DIX HILLS, NEW YORK – APRIL 17, 2026 – FTC Sound Stream
Five Towns College’s FTC Sound Stream will join college radio stations nationwide for the first time in Vinylthon, a 48-hour, vinyl-only broadcast event beginning April 18.
Organized by the College Radio Foundation, Vinylthon serves as both a celebration of analog sound and a fundraiser supporting the foundation’s Next Step Radio scholarships, which aim to prepare and support the next generation of broadcasters.
“Vinylthon is a 48-hour event where participating radio stations play vinyl-only programming,” said station Co-Manager, Professor Andre Doughty. “The event is also a fundraiser, raising money for the College Radio Foundation, an all-volunteer nonprofit.” The FTC Sound Stream airwaves will be dedicated to Vinylthon programming on Saturday April 18 from 12 noon to midnight. All member of the Five Towns College community were invited to participate in the station’s coverage.
The resurgence of vinyl underscores the event’s relevance. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, vinyl sales rose for a 19th consecutive year in 2025, generating approximately $1.04 billion in revenue. While streaming remains the dominant format, listeners have increasingly gravitated toward analog media, including vinyl, CDs, and cassettes.
Every year, Vinylthon coincides with Record Store Day, offering an added opportunity for listeners to support local record stores.
For the FTC Sound Stream, the event is as much about student experience as it is about music. “It’s a fun experience for listeners — and a great opportunity for our future broadcasters who don’t usually get to use turntables,” said station Co-Manager, Professor Jodi Vale. “Andre, our students, and I will be spinning and talking about some of our favorite records — many from our own collections or from family. It makes the day feel more personal and meaningful.”
The event will feature a full lineup of shows and curated sets, and programming will span a wide range of genres, from funk and hip-hop to classic rock, alternative, and electronic music, all played exclusively on vinyl. “No computerized music platforms, just pure analog sound,” Vale added.
FTC Vinylthon Lineup (Source: FTC Sound Stream)
Students will lead the day’s programming, bringing their own records and musical tastes to the airwaves. Among them is Mass Communication student Adrian Kartalozi. “I am so excited to be a part of Vinylthon for the first time!” Kartalozi said. “I’m looking forward to showcasing my rock collection, playing some of the most iconic rock songs from the early 2000s; “Hybrid Theory” and “Meteora” from LINKIN PARK, and Evanescence’s, “Fallen.”
For FTC Sound Stream hosts like Jace DeMarco, Vinylthon gives him the opportunity to try something a little different on the airwaves, such as using his 6PM timeslot to bring listeners along on a dedicated journey through Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon.” DeMarco is excited for the event, saying, “Vinylthon is a special occasion, so what better way to take part in it than to play one of the greatest albums of all time?”
Doughy and Vale will close out the night, joining forces to spin a highly anticipated two-hour set from 10PM to midnight. “If this set is as chaotic as the students they manage at the FTC Sound Stream, then we’re in for a real treat,” said Mass Comm Senior Daniel Garcia.
Grace Bonamico will also be live-blogging the event for the FTC Record Online and will be capturing behind-the-scenes action for the @FTCMASSCOMM and @FTCSOUNDSTREAM Instagram accounts.
About The FTC Sound Stream
FTC SOUND STREAM is the Internet web-based streaming service of Five Towns College. Formerly known as WFTU (1570 AM), the radio station at Five Towns College has been upgraded and expanded its reach through a rebranding. It is a professional full-service college radio station operated, programmed and engineered by students and staff featuring music, talk, sports, news, information, and remote broadcasts. The station uses a Hot AC format for their music selections along with a variety of student programs which features music from rap to rock to hip hop to jazz.
Broadcasting seven days a week from the “Gene Free Studios” located on the Five Towns College campus, the FTC SOUND STREAM offers hands-on radio broadcast training for students to jump right in. Students not only learn to master new and emerging technologies, but also to present news, music, and commentary. The FTC SOUND STREAM has opportunities for students of all academic programs (not just Mass Communication) interested in broadcasting and the multi-media communication industry.
