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WNUB-FM

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WNUB-FM
Broadcast areaNorwich University
Frequency88.3 MHz
BrandingWNUB, Dog River Radio
Programming
FormatCollege
Ownership
OwnerTrustees of Norwich University
History
First air date
December 8, 1967 (1967-12-08)
Call sign meaning
"Norwich University Broadcasting"
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID66513
ClassA
ERP270 watts
HAAT−113 meters (−371 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
44°08′24″N 72°39′36″W / 44.14000°N 72.66000°W / 44.14000; -72.66000
Links
Public license information
Websitewww.norwich.edu/wnub

WNUB-FM (88.3 FM) is a radio station licensed to serve Northfield, Vermont. It is the radio station of Norwich University, airing a college radio format[2] from studios and transmitter on the university campus.

History

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On February 28, 1967, Norwich applied for a new noncommercial educational radio station on 89.1 FM to broadcast from the university campus.[3] The transmitter and studios would be located in Jackman Hall, the school's then-new administration building.[4] WNUB-FM began at the suggestion of Cadet Victor P. Waryas, a senior at the university, and was put on the air with engineering assistance from WDEV in Waterbury.[4] Another driving force behind the station was George Turner, who also doubled as Norwich's public relations director and sports information director.[5]

WNUB-FM made it to air on December 8, 1967;[6] while the university financed the more than $10,000 in startup expenses, students did much of the work in building the station, led by chief engineer David Bonney.[7] It was the first FM station to broadcast in central Vermont;[7] in fact, it was the third in the state and the first outside of Burlington, where WJOY-FM (1962) and WRUV-FM (1965) were already in operation.[8] (WRUV was also the only other noncommercial radio station in the state at the time.[8]) Programming on the new station included news and public affairs programming as well as light classical music.[4]

Norwich was an all-male school at the time WNUB-FM began broadcasting. The first woman to work as a DJ on the station was Stephanie Donat, a senior at the Vermont College; she hosted an hourlong folk music show at WNUB-FM, whose signal was not receivable on Vermont College's campus, in 1968.[9] In 1971, the station staged a 126-hour radiothon to benefit the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program run by Norwich and Vermont College; one day during the event, even WNUB-FM staff were stunned when Governor Deane C. Davis called in, commending the cadets' work and making a contribution.[10]

In 1981, WNUB-FM filed to move from 88.3 to 93.9 FM, with a slight power boost from 10 to 18 watts; the school had previously pursued a change to 89.5 FM in 1975 but abandoned it after six months.[3] Until the station became a part of the school's communications department in the 1980s, it was student run, operating irregular hours and only during the academic year. WNUB-FM ramped up to its present 285 watts of power when it moved to 88.3 MHz in 1988; it also began broadcasting in stereo for the first time as part of the upgrade.[11] The transmitter and antenna were most recently replaced in 2003 and 2005, respectively.[12]

Low enrollment prompted the CM 351 radio class to be canceled for the first time in 15 years in 2014; this meant that there were no student programs for the entire spring 2014 semester over WNUB-FM, and the only live shows were being broadcast by two community volunteers on Saturday mornings.[13] However, 2014 also saw the station stream online for the first time.[13] WNUB-FM was able to rebound from the cancellation, and it also began adding additional community programming; Northfield Town Meeting coverage and three days of music from the Northfield Labor Day festival, the largest in Vermont, are now heard over WNUB-FM.[6]

Programming

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Most programs on WNUB are hosted by students in the CM 351 radio class. In addition to hosting live two-hour evening shows, students enrolled in the class also do voice-tracking; record promos and commercials; and complete class projects.[12]

References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WNUB-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Winter 2008 Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
  3. ^ a b FCC History Cards for WNUB-FM
  4. ^ a b c "Norwich Applies For FM Station". Burlington Free Press. March 6, 1967. p. 9. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  5. ^ "Norwich professor Turner dies". Burlington Free Press. October 13, 2009. p. 3B. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  6. ^ a b Norwich University (October 23, 2017). "WNUB-FM celebrates 50 years of Norwich University Radio (press release)". Retrieved October 9, 2019 – via VTDigger.
  7. ^ a b "Norwich Cadets Operate FM Radio Station". Burlington Free Press. December 14, 1967. p. 6. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Vermont" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1968. p. B-169. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  9. ^ "Vermont College Co-Ed Has Audience of 1,150 Cadets". Burlington Free Press. October 22, 1968. p. 9. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  10. ^ "Norwich Cadets' Marathon Helps Youngsters". Burlington Free Press. November 24, 1971. p. 16. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  11. ^ "Education briefs". Burlington Free Press. December 4, 1988. p. 10B. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  12. ^ a b Bursey, Brandon (December 15, 2016). "At the studios of Dog River Radio, WNUB-FM, the programs are colorful and eclectic". The Norwich Guidon. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  13. ^ a b Brouard, Dan (March 27, 2014). "Off the air: Student voices go silent on WNUB after course is cancelled". Retrieved October 9, 2019.
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