WPRB

Last updated

WPRB
WPRB 103.3 logo.png
Broadcast area Central Jersey, South Jersey, Philadelphia
Frequency 103.3 MHz (HD Radio)
Programming
Format Freeform
Subchannels
Ownership
OwnerPrinceton Broadcasting Service, Inc.
History
First air date
  • December 6, 1940;83 years ago (1940-12-06) (campus AM broadcast)
  • November 10, 1955;68 years ago (1955-11-10) (FM broadcast)
Call sign meaning
Princeton Broadcasting Service (owner) [1]
Technical information [2]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 53567
Class B
ERP
  • 14,000 watts (analog)
  • 550 watts (digital)
[3]
HAAT 222 meters (728 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
 40°16′58.4″N74°41′9.6″W / 40.282889°N 74.686000°W / 40.282889; -74.686000 (WPRB)
Translator(s)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website

WPRB (103.3 MHz) is an FM radio station licensed to Princeton, New Jersey, and owned by Princeton Broadcasting Service, Inc. It broadcasts a freeform radio format, including shoegaze, slowcore, noise music, harsh noise wall, plunderphonics, illbient, jazz, electronic, folk, reggae, ska, metal, world, soul, rap, blues, and rock. [4] While the station is non-profit, it is licensed as a commercial radio station. It is funded primarily by listener contributions, raised especially during WPRB's annual spring 10-day Membership Drive. It also derives funding through community underwriting contracts with local businesses. Almost all on-air staff and management are Princeton University alumni and students. WPRB's slogan is "New Jersey's Only Radio Station".

Contents

The transmitter tower is shared with WKXW "New Jersey 101.5". [5] It is located in Lawrence Township northeast of Trenton. WPRB has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 14,000 watts. It broadcasts using HD Radio technology. The HD2 digital subchannel carries Indian programming and Oldies are heard on its HD3 subchannel.

History

WPRB traces its origins to a campus AM station, WPRU, that launched December 6, 1940. WPRU was founded by H. Grant Theis, a Princeton University student at the time. It often is cited as the oldest commercially licensed campus radio station in the United States. [6] In 1955, WPRU got its FM license. It signed on as WPRB, the first college station on the FM dial in the United States, after the WPRU call sign was found to be already in use by a ship. [1] It is considered a pioneer in FM stereo broadcasting, transmitting a stereo signal beginning in 1964.

WPRB has broadcast on three different FM frequencies in its history: it first was heard on 103.9 MHz; [7] in 1959, it moved to 103.5 MHz; [8] and it moved to its current frequency of 103.3 MHz in 1962. [9] During the 1960s and 1970s, it joined with other Ivy League universities to form the "Ivy Network", sharing some programming and resources. It later was an affiliate of the ABC FM Network. [10]

In 1986, Spin Magazine named WPRB the best commercial college station in the country. [11]

After decades of operation under an advertising-supported business model, in 2006 WPRB switched to a listener-supported model (although it remains a commercially licensed station). In 2009, WPRB went on to acquire a Princeton student magazine, the Nassau Weekly . Nassau Weekly was founded in 1979 by Princeton students including David Remnick, who later became the editor of The New Yorker . [6]

One of its disc jockeys, Jon Solomon, has hosted a 24-hour+ Christmas music radiothon every year but one since 1988. [12]

WPRB was the first commercial radio station in the United States to play Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" when it debuted on John Weingart's long-running program "Music You Can't Hear on the Radio".[ citation needed ]

Broadcast signal

WPRB is a full class B signal. Its service contour covers most of Central Jersey and portions of the Philadelphia and New York City radio markets. [13]

WPRB is short-spaced to two other class B stations: WKTU 103.5 KTU (licensed to Lake Success, New York) and WARM-FM Warm 103.3 (licensed to York, Pennsylvania). Since WPRB dates back to the early days of FM broadcasting (before current rules had been adopted) it is grandfathered on its current frequency and power level.

