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Wikipedia

WAMU

February 16, 2024

This article is about the radio station. For the defunct bank, see Washington Mutual.

WAMU (88.5 FM) is a public news–talk station that services the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area. It is owned by American University, and its studios are located near the campus in northwest Washington. WAMU has been the primary National Public Radio member station for Washington since 2007.

WAMU
Broadcast areaWashington metropolitan area
Frequency88.5 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingWAMU 88.5
Programming
FormatPublic News–Talk
SubchannelsHD2: Bluegrass Country (Bluegrass–Americana)
AffiliationsNational Public Radio
Ownership
Owner
History
FoundedJuly 28, 1951; 72 years ago (1951-07-28) (carrier current)
First air date
October 23, 1961; 62 years ago (1961-10-23) (FM)
Former call signs
WAMU-FM (1961–1981)[1]
Call sign meaning
AMerican University
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID65399
ClassB
ERP47,000 watts
HAAT156 meters (512 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
38°56′10.2″N 77°5′33″W / 38.936167°N 77.09250°W / 38.936167; -77.09250
Links
Public license information
  • Public file
  • LMS
WebcastListen live
Websitewww.wamu.org

History edit

WAMU began as an AM carrier-current student radio station, signing on July 28, 1951, on 1200 kHz,[3] before shifting to 590 kHz in March 1952[4] and 610 kHz in November 1952.[5] Although carrier-current stations are not granted a license or call sign by the FCC, it used "WAMU" as a familiar form of identification.[6] The station aired a wide range of student-produced programming including music, news, sports, radio dramas, and debates. The station was heralded as a rebirth of the university's prior radio station, WAMC, which operated on 590 kHz for about two years starting on January 15, 1947,[3][7] broadcasting with a 50-watt transmitter as part of a plan to offer a full range of radio and television courses at American University.[8][9] WAMC's operations were sporadic and the station suffered interference from a 50,000-watt station broadcasting from Mexico on the same frequency,[10][11] but it finally went off the air after station equipment was stolen in 1950.[12]

Throughout the late 1950s, students and faculty involved with WAMU-AM pushed to create an FM station that could reach beyond campus and serve Washington, D.C., as a whole.[13] In late 1960, the university received a non-commercial FM broadcasting license, and WAMU made its first FM broadcast on October 23, 1961, on 88.5 MHz using a 4,000-watt second-hand transmitter acquired from WGBH in Boston.[14][15][16] Although it was not strictly necessary as the AM carrier-current station's call sign was not official, the FM station took the suffixed call sign "WAMU-FM" to differentiate itself. The station dropped the -FM suffix in 1981.[1]

WAMU-FM station was established as an "education station" operated by the university, not as a student-run station.[17] Despite this about 75 AU students, many of whom also worked at the carrier-current station, produced local programming for WAMU-FM.[18][19] In its first year of operation, WAMU simulcast the same programming, which included educational programs, dramas, and classical music, on AM and FM for three hours each evening.[20]

From its inception as a student-run station, WAMU provided public affairs and educational programming. With the launch of its FM service in 1961, WAMU joined the nascent National Educational Radio Network, a predecessor to NPR. In 1971, the station was a founding member of National Public Radio.[15][16]

In 1967, WAMU-FM began programming bluegrass music which, in its heyday on the main channel, included the Lee Michael Demsey Show and the Ray Davis Show and weekends included Stained Glass Bluegrass and West Virginia Public Radio's Mountain Stage. The station hosted an annual bluegrass concert at Fairfax High School, as well as the yearly "Pickin' in the Glen" concert, featuring performers such as Alison Krauss, Tony Rice, the Gibson Brothers, the Lewis Family, Hot Rize, and Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers.[16][21] However, starting in the late 1990s, the station began paring back its on-air bluegrass programming in favor of news/talk programming.[16] In summer 2001, the station fully transitioned its weekday programming to all news and public affairs from various providers including NPR, PRI, APM and the BBC World Service,[15] and in September 2007 the station removed the last of its bluegrass programming from its main channel, shifting it all to the HD2 subchannel.[22]

On May 7, 2004, WAMU-FM began digital broadcasting using the HD Radio standard and launched the Americana-music station Bluegrass Country on its HD2 subchannel.[23] The station also operated for several years an HD3 service, WAMU-3, broadcasting a mix of talk and music programming, including simulcast programming from Towson University's WTMD.[22][24][25]

Also in 2004, the prominent Washington journalist Ellen Wadley Roper left WAMU a $250,000 bequest, the largest gift in the station's history.[26]

When fellow public radio station WETA returned to an all-classical music format in 2007, WAMU became Washington, D.C.'s only full-time public news station, ending two years of competition between the stations for D.C.'s NPR news audience.[27][28]

In December 2015, WAMU executives announced that long-time program host Diane Rehm, who began working at WAMU in 1973, would be stepping down from her show following the 2016 Presidential election, representing a major shake-up in WAMU's programming lineup. Rehm, then 79, stated that she wanted a younger voice to take her place at WAMU. Also in 2015, Kojo Nnamdi lost the local public affairs program The Kojo Nnamdi Show's second hour of broadcasting, showing a trend for easier-to-access media for younger consumers.[29] In 2021, Nnamdi retired his daily program although he continued to host the weekly "The Politics Hour" program with analyst Tom Sherwood.[30]

