BIFF Hosts First National High School Radio Day

The Biff, 88.1 FM, will host the first nationwide celebration of high school radio stations Wednesday.

The brainchild of , the event is modeled after National College Radio Day in October, and consists of 30 stations from 14 states around the country. At least five of the stations are Internet-only.

The goal is to help connect and promote high school radio stations at a time when public awareness is low, and funding pressures due to public school budget cuts continue to increase. Bowers said only 1 percent of Michigan high schools have a radio station and he estimates there are only about 200 high schools in the nation with either a terrestrial over-the-air non-commercial, educational radio station or an Internet-only radio station.

"And that number is dropping," Bowers said. "That’s why we need to unite on High School Radio Day and make the public aware of what we do, how we do it, and the service we provide our communities."

Organizers established a website and hope to make it an annual event. May was selected because the first U.S. high school radio station, WNAS, went on the air in May 1949. State Rep. Lisa Brown, D-West Bloomfield, also sponsored legislation that recently passed the state House declaring Wednesday as High School Radio Day in Michigan.

Students will participate in an open video call in which they can share technical expertise, fundraising tips, programming and other promotion ideas.

"High School Radio Day is very exciting. It is a way for high school stations to come together, something that we have not seen in the past," said Andover senior Justin Lopas, WBHF operations manager.

The Biff is owned and operated by the and can be heard at 88.1FM, or online at wbfh.fm or on the TuneIn app.