WPRB and WKTU operate on first adjacent channels and the distance between the two stations' transmitters is only 49 miles as determined by Federal Communications Commission rules. [14] The minimum distance between two Class B stations operating on first adjacent channels according to current FCC rules is 105 miles. [15]

WPRB and WARM-FM operate on the same channel and the distance between the two stations' transmitters is only 103 miles. [14] The minimum distance between two Class B stations operating on the same channel according to current rules is 150 miles. [15]

Translators

Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) Class Transmitter coordinatesFCC infoNotes
W236CT95.1 FM Edison, New Jersey 138032250D 40°31′45.5″N74°23′32.2″W / 40.529306°N 74.392278°W / 40.529306; -74.392278 (W236CT) LMS Relays WPRB-HD3
W300CZ107.9 FM Ewansville, New Jersey 141281100D 40°24′15″N74°25′0″W / 40.40417°N 74.41667°W / 40.40417; -74.41667 (W300CZ) LMS Relays WPRB-HD3

See also

Related Research Articles

Code of Federal Regulations, Title 47, Part 15 is an oft-quoted part of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules and regulations regarding unlicensed transmissions. It is a part of Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and regulates everything from spurious emissions to unlicensed low-power broadcasting. Nearly every electronics device sold inside the United States radiates unintentional emissions, and must be reviewed to comply with Part 15 before it can be advertised or sold in the US market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KIBZ</span> Radio station in Crete, Nebraska

KIBZ is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Crete, Nebraska, and serving the Lincoln metropolitan area. It airs an active rock radio format and is owned by Alpha Media. In morning drive time, it carries a regionally syndicated wake-up show, The Todd and Tyler Radio Empire. KIBZ's studios are on Cornhusker Highway in Northeast Lincoln.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WODE-FM</span> Radio station in Easton, Pennsylvania

WODE-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Easton, Pennsylvania. The station's service contour covers the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

WMGK is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group and broadcasts a classic rock radio format. The broadcast tower used by the station is located in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia at, while studios are in Bala Cynwyd. The station features popular Philadelphia radio personalities Andre Gardner, Matt Cord, Steve Vassalotti, Eric Johnson and Tony Harris.

WPPZ-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Pennsauken, New Jersey, in the Philadelphia radio market. The station is owned by Urban One, through licensee Radio One Licenses, LLC, and broadcasts an urban oldies format. Studios are located in Bala Cynwyd and the broadcast tower used by the station is located atop One Liberty Place in Center City, Philadelphia, at.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPEN (FM)</span> Sports radio station in Burlington, New Jersey, serving Philadelphia

WPEN is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Burlington, New Jersey, in the Philadelphia radio market. The station is owned by the Beasley Broadcast Group through licensee Beasley Media Group, LLC and broadcasts a sports radio format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRAT</span> Rock radio station in Point Pleasant, New Jersey

WRAT is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Point Pleasant, New Jersey. The station is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group through licensee Beasley Media Group Licenses, LLC. It airs a mainstream rock radio format. The studios, offices and transmitter are located on Main Street at 18th Avenue in the Borough of Lake Como, New Jersey at.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPST</span> Radio station in Trenton, New Jersey

WPST is a commercial radio station licensed to Trenton, New Jersey, airing a CHR format. Owned by Townsquare Media, the station serves Central Jersey, the Delaware Valley, Philadelphia and its northern and eastern suburbs.

Apex radio stations was the name commonly given to a short-lived group of United States broadcasting stations, which were used to evaluate transmitting on frequencies that were much higher than the ones used by standard amplitude modulation (AM) and shortwave stations. Their name came from the tall height of their transmitter antennas, which were needed because coverage was primarily limited to local line-of-sight distances. These stations were assigned to what at the time were described as "ultra-high shortwave" frequencies, between roughly 25 and 44 MHz. They employed amplitude modulation (AM) transmissions, although in most cases using a wider bandwidth than standard broadcast band AM stations, in order to provide high fidelity sound with less static and distortion.

WARM-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to serve York, Pennsylvania. It is owned and operated by Cumulus Media through licensee Radio License Holding SRC LLC and airs an adult contemporary music format, using the slogan "Today's Hits and Yesterday's Favorites". For much of November and December, it switches to Christmas music. Syndicated programming on WARM-FM includes The John Tesh Radio Show on weeknights, both the 1980s and 1990s versions of Backtrax USA on Saturday nights, and Your Weekend with Jim Brickman Sunday mornings.