In February 2018, it was announced that WAMU, KPCC and WNYC had bought the archives of Gothamist, and WAMU would resume the publication of local Washington news site DCist in Spring 2018.[31] WAMU relaunched DCist on June 11, 2018.[32]

Technical facilities edit

In 2013, WAMU moved to a new studio facility at 4401 Connecticut Ave. NW in the Forest Hills/Van Ness neighborhood of Washington, D.C.[33] The facility was constructed with three broadcast studios, two news studios with dedicated control rooms, multiple editing suites, and a 90-seat black box theater capable of supporting broadcasts before a live studio audience.[34] In total the five-floor WAMU media center supports 21 broadcast and production studios and control rooms and a technical core, as well as 12 conference rooms and community spaces.[35] The IP-based studio infrastructure at the facility helped ensure WAMU staff could work remotely throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.[36]

In October 2019, the station launched a major tower renovation and antenna replacement project for its tower on the American University campus. The improvents were designed to improve reception in Northern Virginia and parts of Maryland. During the project, WAMU broadcast from an auxiliary site in Arlington, Virginia.[37] The WAMU antenna also serves WTOP, WPFW, and WETA; the tower also hosts auxiliary antennas for WPGC and WMMJ.[38]

Prior to the station's move to Connecticut Avenue, WAMU operated for about two decades from two floors of an office building in Tenleytown near the AU campus that at one point housed the East German embassy.[39] Before that, the station was housed on the AU campus next to its tower.[40]

Programming edit

WAMU's main channel carries content from NPR, American Public Media, Public Radio International, and Public Radio Exchange. The station's weekday schedule is largely made up of NPR staples Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Here and Now, The Takeaway, and Fresh Air. As of April 2021, WAMU produces one daily program, 1A, which NPR distributes nationally.[41] The station also airs This American Life. A relay of the BBC World Service is heard overnight and in the 9 a.m. slot on weekdays.

WAMU breaks from its general all-news and talk schedule only on weekend nights, which it devotes to entertainment programming; Sunday nights are given to The Big Broadcast, which originated in 1964 as Recollections. This program, which airs for four hours, features rebroadcasts of drama, comedy, and variety shows from the "golden age of radio", including The Jack Benny Show, Dragnet, Gunsmoke, The Great Gildersleeve, Lux Radio Theater, and Philco Radio Time with Bing Crosby. Ed Walker, himself a storied Washington broadcaster, served as the program's host from 1990 to 2015. On Saturdays, the station broadcasts Hot Jazz Saturday Night, which features popular music from the swing era and debuted in 1980. The show, which became a Saturday night staple with a loyal audience over the years, was first cancelled in 2018. Amid listener protests, WAMU management stated at that time that music was increasingly becoming out of place on the station's schedule, and cited listener surveys showing a desire for more news programming on weekends; after this change, a delayed broadcast of Live from Here was the only remaining music program on WAMU's schedule.[42] After the cancellation of Live From Here opened up two hours in the Saturday night schedule, WAMU returned Hot Jazz Saturday Night in September 2020.[43]

Bluegrass Country edit

WAMU's HD2 subchannel broadcasts bluegrass music under the branding Bluegrass Country. Bluegrass has a long history on WAMU, which included regular bluegrass programming on its main channel from 1967 to 2007.[44][45] In 2001, WAMU launched Bluegrass Country as an internet stream, and in 2007 it launched Bluegrass Country on WAMU-HD2 as an all-bluegrass HD Radio digital subchannel.[45]

In July 2016, WAMU announced it would shut down Bluegrass Country for financial reasons that December 31, unless it could find a buyer for the station and access to its HD2 channel.[46] At the time, WAMU was losing $250,000 per year on the station. Listeners created the nonprofit Bluegrass Country Foundation, and after an extension of negotiations, the foundation took over operations in January 2017. WAMU included access to its HD2 subchannel for at least two years.[47][48]

Bluegrass Country also aired on FM via independently owned translator W288BS (105.5 MHz) from Reston, Virginia, until June 2017, when the owner elected not to renew his contract with the channel and replaced it with Radio Sputnik.[49]

Bluegrass Country Radio now airs on WAMU's HD2 subchannel and online, as well as via iOS and Android apps. Programming currently includes Stained Glass Bluegrass, the Chris Teskey Show and the Dick Spottswood Show.

Former repeaters edit

From summer 2010 to June 2021, WAMU operated a 50,000-watt Class B Eastern Shore relay service on WRAU 88.3 MHz licensed to Ocean City, Maryland, with its transmission facilities in Whaleyville. WRAU carried local content, such as news, traffic, and weather, along with simulcasts of WAMU's main channel programming.[50] By 2017, WRAU was considered the primary NPR news source for listeners in central Delmarva.[51]

Citing a desire to focus on its core Washington-market, WAMU in 2020 began seeking to sell off WRAU/88.3; according to the station, WRAU makes up about 2 percent of WAMU's total weekly listenership.[52] In February 2020, WAMU reached an agreement with Delaware Public Media for the sale of WRAU;[53] however, the broadcasters unwound the deal in October 2020, citing economic changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[52]

In March 2021, WAMU announced the sale of the station to Atlantic Gateway Communications, owner of Takoma Park, Maryland-based WGTS.[54] WGTS plans to use WGTS as a repeater service for its contemporary Christian programming.[55] The station handover happened on June 24, 2021, with the station being reassigned as WGBZ.[56]

