WUGA (FM)
WUGA (91.7 MHz) is a public FM radio station serving Athens and much of the northeast part of Georgia. It is a member of Georgia Public Broadcasting's radio network but is operated by the University of Georgia, with studios and offices located at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education on the UGA campus. The transmitter is located off Walter Sams Road in Winterville, Georgia, southeast of Athens.[2]
| Broadcast area | Northeast Georgia (Atlanta market) |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 91.7 FM |
| Branding | WUGA 91.7 and 97.9 FM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Public Radio (News, Talk, Classical Music and Jazz) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| Operator | University of Georgia |
| History | |
First air date | August 28, 1987 |
Call sign meaning | University of Georgia |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 22982 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 6,000 watts |
| HAAT | 99 meters (325 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 33°55′13.4″N 83°14′45.6″W / 33.920389°N 83.246000°W |
| Translator(s) | 94.5 W233CA (Athens) |
| Links | |
Public license information |
|
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | www |
The station's programming consists of news and public affairs, classical music, jazz and folk music from GPB Radio, as well as locally-produced content.[3]
On March 1, 2010, UGA announced budget cuts that, if approved, would have resulted in the end of locally-produced programming on the station. It would then have become a full-time relay of the GPB network.[4] However, as of January 20, 2011[update], WUGA remains operated by UGA, and during the early 2010s its operations were consolidated with WUGA-TV, a television station UGA owned at the time.[5]
Translators edit
Since 1993, the station has operated a low-powered FM translator - originally W250AC at 97.9. It moved to 94.5 as W233CA on March 23, 2017. This "fill-in" transmitter was added to improve reception in the downtown Athens area, which can be poor due to terrain shielding and the main transmitter's relatively modest power (6,000 watts). The University of Georgia also owns a student-operated college radio station, WUOG (90.5), which broadcasts and transmits from another location on campus. The two stations' operations are entirely separate from each other.
There are two other supposed translators that are listed in the FCC database as relays of the station.[6] However, these are licensed to Radio Assist Ministry, a religious organization not associated with GPB or UGA. They are not listed by GPB, or given a station ID on the air, making them highly questionable.
There was a third such translator, W300BF 107.9 MHz in Commerce, Georgia, which, under RAM, repeated WUGA. That repeater was sold to Athens Christian Radio, Inc. in 2007. FCC records show it switched its programming source to WMJE in Clarkesville.[7]
References edit
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WUGA". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/WUGA
- ^ . Archived from the original on 2013-02-17. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
- ^ Shearer, Lee (March 1, 2010). "UGA budget idea include silencing WUGA, laying off 1,400, closing 4-H". Athens Banner-Herald. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
- ^ Melancon, Merritt (January 20, 2011). "WUGA-TV aims to fit in with GPB, increase local focus". Athens Banner-Herald. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
- ^ http://www.recnet.com/cdbs/fmq.php?call=wuga[dead link]
- ^ FCC data for W300BF
External links edit
- Official website
- WUGA in the FCC FM station database
- WUGA in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- W233CA in the FCC FM station database