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

WRVV is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and broadcasts a classic rock format. The station's studios and offices are located at 600 Corporate Circle in Harrisburg.

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

WROZ is a non-commercial FM radio station licensed to Lancaster and serving South Central Pennsylvania. The station is owned and operated by the Educational Media Foundation and carries its Air1 Christian worship music radio format. WROZ's studios and offices were formerly located off Route 283 at 1996 Auction Road in Manheim.

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

WKRZ is a commercial radio station licensed to Freeland, Pennsylvania, and serving the Wilkes-Barre - Scranton - Northeastern Pennsylvania radio market. It has aired a Top 40/CHR radio format since 1980. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc., through licensee Audacy License, LLC.

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

WQKX is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Sunbury, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Sunbury Broadcasting Corporation and broadcasts a Top 40 (CHR) format. Its broadcast tower is located near Trevorton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WIOV-FM</span> Radio station in Ephrata, Pennsylvania

WIOV-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Ephrata, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Radio License Holding CBC LLC, a part of Cumulus Media, and broadcasts a country music radio format. The station's studios and offices are located on South Reading Road, along PA 272, at Rothsville Road in Ephrata. The station's broadcast tower is located off Tower Road near Ephrata at.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTRJ-FM</span> Radio station in Orange Park–Jacksonville, Florida

WTRJ-FM is an FM radio station licensed to Orange Park, Florida. The station is currently owned by Delmarva Educational Association and airs a Christian talk and teaching radio format using the moniker "The Truth." It is simulcast on 91.9 WAYL in St. Augustine, Florida, and 91.3 WATY in Folkston, Georgia. WTRJ covers the City of Jacksonville and its adjacent communities, while WAYL covers the southern part of the Jacksonville metropolitan area and WATY covers the northern section. Programming is also broadcast on WAYL's two translator stations in Jacksonville (94.3 MHz) and Atlantic Beach, Florida (103.7 MHz).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJBC-FM</span> Radio station in Pontiac, Illinois

WJBC-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Pontiac, Illinois, in the Bloomington-Normal radio market. It is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts a country radio format, calling itself "93.7 Nash Icon." The transmitter is on County Road 3200 North in Weston, Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WAVT-FM</span> Radio station in Pottsville, Pennsylvania

WAVT-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and calling itself "T-102." It is owned by Pottsville Broadcasting Company and broadcasts a Hot Adult Contemporary radio format. The station also broadcasts local high school sports and Penn State Nittany Lions football. Each weekend it carries "Rick Dees Weekly Top 40," the "Remix Top30 with Hollywood Hamilton" and the "Carson Daly Download."

<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.

WPAT-FM was a short-lived Paterson, New Jersey, commercial radio station, which operated from 1949 until early 1951. The station ended operations after its transmitter tower was destroyed in a windstorm, and the owners concluded that it would be too expensive to repair the damage.

References

  1. 1 2 Crum, Dana (July 14, 2005). "In focus: WPRB radio station". Princeton University . Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WPRB". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ↑ "FCC 335-FM Digital Notification [WPRB]". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. November 4, 2011. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  4. ↑ "About WPRB". wprb.com. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  5. ↑ "FM Query Results for WKXW". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  6. 1 2 W. Raymond Ollwerther (March 18, 2009). "WPRB acquires Nassau Weekly". Princeton Alumni Weekly . 109 (10): 11.
  7. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1956 page 205
  8. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1961-1962 page B-105
  9. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1962 page B-115
  10. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-134
  11. ↑ Waits, Jennifer (May 25, 2016). "Radio Station Field Trip #100 - WPRB at Princeton University". Radio Survivor. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  12. ↑ Waits, Jennifer (December 20, 2018). "WPRB DJ Jon Solomon Celebrates 30 Years of Christmas Marathons". Radio Survivor. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  13. ↑ "54 dBu Service Contour for WPRB, 103.3 MHz, Princeton, NJ". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission . Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  14. 1 2 "Reference points and distance computations. 47 CFR § 73.208" . Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  15. 1 2 "Minimum distance separation between stations. 47 CFR § 73.207 (b)(1)" (PDF). Retrieved May 12, 2016.
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.