From 2014 to 2017, WAMU operated a second repeater, the 8,000-watt Class B1 WYAU on 89.5 MHz licensed to Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia, serving the Fredericksburg area. The station was sold in December 2017 to the Educational Media Foundation, which relaunched it as WLJV.[57]

WVAU edit

The student-run WAMU carrier-current station continued operating on AM and in 1979 attempted to convert to a licensed FM station.[58] To prepare for the move, the station rebranded as WVAU, "The Voice of American University." WVAU began testing operation on 101.7 MHz in 1985, using a series of experimental low-power FM transmitters designed to limit reception to residence halls.[59] While these plans were abandoned, it eventually started operation on cable FM, also on 101.7 and branded "Eagle 102", in 1988.[60] WVAU shut down in 1997, resurfacing as an internet-only station in 2001.[6][61][62]

WVAU is completely student run and is part of American University's Student Media Board.[63] The station operates from studios in the Mary Graydon Center on the AU campus with about 100 student DJs.[64] In 2014–15, the station produced a series of live, in-studio compilation albums, "Live in the Hive," featuring local and touring artists.[65] In 2014, WVAU was named best student-run, internet-only station by CMJ.[66]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "FCC History Cards for WAMU".
  2. ^ "Facility Technical Data for". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ^ a b Lampe, Henry (October 4, 1951). "WAMU Campus Radio Station". The American University Eagle. Vol. 26, no. 1. Washington, D.C. p. 3. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  4. ^ "WAMU Changes Frequency, Joins Inter-Collegiate B'casting Service". The American University Eagle. Vol. 26, no. 17. Washington, D.C. April 24, 1952. p. 1. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  5. ^ "notice". The American University Eagle. Vol. II, no. 8. Washington, D.C. November 21, 1952. p. 2. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "WVAU |". alika.tripod.com.
  7. ^ "Station WAMC, 590 KCS". The American University Eagle. Vol. 3, no. 5. Washington, D.C. January 17, 1947. p. 1. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  8. ^ "Station WAMC, 590 KCS". The American Eagle. Vol. 3, no. 5. Washington, D.C. January 17, 1947. p. 1. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  9. ^ "Radio and Television Courses". NEA Journal. Vol. 56, no. 7. October 1947. p. 538. Retrieved March 23, 2022 – via Internet Archive.
  10. ^ "Refreshed WAMC to Hit Air Waves". The American Eagle. Vol. 1, no. 4. Washington, D.C. March 19, 1947. p. 1. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  11. ^ Harvey, Carol Jean (December 3, 1947). "590 on Your Dial". The American Eagle. Vol. 22, no. 7. Washington, D.C. p. 3. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  12. ^ O'Dell, Cary (2010). "WAMU". In Sterling, Christopher H.; O'Dell, Cary (eds.). The Concise Encyclopedia of American Radio. Milton Park, England: Routledge. pp. 818–819. ISBN 9781135176846. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  13. ^ Harrington, Richard (October 18, 1981). "Grown-Up Radio: WAMU at 20". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  14. ^ Donihi, Rosemary (October 22, 1961). "A New Program On the Campus: Students Air Their Studies". The Washington Post and Times-Herald. ProQuest 141459407.
  15. ^ a b c "WAMU 88.5 History". Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  16. ^ a b c d Lornell, Kip (2020). Capital Bluegrass: Hillbilly Music Meets in Washington. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. pp. 152–154. ISBN 978-0-19-986311-2. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  17. ^ "CCDiscusses [sic] Eagle Policy WAMU-FM". The American University Eagle. Vol. 35, no. 9. Washington, D.C. November 2, 1960. p. 1. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  18. ^ "FM Station Dedicated; Cultural Programs Begun". The AU Reporter. Vol. 10, no. 3. Washington, D.C. October 1961. p. 1. hdl:1961/auislandora:75482.
  19. ^ "WAMU Goes FM Oct. 23; AM Continues On Campus". The American University Eagle. Vol. 36, no. 1. Washington, D.C. September 20, 1961. p. 3. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  20. ^ Rogers, Dan (October 4, 1961). "WAMU Starts Broadcasts; To Present Music, News". The American University Eagle. Vol. 36, no. 3. Washington, D.C. p. 4. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  21. ^ "Mission & History". Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  22. ^ a b . Washington, D.C.: WAMU. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  23. ^ Stimson, Leslie (June 1, 2004). "American University's WAMU(FM) is beta-testing a second digital channel with special authorization from the FCC". Radio World. Bailey's Crossroads, Virginia. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  24. ^ Stimson, Leslie (September 4, 2007). "WAMU Multicasting Gets 'Real' With Planned HD3 Launch, Receiver Giveaways". Radio World. Alexandria, Virginia. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  25. ^ Mathes, Caryn G. (September 8, 2009). "For WAMU and its listeners, HD Radio means more slices of pie to go around". Current. Washington, D.C. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  26. ^ "WAMU 88.5 FM Receives $250,000 Bequest; Largest Gift in Station's History" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: American University. April 8, 2004. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  27. ^ (Press release). Archived from the original on March 10, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  28. ^ . DCist. Washington, D.C. January 22, 2007. Archived from the original on April 1, 2007. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  29. ^ Beaujon, Andrew (December 16, 2015). "WAMU Is Making Big Changes. Here's a Look at Its Plans". Washingtonian. Washington, D.C. