WMUA

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WMUA
WMUA logo.png
City of license Amherst, Massachusetts
Broadcast area Pioneer Valley
Slogan Radio you don't hear on the radio
Frequency 91.1 MHz
First air date 1949 (carrier current AM)
1952 (FM)
Format Community radio
ERP 450 watts, Stereo
HAAT 39.0 meters
Class A
Facility ID 69184
Transmitter coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Callsign meaning Massachusetts University - Amherst[1]
Affiliations None
Owner University of Massachusetts Amherst
(University of Massachusetts)
Webcast Listen Live
Website wmua.org

WMUA (91.1 FM) is a student-run community radio station. Licensed to serve Amherst, Massachusetts, USA, the station is based on the campus of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The station's broadcast license is held by the University of Massachusetts.

WMUA was established in 1949 originally as an AM station. Though it is run by undergraduates, other faculty, staff, assorted members of the community, and graduate students contribute to the station. WMUA is broadcast to the Connecticut River Valley, including western Massachusetts, northern Connecticut, and southern Vermont. The station is federally licensed (authorized by the FCC) and non-commercial, and is under the supervision of the UMass Board of Trustees.

WMUA's studio is located in the basement of the Lincoln Campus Center building. The actual transmitter and antenna are located on Observatory Way, between the Orchard Hill & Sylvan Residential living areas. This facility, activated at midnight on January 1, 2004, is WMUA's third transmission site; it originally transmitted from the atop Marston Hall, and then on Emily Dickinson Dormitory. The Dickinson Dormitory tower in Orchard Hill served as a backup until a re-roofing project took it down in 2011; it is licensed as a backup facility and rebuilding the backup was completed on June 30, 2014. The station is a licensed "class A" broadcast facility.

Programming

WMUA's programming philosophy HAD outlined the intent of the station to feature programming that is not typically found anywhere else on the dial. HOWEVER, ON 12/15/2015 ASSOCIATE CHANCELLOR SUE PEARSON AND VICE CHANCELLOR GELAYE ANNOUNCED THAT THE STATION MANUAL, BYLAWS, MISSION AND OPERATING PROCEDURES THAT HAD BEEN IN FORCE WERE NULL AND VOID, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. WMUA featured a variety of programs that follow a "block" format. There were themed blocks daily, such as jazz, world, rock, and experimental music, but programs within these blocks varied from each other as well. There are also talk shows, sports updates, and newscasts every weekday at 5:30pm. WMUA broadcasts 24/7/365, and is available as a stream online from the home page of the WMUA website.

WMUA broadcasts polka programming on the weekends, including the "Polka Bandstand" show hosted by IPA Hall-Of-Famer: Billy Belina. Launched in 1979, his program garners thousands of listeners and his fall "PolkaThon" has been instrumental in helping the station obtain funding for studio equipment upgrades.

WMUA provides an outlet for multiple opinions to be expressed through music, political and advocacy talk, and public service announcements. The variety of programming allows advocacy for political outlets during Democracy Now! which airs daily from 8:00am-9:00am, as well as a music movement toward local bands and smaller labels on all music based programs.

ON 12/15/2015, THE UMASS ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED THAT COMMUNITY DJS WOULD NO LONGER HAVE A VOTE IN STATION MATTERS AND WOULD BE LIMITED TO 24 HOURS OF THE PROGRAM SCHEDULE WEEKLY. THE STATED THAT THESE DECISIONS WERE INTENDED TO INCREASE STUDENT FOCUS. AS OF THIS WRITING, THE MISSION OF WMUA IS YET TO BE REWRITTEN.

Sports

WMUA is the official radio station of the UMass Women's Basketball team and the UMass Men's Lacrosse team. They also broadcast other UMass Minutemen sports including Ice Hockey, Men's Basketball, Baseball and Football throughout the year.

Notable Alumni

Audie Cornish - NPR correspondent [2]

Charlie Pellett - Bloomberg Radio Personality and "Stand Clear of the Closing Doors" voice on New York City Subway.[3]

Dave Strader - NHL play-by-play announcer for NHL on NBC and NHL on NBC Sports Network.[4]

References

  1. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. Parnass, Larry. UMass grad Audie Cornish, NPR veteran, lands Sunday anchor slot . GazetteNet.com, 2011. http://www.gazettenet.com/blog/gazetteer/umass-grad-audie-cornish-npr-veteran-lands-sunday-anchor-slot-0
  3. "http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=102896.15;wap2"
  4. http://umasshoops.com/news/alumni/dave_strader01252000.htm

External links