Broadcast area | Chicago |
---|---|
Frequency | 89.1 MHz |
Branding | Pure Rock FM 89 |
Programming | |
Format | Album-oriented rock |
Ownership | |
Owner | North Central College |
History | |
First air date | 1968 |
Technical information [1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
Facility ID | 49179 |
Class | A |
ERP | 1,500 watts |
HAAT | 50 meters (160 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 41°46′34.00″N88°11′41.00″W / 41.7761111°N 88.1947222°W |
Links | |
Public license information | |
Webcast | Listen Live |
Website | wonc.org |
WONC (89.1 FM) is a radio station broadcasting an album-oriented rock format. Licensed to Naperville, Illinois, United States, the station serves the Chicago area. The station is currently owned by North Central College. [2] [3]
The station has been in operation since July 1, 1968, and currently broadcasts from studios in a renovated house at 232 E. Chicago Ave. in Naperville. Before 1997, WONC's studios were located on the fourth floor of the Old Main campus building at 30 N. Brainard St. The broadcast tower is located at 1805 High Grove Lane on the western edge of Naperville.
On September 1, 1980, John V. Madormo succeeded Jon Yoder as the faculty advisor and general manager of WONC. Formerly a producer for Chicago's WGN radio, Madormo's experience led WONC to being recognized as one of the premier college radio stations in the country. The station won 20 Marconi awards during his tenure; no other college station won more.
Over the years, WONC has been a participating station in the IBS (Intercollegiate Broadcasting System) awards and has won several awards. WONC was named the 2015 Abraham and Borst Best College Station in the Nation and the 2015 IBS Best College station (Under 10,000 enrollment). [4]
WONC celebrated its 50th anniversary May 11, 2018, with a party at the radio station that culminated with dozens of alumni attending and local press coverage by the Daily Herald and NCTV17. The party also served as a send-off for Madormo, who went on to retire after the 2017-18 academic year, having spent 38 of WONC's 50 years as general manager. Madormo was succeeded by North Central/WONC alum Zachary DeWitz.
The format has been album-oriented rock (commonly known within the radio business as AOR) since approximately 1987 and uses the slogan "Pure Rock FM 89". From the station's inception to the 1980s, it was a more typical college free-form station. An adult contemporary format was aired for a time prior to the switch to the current format.
Every night from 10 p.m. until midnight is reserved for "Vintage Rock", which plays rock songs that were released between the years 1964 and 1974. At 10:30 p.m. is the "4x4", which plays four consecutive songs from a featured artist as follows:
Every weekday features "Lunchtime Second Helpings", which plays back-to-back songs from every artist during the noon hour, and "The All-Request Pure Rock Happy Hour" at 5 p.m.
Sunday programming includes "Sunday Standards", a program which plays music from the 1920s through the 1950s, and "From the Upper Deck", a sports talk program.
The station provides coverage of North Central College's football, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball and softball games.
Each fall, the station hosts the John Drury High School Radio Awards, honoring the legendary Chicago newscaster. High school radio stations from around the country are invited to the North Central College campus, and students, advisors, and stations are recognized in 18 categories, including Best DJ, Best Newscast, Best PSA, Broadcaster of the Year, and Best High School Radio Station. [5]
KCSN is a non-commercial educational radio station licensed to Northridge, California, and owned by California State University, Northridge. The station simulcasts with KSBR from Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. The station primarily airs adult album alternative (AAA) and Americana music with a mix of legends, new music, and local music with some specialty programming on weekends.
KVSC in Saint Cloud, Minnesota is part of Minnesota's Independent Public Radio network. It is operated by St. Cloud State University and broadcasts a freeform radio format. KVSC-FM is a non-commercial educational public broadcasting radio station that is a student-run college radio station and operates 365 days per year, nearly 24 hours a day.
WKNC-FM is North Carolina State University's student-run, non-commercial college radio station broadcasting from Raleigh, North Carolina in the United States. Broadcasting with an effective radiated power of 25,000 watts, its signal covers much of the Research Triangle and outlying areas. The station is operated as part of the Department of Student Media at N.C. State and students hold all roles from DJ to general manager. The primary weekday format is indie rock, with specialty shows and other music genres featured during the evenings and weekends.
North Central College is a private college in Naperville, Illinois. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and has 73 undergraduate majors of study, 17 minors, 25 graduate programs, and 4 certificate programs offered by four undergraduate colleges/schools and one School of Graduate and Professional Studies.
WHPK is an American radio station based in Hyde Park on the South Side of Chicago, established in 1968. The station is owned by the University of Chicago, and operated by volunteer students and community members. WHPK's station manager and program director are elected by the station's student members and must be students themselves. The station's broadcast engineer is paid by the university.
WXPN is a non-commercial, public radio station licensed to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that broadcasts an adult album alternative (AAA) radio format, along with many other format shows. WXPN produces World Cafe, a music program distributed by NPR to many non-commercial stations in the United States. The station's call sign, which is often abbreviated to XPN, stands for "Experimental Pennsylvania Network". The broadcast tower used by WXPN is located at, in the antenna farm complex in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia.
