This week (Sept 22-26, 2008) local radio station WCSM will celebrate 45 years of broadcasting in Celina. They are even bringing back some folks from the past to do some air shifts who are former “alumni” of WCSM, including some I worked with like Jack Schwartz and Jackie Jutte. 45 years is a long time for any business to be operating. I don’t think many folks in Celina realize how lucky they are to have a radio station that actually serves the community. 45 years ago stations in small communities were created to provide those areas with a source to help keep the community updated on local events. WCSM has done that in my mind for all 45 years and done it well.

Over the past years the FCC has changed many rules in the radio broadcasting industry that have taken stations like WCSM and made them into a “format” station owned by the big radio groups. Is that all bad, probably not, but WCSM is quite unique among many of the stations today. There mission has been strictly to serve you in Celina and Mercer County.

I speak as an “alumni” of the station and know how many of you in the community view the station as a very positive source. I remember doing my Saturday morning shift (6am - 12noon) many years ago and all of the calls I would get each day from listeners about how they enjoyed listening. I even got to be friends with many of you doing “Service and Music”, one Saturday (the show was an hour long than) we had 78 calls, WOW! After the show was over a couple folks called me back and said thanks Dave for getting everyone on. I was also fortunate to do many local sporting events from the Celina games to the county games and meet a lot of folks. I had many who would come up to me and say thanks for being there to do the game. WCSM has been there all of these years and has tried to cover as many events as possible. To do all of this it takes a lot of hard work by the folks at WCSM.

So my hat is off to John Coe who has owned WCSM for many years and continues to be a part of the community in many ways. John could have sold the FM many times over and that would have left Celina without a real voice for the community and he could have made a lot of money. But John has been a true member of this community in supporting events from the Celina Parks Concert Series to daily coverage at the Mercer County Banner Fair. So the next time you see John or any of his staff be sure to say thanks to them for being a part of Celina and Mercer County. Good Job WCSM! Happy 45^th Birthday from the Outlook.