For students walking past the studio, KUIW Radio might be an afterthought, but for the hosts behind the mic, it’s become a highlight of their week.
Rebecca Castaneda, a junior majoring in communications multimedia journalism, and Tejan Diallo, a sophomore majoring in communication arts multimedia, co-host a two-hour segment on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon, a slot they’ve nicknamed “The Peanut Gallery.” Though still new to the role, the pair have already settled into a rhythm and a running bit that’s become a signature of their show.
“We barely did our first shift, and basically we just came in, and we decided what type of music we wanted to play that day,” Rebecca said. “We put it all on the system, and then every 15 minutes we start talking about whatever we want to.”
That “whatever we want to” has turned into a recurring segment of offbeat, debate-sparking questions that are comedic.
“We start implementing hard-hitting questions,” Rebecca said. “I asked Tejan if soup was a cereal, and a cereal was a soup, then I asked him if water was wet. So now every week we need to think about a question to ask for that 15-minute break.”
For Tejan, the appeal of KUIW Radio is less about format and more about freedom.
“Just anything typically on your radio station here at UIW,” he said. “It’s such an amazing experience to listen and watch everyone have their own persona and way to operate their show. Even with ours, it’s so personal to our liking, which makes it even better.”
That opened, driven spirit is exactly what KUIW Radio is built around, according to Program Director Gabe Lizarraga.
For students unfamiliar with the station, Gabe describes the KUIW simply as “a student-run radio station that gives students a chance to have their own voice and share the things they’re passionate about & play music that they love.”
The station’s mission goes beyond entertainment, Gabe said. “The biggest purpose of KUIW is to give students hands-on experience in radio broadcasting while also creating something for the UIW community to enjoy,” he said. “It gives students an opportunity to find their voice and gain confidence while working as part of a station. At the same time, it gives students a platform to express themselves and connect with other people on campus.”
As for what listeners can expect to hear, Gabe says the programming reflects the diversity of the students running it.
“There’s definitely a variety of programming because every student brings something different to their show,” said Gabe. “You can expect to hear different genres of music, discussions about music and pop culture, entertainment topics, and shows that feature the personality of the DJ. I think there’s something for pretty much everyone, and you never really know what you’re going to hear when you tune in.”
KUIW is open to any UIW student interested in joining, regardless of major. The station broadcasts throughout the day, and listeners can tune in through kuiw.org or on Live365, with both links available in the station’s Instagram bio, @kuiw.radio. The KUIW radio studio is located in Founders Hall, Room 3021.
For students interested in getting involved, Gabe Lizarraga, KUIW’s program director, can be reached at glizarra@student.uiwtx.edu.
