One of Iowa State’s oldest institutions isn’t an ivy-coated building.

WOI AM/FM radio station, located on the north side of campus in the Communications Building, has been providing Iowa and bordering states with radio programming for nearly 77 years on its AM frequency. It is the home of Central Iowa’s National Public Radio programming.

WOI’s 640 AM broadcasting hit the airwaves for the first time in April of 1922, and the 90.1 FM debuted in July of 1949.

Don Wirth, WOI business manager, said through both its frequencies the station attracts upwards of 90,000 listeners every week.

Wirth, an ISU graduate who began working at WOI in 1983, said the station established its rapport with its listeners by not being condescending.

“There’s an even-handedness of reporting — people feel that there is a real relationship there,” he said. “It’s not a lecture-type formatting; we don’t talk down to our listeners.”

The audience response through the years has been favorable.

“There is a great show of affection and appreciation in the feedback that we get from the listeners,” he said.

Karen Bryan, host of WOI’s Music Shop and Stage and Screen programs, has worked at the station for 21 years. She agreed with Wirth about the station’s affability, saying the station’s popularity is an outcropping of its bond with listeners.

“I think that [the reason people listen] is that whatever we do or present, we come across as real human beings,” she said. “That’s something we work hard at — to sound approachable.”

Jake Graves, who has been a WOI personality for 30 years, also said a large part of the WOI appeal is the programming it offers.

“The kind of music we’re dealing has enduring value, like Mozart and Bach. It enriches peoples lives,” he said.

Wirth agreed that the WOI programming is distinct.

“We provide classical music that’s not found anywhere else in central Iowa,” he said.

Wirth also said in addition to classical music, the WOI FM frequency provides an hour of jazz every night along with a variety of National and International Public Radio programs.

He said the FM format is different from the AM format, which provides mainly local and national news programs.

Charity Nebbe, producer of WOI’s Talk of Iowa, co-host of Midday and the nationally-syndicated Chinwag Theater, said WOI provides a way to get in touch with the Ames community.

“I really love our interaction with the community. It’s a real privilege to be part of the community in that sense,” she said.

Nebbe graduated from ISU in 1996 with a degree in political science. As an undergraduate, she worked at WOI.

In addition to regular full-time employees, Bryan said WOI employees about 20 ISU students who work in the record library and in the switchboard room.

Kara James, board operator at WOI, said affecting radio listeners is what she enjoys most about her job.

“I love everything about [my job],” said James, freshman in journalism and mass communication. “I love knowing that what I do affects what people listen to across the state and in surrounding states.”

Graves said students interested in a career in radio should consider WOI as a job option.

“I think getting some experience is one of the most important things. You can build on a less glamorous position and work your way up,” he said.

Students interested in applying for a position at WOI can call the station at 294-2025 or e-mail [email protected].