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  30. ^ Farhi, Paul (January 13, 2021). "Kojo Nnamdi, long-running Washington radio host, is retiring from daily show after 23 years". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  31. ^ Newman, Andy (February 23, 2018). "Gothamist Will Publish Again in Deal With WNYC". The New York Times. New York City, New York. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  32. ^ Schweitzer, Ally (June 11, 2018). "DCist Is Officially Back — And Ready To Breathe New Life Into Local News". Washington, D.C.: WAMU. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  33. ^ "WAMU Move: News Dept. Moves In Monday". Forest Hills Connection. Washington, D.C. September 13, 2013. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  34. ^ "American University | WAMU Radio Renovation" (Press release). Arlington, Virginia: GHT Ltd. Consulting Engineers. 2013. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  35. ^ Reigart, Emily M. (March 6, 2014). "CEI Builds Broadcast Facility for WAMU". Radio World. Alexandria, Virginia. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  36. ^ Fybush, Scott (March 16, 2020). "Stations plan for staying on air with remote staff". Current. Washington, D.C. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  37. ^ "WAMU Set to Begin Tower Renovation, Antenna Replacement". Inside Towers. Ponte Vedra, Florida. October 11, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  38. ^ McLane, Paul (June 12, 2020). "New Master Antenna System Serves D.C." Radio World. Washington, D.C. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  39. ^ "WAMU Set to Complete Move by End of September". Tenleytown, D.C. Washington, D.C. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  40. ^ Fybush, Scott (February 5, 2010). "NPR and WAMU, Washington, DC, 2008". Tower Site of the Week. Rochester, New York. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  41. ^ "Station Schedules". Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  42. ^ Moyer, Justin Wm. (June 12, 2018). "'You will lose a lot of listeners': Petition fights cancellation of WAMU's 'Hot Jazz Saturday Night'". Washington Post.
  43. ^ "WAMU Brings Back Hot Jazz Saturday Night Among Programming Changes". WAMU (Around WAMU). September 3, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  44. ^ "Navigating Musical History with WAMU's Dick Spottswood". The Kojo Nnamdi Show. Washington, D.C.: WAMU. October 14, 2010. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  45. ^ a b Lawless, John (July 2, 2014). "47 years of bluegrass on WAMU". Bluegrass Today. Roanoke, Virginia. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  46. ^ "WAMU Will Sell or Close Its Bluegrass Station". Washingtonian. July 7, 2016.
  47. ^ . DCist. January 26, 2017. Archived from the original on July 27, 2017. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
  48. ^ Moyer, Justin Wm. (January 26, 2017). "WAMU 88.5 reaches deal to keep bluegrass on the air". Washington Post.
  49. ^ . DCist. Archived from the original on June 30, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  50. ^ "WAMU(FM) in Washington Launches Eastern Shore Relay". Radio World. Alexandria, Virginia. June 29, 2010. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  51. ^ Mills, Ken (January 10, 2018). "Case Study: Big Problems at Delmarva Public Radio". Spark News. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  52. ^ a b "WRAU 88.3 Signal Remains Part of WAMU 88.5 Until A New Buyer Is Identified". WAMU. Washington, D.C. October 15, 2020. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  53. ^ Reigart, Emily M. (February 24, 2020). "WAMU to Sell WRAU to Delaware Public Media". Radio World. Washington, D.C. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  54. ^ Janssen, Mike (March 25, 2021). "WAMU reaches second deal to sell Maryland station". Current. Washington, D.C. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  55. ^ "Washington's WGTS Adds Class B Simulcast Partner On Maryland's Eastern Shore". Inside Radio. Atlanta, Georgia. March 25, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  56. ^ @wgts919 (June 24, 2021). "We're just moments away from launching 88.3-FM in Ocean City, and more hope on the Eastern Shore! Help us count down to when we flip the switch. Watch the live event starting at 5:45pm here: #CrankUptheJoy #CrankUptheJoyontheEasternShore #WGBZ" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  57. ^ "A Transition For WYAU Listeners". WAMU. Washington, D.C. December 5, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  58. ^ Spiegel, Jodi (February 23, 1979). "WAMU Change Slowed". The American University Eagle. Vol. 53, no. 17. Washington, D.C. p. 1. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  59. ^ Hinden, Jack (September 27, 1985). "Still No WVAU-FM Radio". The Eagle. Vol. 60, no. 3. Washington, D.C. p. 9. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  60. ^ Springs, Greg (January 25, 1988). "WVAU Coming Back On Air as EAGLE 102". The Eagle. Vol. 62, no. 20. p. 1. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  61. ^ "WVAU: The Constitution § The History of WVAU". WVAU. November 20, 2017.
  62. ^ de Vise, Daniel (October 11, 2011). "College Radio Day: An SOS (save our stations)". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  63. ^ "AU Student Media". American University. Washington, D.C. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  64. ^ Waits, Jennifer (October 19, 2015). "My trip to College Radio Station WVAU at American University". Radio Survivor. San Francisco, California. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  65. ^ Schweitzer, Ally. "Speedy Ortiz and The So So Glos Turn Up On A New WVAU Compilation". bandwidth.fm. Washington, D.C. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  66. ^ Smith, Jordan-Marie (November 14, 2014). "WVAU wins top award at CMJ". The Eagle. Washington, D.C. Retrieved August 25, 2020.

