WCWM

Last updated
WCWM
WCWM 2008.PNG
Broadcast area Virginia Peninsula
Frequency 90.9 FM MHz
BrandingWCWM 90.9
Programming
Format Variety [1]
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
September 28, 1959 [2]
Former frequencies
89.1 MHz (1959–1985)
90.7 MHz (1985–2004)
Call sign meaning
College of William and Mary
Technical information
Facility ID 65555
Class B1
Power 13,500 Watts
HAAT 82 meters (269 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
 37°21′16.0″N76°59′58.0″W / 37.354444°N 76.999444°W / 37.354444; -76.999444
Links
Website WCWM Online

WCWM is a variety formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Williamsburg, Virginia, serving the Virginia Peninsula. [1] WCWM is owned and operated by the College of William & Mary. [3]

Contents

History

The first known radio activities at William & Mary occurred in the spring of 1956, when a group of students, using equipment purchased in their own financial initiative, broadcast a weak signal from the Chapman House. Although many students and some faculty were behind the effort, this early initiative failed due to lack of administrative backing, according to a letter to the editor by former WCWM Program Director Fred Schaffer (class of 1957) that was published in the Flat Hat, the William & Mary newspaper, on March 10, 1959. [4]

WCWM officially began operations in September, 1959, after two years of political process aimed at procuring funding and administrative approval, and another year to complete construction and obtain a broadcast license from the Federal Communications Commission. [5] The station was originally licensed to operate at 89.1 megahertz with an effective radiated power of ten watts. The original operating schedule was daily from 4:55 pm to 10:30 pm. Programming featured news and mostly classical music. [6]

WCWM has historically relied on a steady supply of student volunteers. During 1975 and 1976, WCWM upgraded its studios and transmitter to stereophonic operation and increased its effective radiated power to 1,600 watts, according to former student John Keimig (class of 1978), who worked in the station's engineering department during that time. The whole process of procuring and installing facility equipment and submitting the necessary applications to the Federal Communications Commission was handled by student volunteers who then held leadership positions at the station. The college provided funding and administrative support. Programming in those years typically ran from 7:00 am to 3:00 am, with continuous operation when volunteer staff were available to fill the "graveyard" shift. The station's frequency changed from 89.1 MHz to 90.7 MHz before the 1985–86 academic year. [7]

Since then, the station has grown to a 13,500 watt signal and the frequency changed once again from 90.7 MHz to 90.9 MHz. [8] The station continues to draw a majority of its talent and personnel from the William & Mary student body. [9]

In 2012, WCWM hosted the first music festival at the College of William & Mary, WCWM Fest, featuring The Walkmen and The Mountain Goats as headliners. Subsequent WCWM Fests have featured headliners such as Frankie Cosmos, [10] Remember Sports, Half Waif, [11] Vagabon, and Lucy Dacus. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KVRX</span> Student radio station at the University of Texas at Austin

KVRX is the student radio station at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, with an effective radiated power of 3,000 watts. Licensed to The University of Texas, KVRX shares the 91.7 frequency with KOOP, broadcasting from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, with KOOP, operated by Austin Co-op Radio, broadcasting during the remaining hours. KVRX's studios are at the Hearst Student Media Building on campus, and its transmitter is located in East Austin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJFF</span> Radio station in Jeffersonville, New York

WJFFRadio Catskill is a non-commercial, listener-supported public radio station licensed to Jeffersonville, New York and serving the Catskill Mountains of New York and Northeast Pennsylvania.

KBYI is a public FM radio station in Rexburg, Idaho. It is one of two terrestrial radio stations owned by Brigham Young University-Idaho, which is an arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). It has a radio format of classical music along with news and information from National Public Radio (NPR). The main signal covers Eastern Idaho, with rebroadcasting stations around Idaho, Wyoming and Montana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KRFC</span> Community radio station in Fort Collins, Colorado

KRFC is a community-based FM radio station in Fort Collins, Colorado. The station is owned and operated by Public Radio for the Front Range. The station's programming includes music of numerous genres, played by volunteer DJs. Some news, information and syndicated shows are on the schedule as well. Although similar in funding strategies to a traditional public radio station, KRFC is not a member of any of the major networks such as NPR or Pacifica.

WBJC is a non-commercial, public FM radio station licensed to Baltimore, Maryland. The station is owned by Baltimore City Community College and it airs a classical music radio format. WBJC holds periodic fundraisers on the air to pay for the station's expenses. The radio studios and offices are on Reisterstown Road in Baltimore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WYRK</span> Radio station in Buffalo, New York

WYRK is a commercial radio station in Buffalo, New York, and serving Western New York. It is owned by Townsquare Media and it broadcasts a country music radio format. The studios and offices are on Lafayette Square in Buffalo in the Rand Building, 12th Floor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WKSB</span> Radio station in Williamsport, Pennsylvania

WKSB is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., through licensee iHM Licenses, LLC, and broadcasts an adult contemporary format. Its broadcast tower is located on Bald Eagle Mountain south of Williamsport at.

