Student finds local music a place on the airwaves.

The Wire launched a new music show, The Lokl Hour, on Feb. 5. The program will air local music from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday, said Adam Croom, the brains behind the operation.

The show was designed as a way to expose Oklahoma City’s local music scene, he said.

Croom said he got the idea for the show after he had a look at what music was in The Wire’s database.

“My instant reaction was ‘hey, is there any local stuff on here?’” he said. “There was a little … but not a whole lot. I saw an opportunity to present local music to people who had never really given the Oklahoma scene a chance.”

And while Croom said the show should open people’s eyes to local music, he believes it will also benefit local musicians as well.

“If there aren’t radio stations to play your music, there’s no drive to write, “Croom said. “You need to know that there are more people other than yourself hearing (your) music. If that wasn’t true, nobody would ever even record.”

Having a radio station to put their music on display is an important motivational tool for local bands, said Croom, a local musician himself.

“There’s just not enough decent opportunities for bands to show what they’re made of,” he said.

Croom lists The City Lives, Evangelicals, El Paso Hot Button and Ali Harter as is favorite local musicians, but he said The All-American Rejects were his biggest influence.

“When I was 14 I saw them play at the Green Door (now the Conservatory) and all I ever wanted was to have the opportunity to play on that stage,” he said. “That’s ultimately what I want for kids now, to have the same drive I did. I want them to hear local [music] and say, ‘hey, I want to do that too.’”

Croom, who is in charge of all aspects of the show, said he puts in eight to 10 hours of work each week. Although the work is unpaid, he expects the project to be a good addition to his résumé, he said.

“I can be in an interview and say, ‘I had an idea for a radio show with a format that didn’t even exist. I gathered all the music myself, I manually put it on the server, I booked the guests, I promoted it, I did everything,’” said Croom, an advertising senior set to graduate this spring.

Ultimately, Croom said he hopes The Lokl Hour will become a permanent fixture at The Wire.

“From my first semester here I wanted to find a way to leave a legacy,” he said. “Hopefully there will be somebody who is as passionate as I am about local music and wants to continue the show.”

For more information on The Lokl Hour, or to submit your music, e-mail Croom at theloklhour@gmail.com.