External links edit

  • WAMU official site
  • WAMU Bluegrass Country website
  • WVAU official site
  • WAMU records at the University of Maryland Libraries
  • First WAMU manager George Geesey papers at the University of Maryland Libraries

38°56′10″N 77°05′31″W / 38.936°N 77.092°W / 38.936; -77.092

February 16, 2024
wamu, this, article, about, radio, station, defunct, bank, washington, mutual, public, news, talk, station, that, services, greater, washington, metropolitan, area, owned, american, university, studios, located, near, campus, northwest, washington, been, prima. This article is about the radio station For the defunct bank see Washington Mutual WAMU 88 5 FM is a public news talk station that services the greater Washington DC metropolitan area It is owned by American University and its studios are located near the campus in northwest Washington WAMU has been the primary National Public Radio member station for Washington since 2007 WAMUWashington D C Broadcast areaWashington metropolitan areaFrequency88 5 MHz HD Radio BrandingWAMU 88 5ProgrammingFormatPublic News TalkSubchannelsHD2 Bluegrass Country Bluegrass Americana AffiliationsNational Public RadioOwnershipOwnerAmerican University AU Board of Trustees HistoryFoundedJuly 28 1951 72 years ago 1951 07 28 carrier current First air dateOctober 23 1961 62 years ago 1961 10 23 FM Former call signsWAMU FM 1961 1981 1 Call sign meaningAMerican UniversityTechnical information 2 Licensing authorityFCCFacility ID65399ClassBERP47 000 wattsHAAT156 meters 512 ft Transmitter coordinates38 56 10 2 N 77 5 33 W 38 936167 N 77 09250 W 38 936167 77 09250LinksPublic license informationPublic fileLMSWebcastListen liveWebsitewww wbr wamu wbr org Contents 1 History 2 Technical facilities 3 Programming 4 Bluegrass Country 5 Former repeaters 6 WVAU 7 References 8 External linksHistory editWAMU began as an AM carrier current student radio station signing on July 28 1951 on 1200 kHz 3 before shifting to 590 kHz in March 1952 4 and 610 kHz in November 1952 5 Although carrier current stations are not granted a license or call sign by the FCC it used WAMU as a familiar form of identification 6 The station aired a wide range of student produced programming including music news sports radio dramas and debates The station was heralded as a rebirth of the university s prior radio station WAMC which operated on 590 kHz for about two years starting on January 15 1947 3 7 broadcasting with a 50 watt transmitter as part of a plan to offer a full range of radio and television courses at American University 8 9 WAMC s operations were sporadic and the station suffered interference from a 50 000 watt station broadcasting from Mexico on the same frequency 10 11 but it finally went off the air after station equipment was stolen in 1950 12 Throughout the late 1950s students and faculty involved with WAMU AM pushed to create an FM station that could reach beyond campus and serve Washington D C as a whole 13 In late 1960 the university received a non commercial FM broadcasting license and WAMU made its first FM broadcast on October 23 1961 on 88 5 MHz using a 4 000 watt second hand transmitter acquired from WGBH in Boston 14 15 16 Although it was not strictly necessary as the AM carrier current station s call sign was not official the FM station took the suffixed call sign WAMU FM to differentiate itself The station dropped the FM suffix in 1981 1 WAMU FM station was established as an education station operated by the university not as a student run station 17 Despite this about 75 AU students many of whom also worked at the carrier current station produced local programming for WAMU FM 18 19 In its first year of operation WAMU simulcast the same programming which included educational programs dramas and classical music on AM and FM for three hours each evening 20 From its inception as a student run station WAMU provided public affairs and educational programming With the launch of its FM service in 1961 WAMU joined the nascent National Educational Radio Network a predecessor to NPR In 1971 the station was a founding member of National Public Radio 15 16 In 1967 WAMU FM began programming bluegrass music which in its heyday on the main channel included the Lee Michael Demsey Show and the Ray Davis Show and weekends included Stained Glass Bluegrass and West Virginia Public Radio s Mountain Stage The station hosted an annual bluegrass concert at Fairfax High School as well as the yearly Pickin in the Glen concert featuring performers such as Alison Krauss Tony Rice the Gibson Brothers the Lewis Family Hot Rize and Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers 16 21 However starting in the late 1990s the station began paring back its on air bluegrass programming in favor of news talk programming 16 In summer 2001 the station fully transitioned its weekday programming to all news and public affairs from various providers including NPR PRI APM and the BBC World Service 15 and in September 2007 the station removed the last of its bluegrass programming from its main channel shifting it all to the HD2 subchannel 22 On May 7 2004 WAMU FM began digital broadcasting using the HD Radio standard and launched the Americana music station Bluegrass Country on its HD2 subchannel 23 The station also operated for several years an HD3 service WAMU 3 broadcasting a mix of talk and music programming including simulcast programming from Towson University s WTMD 22 24 25 Also in 2004 the prominent Washington journalist Ellen Wadley Roper left WAMU a 250 000 bequest the largest gift in the station s history 26 When fellow