WCUR (91.7 FM, "The Curve") is the student radio station at West Chester University (WCU) in West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States. It serves a limited area around the campus and airs a freeform format, with students producing and airing their own shows.
 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | West Chester-Philadelphia |
| Frequency | 91.7 MHz |
| Programming | |
| Format | Freeform college radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | West Chester University Student Services Inc. |
| History | |
First air date | September 1, 1999 |
Call sign meaning | West Chester University Radio |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 63564 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 100 watts |
| HAAT | 34 meters |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | wcur |
Membership edit
DJs at WCUR can create and construct their own individual shows freely, with no parameters. However, this does not mean they are exempt from FCC guidelines. WCUR offers a wide variety of music, news, and sports. Therefore, some DJs have the opportunity to broadcast live sports events at WCU, mainly football and basketball.
If students wish to join the station, they must complete lessons to learn FCC guidelines and policies. After participating 6 weeks of lessons, trainees must complete studio observations, a written test, and an "on-air" test.[2] After successfully completing all requirements trainees officially become members of the station and are eligible to sign-up for a desired show time.
Since WCUR serves the community of West Chester, DJs are required to give a psa, an on-campus announcement, and the weather once every hour. On the WCUR website, the organization not only asks for news from the community, but hosts events, recommends music, and provides a weather minute.[3]
History edit
The history of carrier current radio at WCU predates the current FM by several decades. Originally known as "WCSC", the station had adopted the "WCUR" name by 1974. It was listenable at 640 kHz in campus buildings; a small FM transmission covering the Sykes Student Union and Wayne Hall was also added.
In 1992, West Chester University applied for an FM station; a previous attempt in the late 1970s had been derailed by lack of approval for funding, others in the mid-1980s created interference issues with a station in Delaware[4] or with TV channel 6,[5] and constant turnover of staff and students (numbering some 75 by 1998) also hindered efforts. The construction permit was granted on March 20, 1998, and after municipal approval of a tower atop the Student Union,[6] broadcasting began on September 1, 1999. Web streaming was added in 2001.
References edit
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WCUR". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Shah, Kinjal (September 11, 2017). "WCUR undergoes changes for the new year".
- ^ "91.7 WCUR The Curve".
- ^ DeAngelis, Mary Elizabeth (October 4, 1987). "School radio station getting a new office". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. 54-CC. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Barrientos, Tanya (August 9, 1987). "WCUR makes bid for a spot on FM dial". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. 33-CC. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Smolowitz, Peter (October 15, 1998). "College gets a clear signal for FM station". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. B1, B8. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
External links edit
- WCUR Website
- WCUR in the FCC FM station database
- WCUR in Nielsen Audio's FM station database