Hello Blugold Radio/Verge Community,
We have some news to share with you about the ever-evolving entity that we all love and support, Blugold Radio, soon to be… Converge Radio. We know, that’s not what we have been planning, but please bear with me as I explain this change.
As you likely know, since early this year, Chippewa Valley community members, UWEC students and staff, and others have been diligently working on a major rebranding initiative. After multiple surveys, spirited discussions, and lots of hard, hard work by some of those students, we landed on Verge Radio 99.9. We were excited about it and ready to run.
On June 1st, we launched a “soft opening” of the new name/brand. Over the course of the month, we’ve received feedback from various voices. Most of the feedback has been very positive. However, we were fortunate enough to receive some critical comments as well. As we have processed those comments, it became clear we needed to make an adjustment.
While we were excited about “Verge,” the feedback received helped us to see it was not quite as descriptive of who we are as we’d like. This station and its various functions and activities is ultimately about connection. Our mission is to create and multiply personal, positive connections around music, the arts, and our community. While “Verge” pointed to that mission, it was not quite as descriptive as we’d like our name to be.
Enter: “Converge.” This new moniker carries with it something of the ideas behind “Verge” but it paints a much clearer picture of who we are and what we are about. “Converge” means “to come together and unite in a common interest or focus,” according to Merriam-Webster. We’re not sure there’s a more fitting name we could choose, to be honest.
For those of you who participated in this process, first, thank you. Second, we apologize for this last-moment adjustment. We are making it in response to what we have heard from a variety of perspectives, and we feel as though this flexibility in approach in response to our community aligns with who we aim to be.
The need to change became apparent in the last week, and we had to move quickly. I want you to know that this decision was not made lightly, nor in a vacuum. It came as the result of conversations between University Foundation leaders, legal counsel, and members of the community. We all believe this change is a positive one, and we hope you’ll feel the same.
Please let us know if you have any questions about this. Thank you for your support of what will soon be Converge Radio 99.9!
Sincerely,
Ed Hudgins, Chairman of the Converge Community Advisory Board
Scott Morfitt, Station Manager, Converge Radio 99.9