public radio station WETA returned to an all classical music format in 2007 WAMU became Washington D C s only full time public news station ending two years of competition between the stations for D C s NPR news audience 27 28 In December 2015 WAMU executives announced that long time program host Diane Rehm who began working at WAMU in 1973 would be stepping down from her show following the 2016 Presidential election representing a major shake up in WAMU s programming lineup Rehm then 79 stated that she wanted a younger voice to take her place at WAMU Also in 2015 Kojo Nnamdi lost the local public affairs program The Kojo Nnamdi Show s second hour of broadcasting showing a trend for easier to access media for younger consumers 29 In 2021 Nnamdi retired his daily program although he continued to host the weekly The Politics Hour program with analyst Tom Sherwood 30 In February 2018 it was announced that WAMU KPCC and WNYC had bought the archives of Gothamist and WAMU would resume the publication of local Washington news site DCist in Spring 2018 31 WAMU relaunched DCist on June 11 2018 32 Technical facilities editIn 2013 WAMU moved to a new studio facility at 4401 Connecticut Ave NW in the Forest Hills Van Ness neighborhood of Washington D C 33 The facility was constructed with three broadcast studios two news studios with dedicated control rooms multiple editing suites and a 90 seat black box theater capable of supporting broadcasts before a live studio audience 34 In total the five floor WAMU media center supports 21 broadcast and production studios and control rooms and a technical core as well as 12 conference rooms and community spaces 35 The IP based studio infrastructure at the facility helped ensure WAMU staff could work remotely throughout the COVID 19 pandemic 36 In October 2019 the station launched a major tower renovation and antenna replacement project for its tower on the American University campus The improvents were designed to improve reception in Northern Virginia and parts of Maryland During the project WAMU broadcast from an auxiliary site in Arlington Virginia 37 The WAMU antenna also serves WTOP WPFW and WETA the tower also hosts auxiliary antennas for WPGC and WMMJ 38 Prior to the station s move to Connecticut Avenue WAMU operated for about two decades from two floors of an office building in Tenleytown near the AU campus that at one point housed the East German embassy 39 Before that the station was housed on the AU campus next to its tower 40 Programming editWAMU s main channel carries content from NPR American Public Media Public Radio International and Public Radio Exchange The station s weekday schedule is largely made up of NPR staples Morning Edition All Things Considered Here and Now The Takeaway and Fresh Air As of April 2021 update WAMU produces one daily program 1A which NPR distributes nationally 41 The station also airs This American Life A relay of the BBC World Service is heard overnight and in the 9 a m slot on weekdays WAMU breaks from its general all news and talk schedule only on weekend nights which it devotes to entertainment programming Sunday nights are given to The Big Broadcast which originated in 1964 as Recollections This program which airs for four hours features rebroadcasts of drama comedy and variety shows from the golden age of radio including The Jack Benny Show Dragnet Gunsmoke The Great Gildersleeve Lux Radio Theater and Philco Radio Time with Bing Crosby Ed Walker himself a storied Washington broadcaster served as the program s host from 1990 to 2015 On Saturdays the station broadcasts Hot Jazz Saturday Night which features popular music from the swing era and debuted in 1980 The show which became a Saturday night staple with a loyal audience over the years was first cancelled in 2018 Amid listener protests WAMU management stated at that time that music was increasingly becoming out of place on the station s schedule and cited listener surveys showing a desire for more news programming on weekends after this change a delayed broadcast of Live from Here was the only remaining music program on WAMU s schedule 42 After the cancellation of Live From Here opened up two hours in the Saturday night schedule WAMU returned Hot Jazz Saturday Night in September 2020 43 Bluegrass Country editWAMU s HD2 subchannel broadcasts bluegrass music under the branding Bluegrass Country Bluegrass has a long history on WAMU which included regular bluegrass programming on its main channel from 1967 to 2007 44 45 In 2001 WAMU launched Bluegrass Country as an internet stream and in 2007 it launched Bluegrass Country on WAMU HD2 as an all bluegrass HD Radio digital subchannel 45 In July 2016 WAMU announced it would shut down Bluegrass Country for financial reasons that December 31 unless it could find a buyer for the station and access to its HD2 channel 46 At the time WAMU was losing 250 000 per year on the station Listeners created the nonprofit Bluegrass Country Foundation and after an extension of negotiations the foundation took over operations in January 2017 WAMU included access to its HD2 subchannel for at least two years 47 48 Bluegrass Country also aired on FM via independently owned translator W288BS 105 5 MHz from Reston Virginia until June 2017 when the owner elected not to renew his contract with the channel and replaced it with Radio Sputnik 49 Bluegrass Country Radio now airs on WAMU s HD2 subchannel and online as well as via iOS and Android apps Programming currently includes Stained Glass Bluegrass the Chris Teskey Show and the Dick Spottswood Show Former repeaters editFrom summer 