High school radio are radio stations located at high schools and usually operated by its students with faculty supervision. The oldest extant high school AM radio station is AM 1450 KBPS in Portland, Oregon. Portland radio station KBPS, first licensed in 1923, is the second oldest radio station overall in the city of Portland. The student body of Benson Polytechnic High School purchased the transmitter and other equipment from Stubbs Electric in Portland for $1,800. Money for the purchase of the station came from student body funds. On March 23, 1923, the student body of Benson was licensed by the federal government to operate a radio station using 200 watts of power on 834 kilocycles. The first call letters of the station were KFIF. The station made its formal debut on the air and was officially dedicated in early May 1923, between the hours of 9:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., on the opening night of the 5th annual Benson Tech Show. In spring of 1930, the callsign changed from KFIF to KBPS, for Benson Polytechnic High School. In 1941 KBPS stopped sharing its frequency with other stations and moved to 1450 AM on the dial where it remains today. In 1971 the FCC gave the station permission to increase daytime transmitting power to 1,000 watts. Nighttime power was 250 watts. KBPS is now licensed for 1,000 watts 24 hours a day. The KBPS studios, transmitter and 200–foot self-supporting steel tower are located at the rear of the Benson campus. AM 1450 still broadcasts 24/7/365 and the KBPS Radio Broadcasting program at Benson High School still teaches today's students about radio broadcasting and audio content creation.
KCOU is a radio station broadcasting the College radio format. Licensed to Columbia, Missouri, United States, the station is currently owned by the Missouri Students Association at the University of Missouri.
WPSC-FM – branded Brave New Radio – is William Paterson University's non-commercial radio station, broadcasting an alternative hip hop format. Licensed to Wayne, New Jersey, the station serves the north Jersey and western New York City area. In 2012, 2013, 2017 and, most recently, March 2018, the station was named Best College Radio Station by the Intercollegiate Broadcast System. Brave New Radio serves as the founding headquarters for World College Radio Day, an annual event created by the station's former general manager. In 2011, WPSC was one of the top 25 stations nominated for the mtvU Woodie Award for Best College Radio Station.
KDPS is a radio station in Des Moines, Iowa. The station is owned by Des Moines Public Schools. The school district programs the station with a variety of rock music styles and staffs it with high school students who are learning radio.
WONU is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Kankakee, Illinois, United States, and serving the region south of the Chicago metropolitan area. It is a non-profit, listener-supported station owned and operated by Olivet Nazarene University, which is located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. It airs a Christian Adult Contemporary radio format.
KCWU, also known as 88.1 The 'Burg, is the college radio station for Central Washington University based out of Ellensburg, Washington. The history of The 'Burg starts back in 1958 when small broadcast facility, KCAT, started broadcasting on 880 AM. The 'Burg, now KCWU, has expanded its broadcast facility. It now broadcasts 430 watts effective radiated power at a frequency of 88.1 MHz.
WSAJ-FM is a non-commercial college radio station located in Grove City, Pennsylvania. The station is owned and operated by Grove City College and carries syndicated classical and jazz music, as well as student programming and local sports coverage. The station is managed by an employee of the college, and its day-to-day operations are overseen by a staff of student volunteers when school is in session.
WKPX is the non-commercial, educational radio station owned and operated by the Broward County Public Schools (BCPS), broadcasting at 3,000 watts and reaching all of Broward County. In mid-2020, production studios were relocated from Piper High School, where the station had operated for many years, to BECON's production facility in Davie. This move is a first step in a plan to create internship opportunities for students throughout BCPS to get training and practical experience in radio as well as television and video production.
WELH is a radio station owned by The Wheeler School of Providence, Rhode Island. Originally signing on in January 1995 with a pop alternative format and a line up of student DJs, WWKX veterans including Kickin Al Snape, a young Robby Bridges and others as "WELH: Taking Music to New Heights". In 1996 the station moved to a modern rock format programmed by student DJs as "Extreme 88", and later jazz and oldies, eventually offering programming from various groups. From October 8, 2011 until September 30, 2021, WELH broadcast programming from Rhode Island Public Radio. Beginning in October 2021, the station has broadcast a primarily classic alternative format supplemented by radio shows from Wheeler School students on weeknights and electronic dance music during portions of the weekend.
WICB is a radio station licensed to serve Ithaca, New York, United States. Established in 1941 and receiving its FCC license in 1948, the station is owned by Ithaca College.
WWPT is a high school radio station licensed to serve Westport, Connecticut. The station is owned by Staples High School and licensed to the Westport Board of Education. It airs a high school radio format.
WLRA or sometimes called WLRA Radio, or WLRA-FM, is a college radio station broadcasting a variety format. Licensed to Lockport, Illinois, USA, the station serves the Chicago/greater Joliet region. The station is licensed to and owned by Lewis University. Lewis University is a private Roman Catholic and Lasallian university with an enrollment of around 6,800 students. The station is a member of the National Association of Broadcasters, Illinois Broadcasters Association, and Broadcast Education Association.
WRDL is a non-commercial educational radio station licensed to Ashland, Ohio. The station serves the North-Central Ohio area and is the only radio station located within the city limits of Ashland. The station is owned and operated by Ashland University. Its studios are located in the Center for The Arts building. The transmitter and its antenna are located in the top floor of the library.
WKCS is a student-operated high school radio station in Knoxville, Tennessee, broadcasting an oldies and classic hits radio format.