A New Space for The Bear 91.3 KUCA-FM
The University of Central Arkansas, radio station KUCA, also known as “The Bear 91.3,” is a 5,000-watt non-commercial education station, now located inside a new state-of-the-art studio suite on the main floor of the Ronnie Williams Student Center.
“We want to invigorate this space,” says Robin Williamson, vice president of the Division of Student Affairs. “This is the first floor of the Student Center, which feels like the heart of campus activities. We want this to be a space that students can be proud of and feel like it’s their home like it’s a space where you can relax, enjoy, engage and have some fun experiences.”
The station, formerly known as KASC-FM, began broadcasting on October 10, 1966. In 1998, the Conway commercial radio station KCON-AM, owned by former UCA Board member and longtime “Voice of the Bears” Bill Johnson and under the direction of Monty Rowell, was going to cease operations. Wanting to save the station, Johnson offered the station to the university. Former UCA President Win Thompson agreed to take the station to keep it alive and in the community and give the students a station of their own. The new KCON studio, now merged with KUCA, was moved into the basement of the Ronnie Williams Student Center.
The station has gained more opportunities since its relocation to the main floor of the Student Center, both in size, technology and streaming capabilities, allowing it to stream content internally and on platforms such as TuneIn Radio and Apple Music. This has enabled the station to reach a much broader audience than just the campus community.
In addition, the station’s relocation has increased its student interaction and programming. A total of 55 hours of student programming are available each week on the station, and over 40 hours have been filled by students, which is expected to continue rising.
“Working here has been awesome because now I get more interaction with general students; instead of just five or six of my managers, I have an opportunity to meet and greet,” said Steve Owens, director of broadcast services.
“The opportunities that they [the students] have available to them is more than other campuses allow. Even in the ones that have radio stations, students don’t get the same opportunities that they do here. It’s fun because we let the students determine where they want to take their show.”
“We saw the opportunity for the radio station not just to be an interesting attraction for people to see in the building but also a means of engaging students and getting them involved,” said Colin Stanton, student center director. “This radio station is 100% funded by a $5 student fee, so the students pay for it. The students, under Steve Owen’s leadership, run it, operate it, and so it’s theirs.”
Through student programming, KUCA provides an opportunity to any full-time or part-time UCA student in good standing with the university to participate in the on-air activities, production and programming, promotion and management aspects of the station. The station produces more than student programs throughout the week, allowing students to come to the studios to record and distribute their podcasts and shows.
“It’s a student station that is supposed to be run by the students,” said Owens. “They go out in the real world and use the skills they learn here, whether it’s even television or talking on air. It gets you more familiar with talking in public spaces and working on your pronunciation and enunciation. So, it still provides real-world experience and skills. Students get to take ownership of their station now, which is something I’m very excited about.”
“My time at the radio station has undoubtedly been one of the most rewarding experiences during my college years,” said Jack Starnes, a junior film major and a student manager at KUCA. “After transferring to UCA at the beginning of my sophomore year, the radio became not just a workplace but a source of genuine friendships and a supportive work family. My show, Jacko Starr’s Radio Bonanza, is one of the longest-running radio shows still on air for KUCA. I started in the fall of 2022, and to this day, it is still going. Overall, collaboration is at the heart of our success here at KUCA. Each member contributes a unique skill set, and the synergy that arises when we come together is truly special. The collective empowerment and shared dedication to execution create an environment where not only are goals achieved but a sense of camaraderie and accomplishment permeates throughout the team. It’s this collective spirit that transforms challenges into opportunities and makes our endeavors at The Bear 91.3 both impactful and fulfilling.”