2010 to June 2021 WAMU operated a 50 000 watt Class B Eastern Shore relay service on WRAU 88 3 MHz licensed to Ocean City Maryland with its transmission facilities in Whaleyville WRAU carried local content such as news traffic and weather along with simulcasts of WAMU s main channel programming 50 By 2017 WRAU was considered the primary NPR news source for listeners in central Delmarva 51 Citing a desire to focus on its core Washington market WAMU in 2020 began seeking to sell off WRAU 88 3 according to the station WRAU makes up about 2 percent of WAMU s total weekly listenership 52 In February 2020 WAMU reached an agreement with Delaware Public Media for the sale of WRAU 53 however the broadcasters unwound the deal in October 2020 citing economic changes due to the COVID 19 pandemic 52 In March 2021 WAMU announced the sale of the station to Atlantic Gateway Communications owner of Takoma Park Maryland based WGTS 54 WGTS plans to use WGTS as a repeater service for its contemporary Christian programming 55 The station handover happened on June 24 2021 with the station being reassigned as WGBZ 56 From 2014 to 2017 WAMU operated a second repeater the 8 000 watt Class B1 WYAU on 89 5 MHz licensed to Spotsylvania Courthouse Virginia serving the Fredericksburg area The station was sold in December 2017 to the Educational Media Foundation which relaunched it as WLJV 57 WVAU editThe student run WAMU carrier current station continued operating on AM and in 1979 attempted to convert to a licensed FM station 58 To prepare for the move the station rebranded as WVAU The Voice of American University WVAU began testing operation on 101 7 MHz in 1985 using a series of experimental low power FM transmitters designed to limit reception to residence halls 59 While these plans were abandoned it eventually started operation on cable FM also on 101 7 and branded Eagle 102 in 1988 60 WVAU shut down in 1997 resurfacing as an internet only station in 2001 6 61 62 WVAU is completely student run and is part of American University s Student Media Board 63 The station operates from studios in the Mary Graydon Center on the AU campus with about 100 student DJs 64 In 2014 15 the station produced a series of live in studio compilation albums Live in the Hive featuring local and touring artists 65 In 2014 WVAU was named best student run internet only station by CMJ 66 References edit a b FCC History Cards for WAMU Facility Technical Data for Licensing and Management System Federal Communications Commission a b Lampe Henry October 4 1951 WAMU Campus Radio Station The American University Eagle Vol 26 no 1 Washington D C p 3 Retrieved August 24 2020 WAMU Changes Frequency Joins Inter Collegiate B casting Service The American University Eagle Vol 26 no 17 Washington D C April 24 1952 p 1 Retrieved August 24 2020 notice The American University Eagle Vol II no 8 Washington D C November 21 1952 p 2 Retrieved August 24 2020 a b WVAU alika tripod com Station WAMC 590 KCS The American University Eagle Vol 3 no 5 Washington D C January 17 1947 p 1 Retrieved August 24 2020 Station WAMC 590 KCS The American Eagle Vol 3 no 5 Washington D C January 17 1947 p 1 Retrieved March 24 2022 Radio and Television Courses NEA Journal Vol 56 no 7 October 1947 p 538 Retrieved March 23 2022 via Internet Archive Refreshed WAMC to Hit Air Waves The American Eagle Vol 1 no 4 Washington D C March 19 1947 p 1 Retrieved March 24 2022 Harvey Carol Jean December 3 1947 590 on Your Dial The American Eagle Vol 22 no 7 Washington D C p 3 Retrieved March 24 2022 O Dell Cary 2010 WAMU In Sterling Christopher H O Dell Cary eds The Concise Encyclopedia of American Radio Milton Park England Routledge pp 818 819 ISBN 9781135176846 Retrieved March 24 2022 Harrington Richard October 18 1981 Grown Up Radio WAMU at 20 The Washington Post Washington D C Retrieved August 24 2020 Donihi Rosemary October 22 1961 A New Program On the Campus Students Air Their Studies The Washington Post and Times Herald ProQuest 141459407 a b c WAMU 88 5 History Retrieved September 26 2014 a b c d Lornell Kip 2020 Capital Bluegrass Hillbilly Music Meets in Washington Oxford England Oxford University Press pp 152 154 ISBN 978 0 19 986311 2 Retrieved August 10 2020 CCDiscusses sic Eagle Policy WAMU FM The American University Eagle Vol 35 no 9 Washington D C November 2 1960 p 1 Retrieved August 12 2020 FM Station Dedicated Cultural Programs Begun The AU Reporter Vol 10 no 3 Washington D C October 1961 p 1 hdl 1961 auislandora 75482 WAMU Goes FM Oct 23 AM Continues On Campus The American University Eagle Vol 36 no 1 Washington D C September 20 1961 p 3 Retrieved August 12 2020 Rogers Dan October 4 1961 WAMU Starts Broadcasts To Present Music News The American University Eagle Vol 36 no 3 Washington D C p 4 Retrieved August 12 2020 Mission amp History Retrieved March 10 2014 a b WAMU HD channels Programming Change Announcement Washington D C WAMU Archived from the original on October 11 2007 Retrieved August 25 2020 Stimson Leslie June 1 2004 American University s WAMU FM is beta testing a second digital channel with special authorization from the FCC Radio World Bailey s Crossroads Virginia Retrieved August 25 2020 Stimson Leslie September 4 2007 WAMU Multicasting Gets Real With Planned HD3 Launch Receiver Giveaways Radio World Alexandria Virginia Retrieved August 25 2020 Mathes Caryn G September 8 2009 For WAMU and its listeners HD Radio means more slices of pie to go around Current Washington D C Retrieved August 18 2023 WAMU 88 5 FM Receives 250 000 Bequest Largest Gift in Station s History Press release Washington D C American