WCMU-FM

Last updated

WCMU-FM
Broadcast area Central Michigan, [1] Northern Lower Peninsula and Northern Michigan
Frequency 89.5 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingWCMU Public Radio
Programming
Format News/Talk
Subchannels HD2: Classical
Affiliations NPR, PRX, APM, BBC
Ownership
Owner Central Michigan University
WUCX-FM
WCMU-TV
History
First air date
April 6, 1964 (at 90.1 MHz)
Call sign meaning
Central Michigan University
Technical information
Facility ID 9918
Class C1
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 130 meters (430 ft)
Links
Webcast Listen live
Website WCMU-FM

WCMU-FM (89.5 FM) is a public radio station in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The station, owned by Central Michigan University, is a National Public Radio member station, airing a news/talk format along with a variety of other programming. It is the flagship station of a network called WCMU Public Radio made up of six other affiliate stations in Northern Michigan.

Contents

Programming

WCMU Public Radio broadcasts news and talk programming during the week, including Morning Edition, All Things Considered, 1A, Fresh Air, Here and Now, and On Point. [2] On weekends, the station airs a mix of news, talk, entertainment and music programs. These include national shows like Weekend Edition, Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, and This American Life, and local music programs such as The Juke Joint, Homespun, and Destination Out. Overnight, WCMU airs programming from the BBC World Service. [3]

History

WCMU-FM was originally a 10-watt campus radio station at 90.1, signing on on April 6, 1964. During its early years, the station broadcast a wide variety of programming aimed at the campus population of the university, including classical, popular music, and progressive rock. By 1969 the station was an affiliate of the National Educational Radio Network, which became NPR in 1970, and since then, the station has broadcast primarily classical and jazz music and news. WCMU-FM moved to 89.5 with 100,000 watts of power in the mid-1970s, and in 1978 began to add a series of rebroadcaster stations around central and northern Michigan, beginning with WCML-FM in Alpena.

WCMU launched its current format on March 1, 2023. [4] The same day, it launched a 24/7 classical music station called WCMU Classical. The classical service can be heard online, on the station's mobile app, on smart speakers, and on its HD-2 sub channel in the communities of Mount Pleasant, Alpena, Harbor Springs, and Bay City. [5]

Prior to March 1, 2023, WCMU Public Radio was a mixed-format station, airing news programming from NPR, and locally hosted classical, jazz and blues programming. Previously aired programs include Nightside Jazz and Blues, Take Five, The Beat, Central Stage, Afternoon Classical and Mosaic.

The station won regional Edward R. Murrow Awards in 2023, [6] 2022, 2021, and 2018. [7] The station has received multiple awards from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, and was MAB Public Station of the Year for 2002. Producers and Hosts including David Nicholas, Rick Westover, Mike Horace, Amy Robinson, Robert Barclay, Ben Thorpe, Brett Dahlberg, Jamie Lynn Gilbert, Sara Bingham and Eileen LaTarte have also won state awards.

Affiliates

The station also serves most of Northern Michigan, including the eastern Upper Peninsula, through a network of affiliate stations:

CallsignFrequencyCity of licenseBroadcast AreaFirst air dateFormer callsigns
WCMB-FM [8] 95.7 FM Oscoda, MI September 1998WCMV-FM
(12/20/96–2/13/98)
WCML-FM [9] 91.7 FM Alpena, MI April 1978none
WCMW-FM [10] 103.9 FM Harbor Springs, MI August 1988 (as WLTO)WLTO
(4/6/88–9/24/93)
WCMZ-FM [11] 98.3 FM Sault Ste. Marie, MI July 1990none
WCMV-FM 94.3 FMLeland, MI [5] April 30, 2020WFCX (2/24/2003-12/5/2019)
WWCM [12] 96.9 FM Standish, MI [6] December 1989 (as WSTD)off-air
(11/23/99–11/17/00)
WSTD
(12/28/94–11/23/99)
WCYY
(7/8/94–12/28/94)
WSTD (6/3/88–7/8/94)

WCMW Harbor Springs and WWCM Standish were both commercial FM stations before joining the CMU Public Radio network. What is now WCMW was originally WLTO, a country music station. 96.9 WSTD in Standish was originally a satellite-fed oldies station and then moved to a full-service Adult Contemporary music format (with simulcasts of the evening news from WNEM-TV 5) until it went dark in November 1999. The 96.9 frequency was donated to CMU Public Radio and it was on the air with WCMU programming a year later.

