Hannah Montgomery
Editor-in-Chief
Student media continues to relocate to the Martin J. Neeb Center on lower campus and the next organization to make a fresh start is the Lute Air Student Radio (LASR). The new location offers a larger space for media outlets, especially LASR, to expand their opportunities for learning, growth, and creativity.
The first floor suite in Neeb is dedicated entirely to student media and both The Mast and MediaLab have moved to the space. Each outlet has a cubicle space with computers for students to work and meet.
Neeb used to house KPLU, which aired jazz, blues, and the local affiliate for National Public Radio (NPR). The station lost funding from PLU and in August of 2016, it became independently licensed and changed its name from KPLU to KNKX.
This upgrade in both space and technical equipment allows LASR to make improved programming and podcasts for the station, said LASR General Manager Ian Lindhartsen ‘20.
“The radio facilities in Neeb are already an improvement to our current set up,” he said. “Most of the technical work is actually in downsizing the system to meet our needs as an internet radio station. To make it suitable for LASR, we get to use most of the same equipment, but there has been a lot of rewiring to do.”
The broadcasting and recording space provides opportunities for students to expand their skills and try new things, he said. The live studio offers the possibility for artists and bands to perform live. Multiple microphones and increased space in the podcast studio allows for larger group discussions with guests in the future.
LASR’s move from the lower Anderson University Center (AUC) to Neeb is bittersweet for LASR staff and DJs.
“The only downside and this comes with any move, is leaving a space that has felt like home for a number of years. The personality in that studio is unlike any other space on campus,” Lindhartsen said. “It’s obvious that this move is perhaps one of the best things to happen to LASR in years considering the possibilities that come with the quality and utility of this new space.”