University April 8 2004 Retrieved September 26 2014 Classical WETA s Official Release Press release Archived from the original on March 10 2014 Retrieved March 10 2014 Format Swap Announced for WETA WGMS Radio DCist Washington D C January 22 2007 Archived from the original on April 1 2007 Retrieved August 25 2020 Beaujon Andrew December 16 2015 WAMU Is Making Big Changes Here s a Look at Its Plans Washingtonian Washington D C Retrieved August 25 2020 Farhi Paul January 13 2021 Kojo Nnamdi long running Washington radio host is retiring from daily show after 23 years The Washington Post Washington D C Retrieved April 12 2021 Newman Andy February 23 2018 Gothamist Will Publish Again in Deal With WNYC The New York Times New York City New York Retrieved August 25 2020 Schweitzer Ally June 11 2018 DCist Is Officially Back And Ready To Breathe New Life Into Local News Washington D C WAMU Retrieved June 15 2018 WAMU Move News Dept Moves In Monday Forest Hills Connection Washington D C September 13 2013 Retrieved October 15 2020 American University WAMU Radio Renovation Press release Arlington Virginia GHT Ltd Consulting Engineers 2013 Retrieved October 15 2020 Reigart Emily M March 6 2014 CEI Builds Broadcast Facility for WAMU Radio World Alexandria Virginia Retrieved October 15 2020 Fybush Scott March 16 2020 Stations plan for staying on air with remote staff Current Washington D C Retrieved October 15 2020 WAMU Set to Begin Tower Renovation Antenna Replacement Inside Towers Ponte Vedra Florida October 11 2019 Retrieved October 15 2020 McLane Paul June 12 2020 New Master Antenna System Serves D C Radio World Washington D C Retrieved October 15 2020 WAMU Set to Complete Move by End of September Tenleytown D C Washington D C Retrieved October 15 2020 Fybush Scott February 5 2010 NPR and WAMU Washington DC 2008 Tower Site of the Week Rochester New York Retrieved October 15 2020 Station Schedules Retrieved March 10 2014 Moyer Justin Wm June 12 2018 You will lose a lot of listeners Petition fights cancellation of WAMU s Hot Jazz Saturday Night Washington Post WAMU Brings Back Hot Jazz Saturday Night Among Programming Changes WAMU Around WAMU September 3 2020 Retrieved September 5 2020 Navigating Musical History with WAMU s Dick Spottswood The Kojo Nnamdi Show Washington D C WAMU October 14 2010 Retrieved July 24 2020 a b Lawless John July 2 2014 47 years of bluegrass on WAMU Bluegrass Today Roanoke Virginia Retrieved July 24 2014 WAMU Will Sell or Close Its Bluegrass Station Washingtonian July 7 2016 WAMU s Bluegrass Country Radio Is Saved By Foundation DCist January 26 2017 Archived from the original on July 27 2017 Retrieved July 3 2017 Moyer Justin Wm January 26 2017 WAMU 88 5 reaches deal to keep bluegrass on the air Washington Post Russian Funded News Station Replaces Bluegrass on 105 5 FM DCist Archived from the original on June 30 2017 Retrieved November 3 2017 WAMU FM in Washington Launches Eastern Shore Relay Radio World Alexandria Virginia June 29 2010 Retrieved August 25 2020 Mills Ken January 10 2018 Case Study Big Problems at Delmarva Public Radio Spark News Retrieved March 30 2021 a b WRAU 88 3 Signal Remains Part of WAMU 88 5 Until A New Buyer Is Identified WAMU Washington D C October 15 2020 Retrieved March 30 2021 Reigart Emily M February 24 2020 WAMU to Sell WRAU to Delaware Public Media Radio World Washington D C Retrieved March 30 2021 Janssen Mike March 25 2021 WAMU reaches second deal to sell Maryland station Current Washington D C Retrieved March 30 2021 Washington s WGTS Adds Class B Simulcast Partner On Maryland s Eastern Shore Inside Radio Atlanta Georgia March 25 2021 Retrieved March 30 2021 wgts919 June 24 2021 We re just moments away from launching 88 3 FM in Ocean City and more hope on the Eastern Shore Help us count down to when we flip the switch Watch the live event starting at 5 45pm here CrankUptheJoy CrankUptheJoyontheEasternShore WGBZ Tweet via Twitter A Transition For WYAU Listeners WAMU Washington D C December 5 2017 Retrieved April 12 2021 Spiegel Jodi February 23 1979 WAMU Change Slowed The American University Eagle Vol 53 no 17 Washington D C p 1 Retrieved August 24 2020 Hinden Jack September 27 1985 Still No WVAU FM Radio The Eagle Vol 60 no 3 Washington D C p 9 Retrieved August 24 2020 Springs Greg January 25 1988 WVAU Coming Back On Air as EAGLE 102 The Eagle Vol 62 no 20 p 1 Retrieved March 30 2021 WVAU The Constitution The History of WVAU WVAU November 20 2017 de Vise Daniel October 11 2011 College Radio Day An SOS save our stations The Washington Post Washington D C Retrieved August 25 2020 AU Student Media American University Washington D C Retrieved March 30 2021 Waits Jennifer October 19 2015 My trip to College Radio Station WVAU at American University Radio Survivor San Francisco California Retrieved March 30 2021 Schweitzer Ally Speedy Ortiz and The So So Glos Turn Up On A New WVAU Compilation bandwidth fm Washington D C Retrieved March 30 2021 Smith Jordan Marie November 14 2014 WVAU wins top award at CMJ The Eagle Washington D C Retrieved August 25 2020 External links editWAMU official site WAMU Bluegrass Country website WVAU official site WAMU records at the University of Maryland Libraries First WAMU manager George Geesey papers at the University of Maryland LibrariesWAMU in the FCC FM station database WAMU in Nielsen Audio s FM station database 38 56 10 N 77 05 31 W 38 936 N 77 092 W 38 936 77 092 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title WAMU amp oldid 1198577882, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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