WSYC 88.7 FM’s annual “Up All Night” broadcast this past weekend made many Shippensburg University students surrender one of the things they value most — their sleep.

However, with music, conversation and the chance to win prizes on the 30th minute of every hour, this all-nighter was far more exciting than the all too familiar all-nighters that consist of frantic last-minute studying.

WSYC celebrated its 60th anniversary on Saturday, and “Up All Night” kicked off the station’s anniversary celebration as the 24-hour live broadcast ran 8 a.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday.

While 24 hours on air is a tiresome feat, WSYC did not use exhaustion as an excuse for letting poor quality in the late-night hours of the broadcast slip through. “Up All Night” DJs went live in shifts, which constantly provided listeners with a fresh voice and varied music.

The DJs fed off of one another’s energy as the day grew long, and maybe a cup or three of coffee as well to keep them going strong during the 24 hours.

“The excitement is what managed to keep us all up and going for the 24-hour period,” WSYC General Manager Samuel Fritz said. “I think once you enter the 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. period, it becomes very exciting.”

Some of the biggest prizes given away during “Up All Night” included tickets to see Lady Gaga, Chance The Rapper and four different sporting events.

“The [phone] lines were extremely busy,” Fritz said. “We managed to get enough callers to give away every prize, but I’d say Chance The Rapper had the busiest phone lines.”

“Up All Night” was successful in getting people interested in what SU student media is capable of producing, according to Fritz. While WSYC does not have access to the analytics that would otherwise prove its increase in listenership during “Up All Night,” the increased number of callers vouches for it.

“As I was walking around campus during the day, I heard people talking about [WSYC], and I heard random people sad they didn’t win a prize,” Fritz said. “That kind of exposure is great for us.”

This year “Up All Night” ran deeper than a station-wide goal of increased awareness of WSYC and its listenership. Leading up to its 60th anniversary celebration, it commemorated where WSYC originated from, how it has grown since and where it will go in the years to come.

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