Georgia State radio partnership announced

ATLANTA-Georgia State athletics and Atlanta’s JW Broadcasting have reached an agreement for “Newstalk 1160 (WCFO AM) . . . The Talk of the Town” to become the official flagship radio station for Panther football and men’s basketball. Georgia State student radio station, WRAS 88.5 FM, will remain the official student station of Panther athletics and will carry all football and men’s and women’s basketball games as well as selected baseball games.

The agreement between GSU athletics and JW Broadcasting begins immediately and runs through the 2011-12 school year. Newstalk 1160 is currently airing the Rod Barnes Radio Show (Mondays, 4-5 p.m.), the weekly program hosted by the GSU basketball coach, and sister station WMLB 1690 AM is simulcasting men’s basketball games.

Beginning next fall, Newstalk 1160 will be the official flagship station for Georgia State’s inaugural football season, carrying all games as well as head coach Bill Curry’s radio show. Newstalk 1160 will also be the flagship station for GSU men’s basketball.

“Our partnership with JW Broadcasting is an important step forward as we launch Georgia State football and grow our entire athletics program,” said Director of Athletics Cheryl L. Levick. “This partnership will help us broaden our reach in the Atlanta market, and even more importantly, it gives us a starting point from which we can build a state-wide radio network.”

“Our student radio station, WRAS, has always been a tremendous partner for athletics and will continue to be an important element in our broadcast package,” added Levick. “All football and basketball games will continue to air on WRAS.”

Jeff Davis, Vice President and General Manager of JW Broadcasting, said “We are extremely excited to be working with two of the nation’s leading coaches in Bill Curry and Rod Barnes, and one of the best play-by-play guys in this town in Dave Cohen. We look forward with great anticipation to working with the folks at one of Georgia’s premiere institutions of higher learning and the up-and-coming Georgia State athletics program.”