At one time, CMU Public Radio was also broadcast on a translator station, W236BU, at 95.1 FM in Traverse City. The translator began operations in 2011, and it was a translator for WCMW-FM Harbor Springs. After the purchase of what now is WCMV-FM on April 30, 2020, the translator was divested, it presently translates WGFN. [13] [14]

WCMU serves the Sault Ste. Marie/Newberry radio market via affiliate station WCMZ, but its signal normally does not reach Newberry. That community was formerly served by Northern Michigan University's similar public radio/NPR/jazz station WNMU-FM via its translator station W216AI, however the translator's license was cancelled on June 17, 2020.

WUCX-FM Bay City simulcasts WCMU-FM generally in the evening hours; that station is owned by CMU, which jointly run WUCX with Delta College.

WCMU-FM, WCML-FM, WCMW-FM, and WUCX-FM all broadcast in HD Radio. Each of the four CMU Public Radio stations broadcasting in HD also offer an HD-2 side channel featuring a 24-7 Classical Music format, branded as "WCMU Classical"; the side channels debuted in January 2012, the original format was formerly a 24-7 NPR news/talk format, which was moved to the main analog/HD-1 signals during a format flip in March 2023. [15]

WCML Transmitter Fire

On February 28, 2024, a fire broke out at the WCML transmitter site, putting WCML-FM 91.7 and its TV sister WCML off the air. The building was a complete loss and the two stations would be off the air for several months, until a temporary setup could be constructed. The fire also had temporarily interrupted a relay to WCMW-FM, which was also off the air but transmits from a separate location. The WCMW signal per the stations website was restored early on February 29, after being out overnight after the fire the day before. [16] On March 1, 2024, WCMU released an initial statement regarding the fire, it was also reported on by 9&10 news. [17] It mentioned a possible power outage causing the automatic standby generator to run. Early on, word of a possible generator malfunction may have caused the fire, but by March 9, WCMU's webpage was updated and the exact cause of the fire was ultimately not able to be determined, any previous speculation of the generator failing was removed from their website.

On July 30, WCML TV and FM both returned to the air at 50% power, with an estimated coverage percentage at around 70% of the normal full power coverage area. WCMU Public Media anticipates a permanent full power restoration of the signals will not occur until sometime in 2025. [18]

Related Research Articles

WGVU-FM is an NPR member station serving Grand Rapids, Michigan. Owned by Grand Valley State University, it is simulcast in West Michigan. The main broadcast frequency is 88.5 MHz, which is licensed to Allendale, the Grand Rapids suburb that is home to Grand Valley State's main campus. It is simulcast on WGVS-FM 95.3 MHz, which is licensed to Whitehall and serves Muskegon. The format is talk radio from NPR, along with jazz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCMU-TV</span> PBS member station in Mount Pleasant, Michigan

WCMU-TV is a PBS member television station in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States, owned by Central Michigan University. The station's studios are located on the CMU campus in Mount Pleasant, and its transmitter is located 3 miles (5 km) west of Barryton, Michigan.

Michigan Public is a network of five FM public radio stations operated by the University of Michigan through its broadcasting arm, Michigan Public Media. The network is a founding member of National Public Radio and an affiliate of Public Radio International, American Public Media, and BBC World Service. Its main studio is located in Ann Arbor, with satellite studios in Flint and offices in Grand Rapids. It currently airs news and talk, which it has since July 1, 1996. The combined footprint of the five stations covers most of the southern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, from Muskegon to Detroit. All five stations broadcast in HD, albeit without any digital subchannels.

