 Dave
Downing
Station Manager
Email Daveby Ann Kammerer
Dave Downing discovered the magic of
the airwaves in the hallways of Lansing public schools. “My friends and I started a station when I was in junior high,”
says the now station manager of LCC’s WLNZ 89.7 FM. “We were
about 12 or 13, and we would read announcements that were broadcast
to the school. At that point, I just got hooked.”
Today, Downing manages another type
of station associated with public airspace. As the station manager
for WLNZ, Downing is following his life-long quest of community
service by offering unique radio programming not available on the
local dial.
“It all goes back to the community
college philosophy,” Downing says. “I see us as airing community
programming and playing music that people wouldn’t hear otherwise.
Plus, we offer exceptional opportunity for students to receive the
training and on-air experience they’ll need to be successful in a
commercial radio setting.”
Almost born with a dedication to
community radio, Downing’s commitment matured through hard work,
professional experience, and education. In high school, Downing went
directly from class to operate controls for public affairs
programming at a local radio station.
“WILS was right down the
street from Lansing Everett,” Downing said. “I’d just pack up
and go right to work.”
Building on those early radio days,
Downing earned Associate, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in
Telecommunications from LCC and Michigan State University. At that
time, WLNZ was WLCC—a station broadcasting on FM cable and to the
campus via a low-powered AM transmitter. Ever committed to radio,
Downing got involved in programming, teaching broadcast courses, and
applying his skills as an on-air personality for area stations like
WILS, WJIM and WFMK. In 1980, Downing left commercial radio to
become WLCC’s station advisor; six years later, he became the
full-time station manager.
WLNZ—the station known today—came
on air in 1994, broadcasting 17 hours a day, five and sometimes six
days a week.
“Now we’re on 24/7,” Downing said. “Just like a
commercial station. That ability to be on around the clock is
because of our membership. We couldn’t do it without their
support.”
Although 24-hour broadcasting keeps
Downing in demand, he does manage to devote time to his other
passions: his family and Civil War history. “My big hobby is
Civil War re-enactments,” Downing said, describing the activities
of the 7th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Company B. “We portray life
during the Civil War by doing re-enactments for schools, colleges,
and public festivals and events. Our intent is to give a
three-dimensional look at what the average person went through back
then.”
Downing’s interest stems from his
own ancestry. Walter Mundall, a relative on his mother’s side,
fought for the 3rd Michigan Infantry and was wounded three times,
taken and exchanged as a prisoner of war, and won a congressional
medal of honor.
“It’s a way I
can get as close to the experience as he had,” says Downing.
“Once you pull on the wool uniform and do the marching and drills
in 95-degree heat, you get an idea of what it was like. Once you see
a re-enactment, you’ll never read history the same again.”
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