WSGE is a non-commercial, public radio station in Dallas, North Carolina, and serving the Charlotte metropolitan area. It is owned by Gaston College and run by a staff of professionals, students and volunteers. It has an adult album alternative (AAA) radio format. The station seeks donations from listeners and local business, holding periodic on-air fundraisers. The radio studios and offices are in the Craig Arts & Sciences Building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMTH</span> Radio station in Park Ridge, Illinois

WMTH-FM, located in Park Ridge, Illinois, was among the first FM high school radio stations in the United States when it was licensed in 1959. Established by the Student Council at Maine Township High School, now Maine East High School, the station went on the air during December 1959. The station became known as "The Voice of Maine Township".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WUVT-FM</span> Radio station in Blacksburg, Virginia

WUVT-FM is a non-commercial FM radio station in Blacksburg, Virginia, serving Montgomery County, Virginia. It is licensed to Virginia Tech and is operated by The Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech. WUVT-FM is largely student-run and broadcasts a free form radio format. The radio studios and offices are located in Squires Student Center.

KRCC is a public radio station in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is owned by Colorado College and operated by Colorado Public Radio.

KCBX is a non-commercial radio station that is licensed to San Luis Obispo, California. The public radio station is a member station of NPR and airs a wide variety of programming, including All Things Considered, Democracy Now!, and jazz and classical music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WQLU</span> Radio station at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia

WQLU is a non-commercial FM radio station licensed to Lynchburg, Virginia, known as "90.9 The Light." It broadcasts a Christian Top 40 radio format and is owned and operated by Liberty University. The station also airs Liberty University Flames athletics.

KAZU is a non-commercial FM radio station licensed to Pacific Grove, California, and serving the Monterey Bay area of the California Coast. It is a listener-supported public radio station with a news, talk and information format and is owned and operated by the California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB). It is a network affiliate of National Public Radio (NPR) with radio studios and offices in Gavilan Hall on the campus of CSUMB.

KUAF is a non-commercial FM radio station licensed to Fayetteville, Arkansas, serving Northwest Arkansas. The station is owned by the University of Arkansas, with studios and offices near the school's campus in Downtown Fayetteville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WIUP-FM</span> Radio station at Indiana University of Pennsylvania

WIUP-FM is the student-run radio station of Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Indiana, Pennsylvania, United States. The station is currently owned by Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is run by the faculty and students of the university.

WSSB-FM is a non-commercial FM radio station in Orangeburg, South Carolina. It is owned by South Carolina State University, an historically black university. WSSB-FM carries a jazz radio format and calls itself "South Carolina's Jazz Station." Students and volunteers present the music, with some syndicated jazz programming coming from National Public Radio and other public broadcasting sources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFRF-FM</span> Christian radio station in Monticello–Tallahassee, Florida

WFRF-FM is an American non-commercial educational radio station in Florida, United States. The station, established in 1989 as WJPH, is currently owned and operated by Faith Radio Network, Inc. Its studios are located in unincorporated Leon County, Florida, near Tallahassee, close to Lake Jackson and its transmitter is based in Jefferson County, Florida.

KDTI is a radio station broadcasting a Christian contemporary music format focusing on songs from the 2000s. Licensed to Rochester Hills, Michigan, United States, the station is currently owned by the Educational Media Foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KLRC</span> Radio station in Siloam Springs, Arkansas

KLRC is a non-commercial FM radio station licensed to Tahlequah, Oklahoma. It serves sections of Northwest Arkansas, Eastern Oklahoma and Southwest Missouri. KLRC broadcasts a Christian adult contemporary radio format and is owned by John Brown University. It is simulcast on KLAB at 101.1 MHz in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, as well as FM translators 99.1 K256BG in Bentonville, 101.1 K266BS in Van Buren and 103.5 K278BG in Springdale. KLRC and KLAB use periodic on-air fundraisers to seek support from listeners for the running of the stations.

References

  1. 1 2 "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings . Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  2. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 2010 (PDF). ProQuest, LLC/Reed Publishing (Nederland), B.V. 2010. p. D-573. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  3. ↑ "WCWM Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  4. ↑ "The Flat Hat, March 10, 1959 issue". 10 March 1959.
  5. ↑ "The Flat Hat, May 6, 1958 issue". 6 May 1958.
  6. ↑ "The Flat Hat, September 29, 1959 issue". 29 September 1959.
  7. ↑ "Colonial Echo 1984".
  8. ↑ "HamptonRoads.vartv.com".
  9. ↑ "WCWM 90.9 FM".
  10. ↑ "WCWM Fest // Frankie Cosmos, The Duskwhales, Talk to Plants + More". Facebook. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  11. ↑ "[PAST EVENTS] WCWM FEST: Half Waif and Remember Sports". W&M Events. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  12. ↑ "[PAST EVENTS] WCWM Fest - featuring Lucy Dacus, Vagabon & more!". W&M Events. Retrieved March 3, 2019.


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.