WMHW-FM, "The Mountain 91.5," is the student-operated college radio station for Central Michigan University, located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The call letters stand for "Wilbur Moore Hall Wireless", a reference to the station's studios being located in Wilbur Moore Hall on the CMU campus. The station is under the auspices of CMU's College of Communication and Fine Arts, and is operated by students from the School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNMU-FM</span> Public radio station in Marquette, Michigan

WNMU-FM is a radio station in the United States, broadcasting at FM 90.1 in Marquette, Michigan. The station, owned by Northern Michigan University, is a National Public Radio member station, airing a large amount of classical and jazz music along with a variety of other local programming. It is operated by a combination of full-time staff members and students.

WCMV-FM is a Central Michigan University-owned retransmission station of WCMU. Until February 29, 2020, it simulcast an Adult Hits format with WFDX branded as Music Radio, The Fox FM. WCMV-FM serves the Traverse City area with 20,500 watts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCSG</span> Radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan

WCSG 91.3 MHz is a radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, that broadcasts a Christian adult contemporary format. The station is part of Cornerstone Radio, a broadcast outreach ministry of Cornerstone University. WCSG typically competes for the most-listened station in the Grand Rapids radio market, according to Nielsen data.

WKAR-FM is a non-commercial public radio station in East Lansing, Michigan. It is owned by Michigan State University, along with sister stations WKAR and WKAR-TV. They are owned by Michigan State University, with studios in the Communication Arts and Sciences Building, at Wilson and Red Cedar Roads on the MSU campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WUCX-FM</span> Radio station in Bay City, Michigan

WUCX-FM, 90.1 FM in Bay City, Michigan, is a public radio station licensed to Central Michigan University and operated jointly with Delta College. It airs programming separate from WCMU-FM between 5 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays, from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturdays, and from 6 a.m. until 12 p.m on Sundays. The station simulcasts WCMU for the remainder of the time. WUCX, which went on the air in September 1989, identified as "Q90.1" until 2020 during non-simulcast day parts. Programming offers a mixture of news and talk, as well as several types of music. WUCX-FM is the only station in the Saginaw, Midland, and Bay City metropolitan area that broadcasts in the HD Radio format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFDX</span> Radio station in Atlanta, Michigan

WFDX is a radio station that previously simulcasted an Adult Hits format with WFCX branded as Music Radio, The Fox FM. WFDX's 100,000-watt signal serves most of northern Michigan including Alpena, Gaylord and Petoskey, while WFCX, the flagship, served the Traverse City area with 20,500 watts. As of 2023, it broadcasts an unchanging playlist of Adult Hits that lasts approximately an hour before repeating.

Gospel Opportunities Radio Network is a group of non-commercial FM radio stations based in Marquette, Michigan. Gospel Opportunities, Inc. was formed in 1975 to provide religious radio programming in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

WIAA is a radio station in Interlochen, Michigan. The station is owned by Interlochen Center for the Arts, and is an affiliate of the Interlochen Public Radio's "Classical IPR" network, consisting of classical music.

KTGG is a radio station broadcasting from Okemos, Michigan, with a Christian radio format of talk and classical music. It is owned by West Central Michigan Media Ministries and airs programming from Strong Tower Radio, a network heard on about a dozen radio stations around Michigan and one in Illinois.

WNWN is an FM radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Coldwater, Michigan with studios in Battle Creek, it first began broadcasting in 1950 under the WTVB-FM call sign at 98.3 on the FM dial and spent most of its early existence as a simulcast of sister station WTVB before changing to its current calls, format, and frequency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMJH</span> Radio station in Rockford, Michigan

WMJH is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish-language regional Mexican music format under the name La Poderosa, licensed in Rockford, Michigan and serving the Grand Rapids, Michigan market. Owned by Cynthia Citlalick Cano, through licensee Cano's Broadcasting, LLC, WMJH broadcasts with 3,600 watts of power during the day, which, along with its lower dial position, allows it to be heard as far north as Kalkaska, Michigan, as far east as Redford, Michigan, as far south as Three Rivers, Michigan but must sign off at night to protect WGY in Schenectady, New York. WMJH programming is available around the clock on FM translator W227CG 93.3 FM, licensed to Grand Rapids.

KUAZ and KUAZ-FM are public radio stations in Tucson, Arizona, owned by the University of Arizona. KUAZ transmits on 1550 kHz on the AM dial, and KUAZ-FM is at 89.1 MHz on the FM dial. The stations simulcast a radio format of news and information, as a member of National Public Radio. KUAZ-AM-FM carry such popular NPR shows as "All Things Considered," "Morning Edition," "1A" and "Fresh Air with Terry Gross."

WHAK-FM is a radio station licensed to Rogers City, Michigan, with studios in Alpena. The station plays classic hits of the 1980s and 1990s. It has a local weekday-morning show and airs Local Radio Networks' "Classic Hits" format the remainder of the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMKT</span> Radio station in Charlevoix, Michigan

WMKT is a radio station licensed to Charlevoix, Michigan, broadcasting a talk radio format. The station also broadcasts on two FM translators on W272CR 102.3 and W277DY 103.3 and streams online. The station features local programming with local news and weather forecasts by Nick Rhudy every weekday during the 6 AM to Noon hours. Nick Rhudy also has a daily, local radio show from 5 PM to 6 PM, "Talk of the North with Nick Rhudy. The rest of the station's lineup are from syndicated sources. The station is a Fox News Radio affiliate.

WJIM is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Lansing, Michigan. It is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts a news/talk format. It is also the flagship station of the Michigan Talk Network. Studios and offices are on Pinetree Road in Lansing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WITL-FM</span> Country music radio station in Lansing, Michigan

WITL-FM (100.7 MHz) is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Lansing, Michigan, and serving Ingham, Eaton and Clinton Counties in Michigan. It first began broadcasting in 1961 alongside daytime only station WMRT(AM). The stations were purchased by Mid-West Family for $187,000 in 1964 and took the WITL and WITL-FM call sign in 1966, and adopted a full-time country music format in 1967. Originally, WITL-FM was simulcast with WITL (AM) at 1010 kHz. The AM station went silent in 1997. It is currently owned and operated by Townsquare Media. Notable station alumni include author and former ABC News correspondent Tim O'Brien and progressive talk show host Thom Hartmann.

References

  1. ↑ "WCMU-FM Radio Station Coverage Map". radio-locator.com.
  2. ↑ "WCMU News & More Schedule".
  3. ↑ "WCMU News & More Schedule".
  4. ↑ WCMU to Move to Public News/Talk Radioinsight - February 28, 2023
  5. ↑ "How to Listen to WCMU Classical".
  6. ↑ "2023 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award Winners - Radio Television Digital News Association".
  7. ↑ "2023 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award Winners - Radio Television Digital News Association".
  8. ↑ "WCMB-FM 95.7 Oscoda - Michiguide.com Dials (A)". www.michiguide.com.
  9. ↑ "WCML-FM 91.7 Alpena - Michiguide.com Dials (A)". www.michiguide.com.
  10. ↑ "WCMW-FM 103.9 Harbor Springs/Petoskey - Michiguide.com Dials (A)". www.michiguide.com.
  11. ↑ "WCMZ-FM 98.3 Sault Ste Marie - Michiguide.com Dials (A)". www.michiguide.com.
  12. ↑ "WWCM FM 96.9 Standish - Michiguide.com Dials (V)". www.michiguide.com.
  13. ↑ "FCCInfo Results". www.fccinfo.com. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Fm Query". March 1, 2024.
  15. ↑ "radiofaq". WCMU. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  16. ↑ "WCMU radio and television off air in northeast Lower Michigan following fire". WCMU Public Radio. February 28, 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  17. ↑ Aguayo, Christina. "Fire knocks out PBS, NPR broadcasts in Lower North East". 9&10 News. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  18. ↑ "WCMU Radio and Television restored in northeast Lower Michigan". WCMU Public Radio. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.