Georgia State, GPB Reset WRAS Format Switch Date

The on-air portion of the partnership between Georgia State University’s radio station, WRAS/Album 88, and Georgia Public Broadcasting, isn’t quite ready to begin.

Earlier this month it was announced that starting June 2, GPB would take over the widely-popular college radio station’s signal from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily by offering up a mixture of nationally and locally produced news programming.

Outrage over the change in format from students and supporters of WRAS has been widespread in the weeks since with a Facebook page, website, petition, fundraisers, protests and more pushing for university leaders to reconsider the change.

And at least for the moment, the loss of the 98 hours a week of student programming has been put on hold. At least for several more weeks according to the post at the WRAS Facebook page on Friday morning on behalf of the school.

"This morning (May 30) Georgia State University Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Douglass Covey, met with the leadership of Georgia State University’s student-programmed radio station, WRAS, to inform them that the university and Georgia Public Broadcasting are postponing to June 29 the implementation of broadcasting by GPB on the university’s 88.5 frequency. The implementation was originally scheduled for June 2, and the date is being moved back to allow the university to continue to work on resolving issues raised by the WRAS leadership in a May 16 meeting with President Mark P. Becker and university leaders, and for GPB to finalize production plans for new local programming."