at noon in downtown Grand Rapids and broadcast live over the air on WYCE 88.1 FM.

Matthews sees this type of programming helping to not only to broaden the audience for WYCE, but most importantly showcasing the area’s vibrant  music scene. “We are all thrilled here.  As visitors come to town, or business men and women head to lunch, you will be given the soundtrack to 'a world of music' at West Michigan Community radio as you make your way through our growing downtown."

To learn more about WYCE, you can visit its site here.

(Full disclosure: The author of this story is a volunteer programmer for WYCE. Uncle John is on air every other Saturday night from 6:00pm-9:00pm.)

First photo: The WYCE Team Kicks off Music at Rosa Parks Circle. From left to right are: Gabriella De La Vega (“El Mundo Musical” on WYCE), Johanna Jelks (GRCMC), The Professor (WYCE programmer), Nina Capri (WYCE programmer), and Quinn Mathews (Station Manager WYCE).
 
Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor