WXVU’s on-air positioner is:

“V Eighty-Nine-One, The Roar.”

At any point, the WXVU call letters can be substituted and is more than acceptable to use, but V 89-1 The Roar is the moniker we typically use in all station branding and marketing, and as such, we’d like to keep the positioner consistent when mentioned during block programming.

Each semester, our block programming schedule changes.  There are no limitations on the times these shows are scheduled, however, they typically fall between 10:00 AM and 11:30 PM.

WXVU’s block programming is freeform.  Show applicants are invited to craft a show featuring whichever music or talk show subject they choose; however, all applicants are required to abide by the following guidelines:

Adherence to University Code: If the host is conducting a talk show, they are required to uphold and respect the codes and values of Villanova University in all discussions and interactions. This means the show content should be in line with the principles of truth, unity, and love, respecting the dignity and worth of each person in the university community. Any content that may cause harm or offense, or that detracts from the positive, inclusive environment that the university seeks to maintain, will not be tolerated. This requirement extends to the treatment of all guests and listeners. Violations of this guideline could result in the cancellation of the show or further disciplinary action.

WXVU Music Policy: https://wxvu.org/inserting-and-playing-music-on-the-wxvu-studio-computer/ 

Always Pre-Read WXVU White Cards Before You Read Them on Air

If you are reading ANYTHING on air, it is important to know what you’re saying. Often, there are pronunciations on the tough words or names that you’ll mispronounce or mess up if you haven’t prepared. It’s also just blatantly disrespectful to those who submit information for cards.

EXAMPLES OF PAST AND PRESENT SPECIALTY SHOWS

• “Route 30 Rock” (classic rock)
• “Tune Town” (classic hits)
• “Alt Rock Shock” (alternative rock)
• “Scoop ‘N’ Score” (sports talk)
• “Boots & Daisy Dukes” (country)
• “Thoughts of Yesterday” (classic hits)
• “Stop, Drop & Bop” (current pop)

SHOW PROGRAMMING CLOCK

• :00 after the hour – Play or read the “Legal ID”(WXVU Villanova) at the top of the hour (play from the new Sports Sounds Pro software on the studio PC).  Play a Promo at the top of the hour (play from the Sports Sounds Pro software on the studio PC).
• This is not mandatory, but we’d also love it if you played the WXVU Weather Forecast at the top of the hour (use the daytime file if it is before 4:00 PM, use the nighttime file if it is after 4:00 PM) (play from the new Sports Sounds Pro software on the studio PC).
• :15 and :45 after the hour – Read ONE white card announcementat :15 (i.e. 4:15) and :45 (i.e. 4:45) after the hour.  The white cards should always be left open as a Google Doc on the studio PC.
• :30 after the hour – Play a PSAat :30 after the hour (play from the Sports Sounds Pro software on the studio PC).

SHOW TIMING

Show durations are 90 minutes (i.e., Tuesday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM).  As a courtesy to the show that follows your slot (if applicable), we ask you wrap up your show 5 minutes before the end of your timeslot (i.e., 11:25 AM for 11:30 AM).  The hosts of the show on deck are not to enter the studio until the current show completes their timeslot.

However, if a show continues to not observe its timeslot and goes over into the next timeslot repeatedly, the Station Manager has the discretion to suspend a show for its non observance.  Everyone needs to have equal time on-air, and some hosts are only able to do certain times of the week due to class and work schedules.

PRE-EMPTIONS

At various times throughout the Fall and Spring semesters, WXVU’s live broadcasts of Villanova sporting events, and or concerts and shows in the Joan and John Mullen Center for the Performing Arts, will result in the preemptions of scheduled shows.  These live broadcasts do get priority.  We will do our best at least a week in advance to notify the host(s) of shows that are facing preemption.  You will not be able to do your show in the given week.  An exception to this is if your show is partially preempted (i.e., a basketball game that is scheduled to tip-off at 7:45 PM, and your show begins at 7:00 PM).  In these scenarios, WXVU is happy to allow you to do your show up until the live broadcast begins.

We will no longer be rescheduling shows that are preempted to an empty slot the same week, as we are being more intentional about showcasing our automation programming at various times.  If a show is continuously preempted (i.e., due to primetime basketball scheduling), we will make exceptions to this policy.

SEMESTER STARTING AND ENDING POINTS FOR SHOWS

WXVU specialty shows can begin broadcasting as soon as the schedule is released by the Business Director, typically within the first two weeks of the Fall and Spring semester.

Shows will continue to be added as hosts apply and complete the WXVU training process.

Shows are welcome to broadcast during Fall and Spring break if the respective hosts are still on campus.

Shows are allowed to broadcast through the respective final exam week in the Fall and Spring semester.  Shows are not permitted to broadcast during senior week in May without permission from the Station Manager.

SHOW ELIGIBILITY

Any member of the Villanova campus community (student, faculty, staff) is welcome to host a show on WXVU.  Villanova community members will be prioritized for show slots.

Outside the community members, including but not limited to, members of neighboring universities, are welcome to host shows on WXVU, but must go through the application process, must apply and receive a Wildcard through the Wildcard Office, cooperate with Villanova Public Safety’s protocols for accessing the broadcast studio, and will not receive priority over Villanova community members.

INDECENCY/OBSCENITY – THE SEVEN WORDS YOU CAN NEVER SAY ON TELEVISION (OR THE RADIO)

When it comes to indecency & obscenity…politics run rampant.  As such, there is no definitive rule about what language is “safe” and what is not.  However, the infamous “Seven Dirty Words” from the George Carlin comedy routine (and from the Supreme Court case FCC v. Pacifica Radio 1978) are a good starting point.

These words, and their variations, may NEVER be heard on WXVU airwaves:

• Shit
• Piss
• Fuck
• Cunt
• Cocksucker
• Motherfucker
• Tits

This goes for all broadcast hours, including late nights.  WXVU does not observe FCC safe harbor rules (this has been brought up by station members in the past).  Remember, we must not only abide by FCC rules, but also the code and conduct of Villanova University.

As such, it is the responsibility of WXVU DJs during their shift to ensure that:

1. No indecent or obscene material is to air at any time, and…
2. You are expected to screen any music that may contain indecent material before you play it!  This includes any songs you submit for airing via WXVU show set lists to the music director.

Villanova University has in place policies regarding Racial and Sexual Harassment.   To Quote:

“Sexual harassment is defined as abuse or mistreatment of a person based on his or her sex or gender. This includes sexual assault, defined as any form of sexual contact, and rape…..without consent. Such actions as cat calls, obscene phone calls, obscene gestures, and other unwanted and/or threatening written or oral communication are also considered harassment.”

“Racial harassment is any action on the part of an individual or group that demeans or abuses another individual or group because of racial or ethnic background, and/or that creates an intimidating, humiliating, or hostile environment. Such actions may include but are not limited to using racial or ethnic epithets, making racially or ethnically derogatory remarks, using racial or ethnic stereotypes, or using images or symbols that are racially or ethnically offensive.”

WXVU as a voice and member of the Villanova community, abides by these policies and will not air material that crosses these lines. This includes, but is not limited to recorded material, live material of announcers, or material from outside sources.

This is especially true of all comedy material. Examples would be material that was homophobic, sexually explicit material that degrades, advocating violence towards gender or racial groups, etc. This is just as important, if not more important an issue than indecency, considering the far reach of radio and the multi cultural area we serve. A violation of this policy will be treated the same as indecency.

VISITOR ACCESS

Visitors are allowed on the premises during business hours, from 9am to 5pm on weekdays.  No visitors are permitted in the radio station at night, on weekends or during holidays without the express permission of the advisor or Station Manager.  A visitor is considered to be anyone who is not a staff member of WXVU.  Staff members with unauthorized guests in the studio will be suspended from the station for at least two weeks.  Each station member is expected to enforce this policy while they are on the air.  If you have trouble keeping someone out of the station, feel free to call campus security or the general manager.

SOUND BOARD OPERATION

In December 2022, WXVU was pleased to install an Axia iQ 8-fader Console. This state-of-the-art console is designed to provide top-quality sound control for all our broadcast needs. Below are some general operating guidelines:

INPUTS

The following inputs are currently used:

• Mic 1-4: For microphones used by hosts, guests, and co-hosts.
• Computer: To route audio from the studio computer (including all music).
• Aux: Can be used for sound effects or bits but is no longer permitted to play music during shows.

STARTING A BROADCAST

Power On: Ensure the console is powered on using the main power switch.

Fader Adjustment: Use the faders for Mic 1-4 to control the volume of the individual microphones. Slide the faders up to increase volume and down to decrease.

Computer Audio: Route the audio from the computer by selecting the appropriate channel and using the corresponding fader to control the volume.

Auxiliary Input: If using the Aux for sound effects or bits, select the appropriate channel and control with the designated fader.

DURING A BROADCAST

Monitor Levels: The program meter to the left is for PGM 1 input sources. Only the program meter on the left needs to be active. Keep your eyes on the meter to try a keep a balanced audio level. Peaks should NEVER reach the top of the meter. This causes painful clipping and will make us sound bad. On the other hand, a level that is too low will make our station sound weak. Strive for a level that sits around the -20 mark with a peak of -10 on the meter for both music and voice. You may need to adjust your voice levels to match the music or vice versa.

Mute Control: Utilize the mute buttons to silence specific channels when necessary.

Headphone Control: Adjust the headphone volume to an appropriate level for comfortable listening in the studio.

Ending a Broadcast

Fader Down: Slide all faders to the down position, EXCEPT the computer.

