Florida State University is home to an abundance of student organizations, clubs and opportunities. However, one of the school’s most unique, all-welcoming and autonomous organizations is tucked away atop the Diffenbaugh building. In 1987, FSU launched the WVFS-Tallahassee radio station, where students and community members could join forces to provide the capital city area with an alternative to commercially driven radio.
Moreover, unlike most stations, WVFS offers non-stop, commercial-free coverage of the latest trends in music, news, comedy, sports and much more. By airing all day, every day, V89, as it’s referred to because of its 89.7 radio frequency, is a one-of-a-kind station that promotes diversity and inclusion by playing any recommendations sent their way.
To listen, people can tune in on the radio anywhere within a 30-mile radius or by checking out their online audio streaming at wvfs.fsu.edu. Furthermore, those interested in getting involved can attend so-called ‘cattle call’ meetings held at the beginning of every semester. There, students can get accustomed to the wide variety of departments offered, but nothing quite matches the fun-loving, yet professional and real-world environment like the sports department.
“It’s been one of the best opportunities I’ve had in college,” sophomore correspondent Jack Oliaro said. “You have the freedom to explore what you’d like. Your work is valued, and just the people I meet are a big reason I look forward to Monday evenings.”
V89 sports is centered around their weekly show, Tomahawk Talk, which airs every Monday at 7 pm. The show enables two hosts, which the department’s two highest-ranking officers hold, and two guest panelists to debate FSU and the rest of the world’s relevant sports news.
“What I really like about Tomahawk Talk is that it is the perfect place for Florida State students to cut their teeth in sports media,” senior producer Scott Clemons said.
Once the show is over, members convene for their weekly meetings. Alongside all of 420 Diffenbaugh, the laser lounge is genuinely best defined as a sensory overload due to the seemingly limitless messages, posters and sketches covering the station from top to bottom. In all honesty, it would take weeks to absorb all the history and tradition left behind over the years.
Although the room itself is remarkable, the work done in the sports department surpasses that. Their coverage expands well beyond Tomahawk Talk, as they also have their very own podcast, entitled “The Graveyard Shift,” where a handful of people discuss a wide range of topics not addressed during the show. However, above all else, the greatest opportunity V89 sports offers is their game credentials which morph students into real-world reporters as they receive media access to almost every home sporting event found at FSU.
“If you want to write, if you like going to games, we have credentials for pretty much every Florida State athletic event,” sophomore chief sports reporter William Haynes said. “If you want to pass Gene Deckerhoff in the hallway, you’ll be a journalist in the same room that he is.”
V89 extends four leadership positions to qualified, hard-working and committed members. These positions include the sports director, who acts as the show’s lead anchor and the chief sports reporter, Tomahawk Talk’s co-host and the primary source for getting credentialed. Additionally, the others include the producer, who ensures each show and podcast sounds as crisp as possible and lastly the social media manager. The remaining members serve the station as sports correspondents. They contribute as guest panelists on the show and podcast, act as media members for sporting events and give daily three-minute sports updates.
The sports station strives toward putting together the highest-quality content possible, but in the most fun, family-like way possible. Moreover, that friendly, all-welcoming environment sets this department apart from the rest. Over the years, countless friendships and lifelong bonds formed within the walls of this quaint radio station.
V89 sports is a place for anyone and everyone, regardless of their interest in sports, public speaking, or radio production. If you want a behind-the-scenes look at FSU sports, media access and so much more, then WVFS-Tallahassee is the place for you.