Power Off: If appropriate, power off the console using the main power switch.

SAFETY GUIDELINES

Do not eat or drink near the console to prevent spills.

Report any technical issues to the technical director immediately.

Avoid unplugging or replugging cables while the console is powered on.

TROUBLESHOOTING

If a channel is not working, check the connections and ensure that the appropriate source is selected.

If experiencing feedback, reduce the volume of the offending channel and check for any open microphones or speakers near the mics.

These guidelines are meant to provide a general understanding of the sound board’s operation. For in-depth training, please refer to the provided manufacturer’s manual or consult with the station’s technical director.

STATIONPLAYLIST

StationPlaylist Studio is WXVU’s automation program. It allows us to operate the radio station 24/7/365 regardless of whether a DJ is present. StationPlaylist Studio interfaces with a program called StationPlaylist Creator to chose all the songs to be played on WXVU, along with all PSAs and promos.

In 2023, we began having DJs use StationPlaylist Studio to play their music for their shows, via the WXVU music library.

Please reference the following five minute video on how to play music elements through our StationPlaylist Studio Pro software: https://youtu.be/OQ9p-a6zxNw

A step-by-step how to for loading and playing music in StationPlaylist:

• To load in music for your show, in StationPlaylist, scroll down to the bottom of the hour, where there will be a “Break Note” element indicating the name of your show:

• Right-click anywhere below the break note, and select “Insert Tracks”.
• On the next Insert Tracks screen, make sure General Track is selected, and then click “Select Files”.  This will take you to File Explorer.  All WXVU Music can be accessed using the !WXVU Music Library shortcut in the Quick Access area.

• Add the songs you’d like to play into StationPlaylist.  We’d recommend doing as many as you can just prior to going on the air with your show, but how you do this is up to you.
• To start your show, turn off automation as you normally would, and you can open up the mic anytime.  When you are ready to start playing your music, select the first song in your set list and then click the Play button in StationPlaylist.  Do not turn on automation.
• If you’d like for a few songs in a row to be segued automatically, after you start playing music, click the checkbox next to the songs you’d like to play in a row, and StationPlaylist will play them automatically.  It will stop once there are no more songs checkboxed.
• You can play promos, PSAs, and station IDs through StationPlaylist as well (they are also saved to the Quick Access toolbar in File Explorer), or, you can just play them as you have been through Sports Sounds Pro, which we will keep open on the station computer.

BREAK NOTES

At the discretion of the station advisor, break notes are to be inserted manually into the StationPlaylist Creator software at the beginning of the hour of each specialty show, indicating the name of the show and its primary host(s).  The reason for this is this data will propagate both over the WXVU stream and WXVU’s RDS, identifying the show, helpful to our listeners.  Creating a break note can be done as follows:

• Open StationPlaylist Creator
• Go to the Editor section and navigate to the hour of the show in question.
• Right click at the top of the hour, and select “Insert Track”.

You will see the “Insert Tracks” window.  Select “Break Note” as the radio button option.  In the text field, type in the following, adjusting for the show name and names of host(s):

*user=Please Tune in with Ryan & Allison
(Substitute Please Tune In for the show name, and Ryan & Allison for the hosts)

After clicking insert, the break note will be inserted into the hour.

Make sure to save in the StationPlaylist Creator editor window.

It is good practice for DJs to be aware of these break notes, as StationPlaylist Studio must “play” the break notes in order for them to take effect. They are audio less and take a fraction of a second to play, but by doing so, they will update the current “user” of the automation software, and thus reflect in the stream metadata and RDS.

STATIONPLAYLIST CLOCK

Through WXVU’s automation programming, we follow specific rotations throughout the broadcast day to maintain consistency for our listeners.  This typically follows the below format:

• :00 WXVU Legal ID
• A “priority” WXVU promo
• A Villanova campus promo
• An Ad Council PSA
• WXVU Weather Forecast
• Approximately 30 minutes of music, with no more than 2 songs in a row without some sort of sweeper inbetween
• :30 after the hour, WXV&U Health PSA
• Roar feature promo (i.e., WXVU sports broadcasts)
• Approximately 30 minutes of music, with no more than 2 songs in a row without some sort of sweeper inbetween

WHITE CARDS

At :15 minutes after the hour and :45 minutes after the hour, during specialty shows, DJs are expected to read one of the WXVU White Cards, promoting events happening at Villanova University.  The White Cards are typically housed in the WXVU Music Google account as a Google Sheet, as seen here for Fall 2023:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hLZ02x_GuIyhFdtEG1_eBOK-t6ErMD3_0qONkNiXFrY/edit#gid=0

Any campus event or organization is invited to submit a white card for airing.  It is the responsibility of the imaging director to ensure the copy of the white card is suitable for on-air announcement.

All white cards will also be turned into :30 or :60 second promos, rotated in the WXVU automation.