WRUC
| File:Wireless Radio of Union College Logo.tif | |
| City of license | Schenectady, New York |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Schenectady, Capital District |
| Branding | WRUC 89.7 FM The First Station In The Nation |
| Frequency | 89.7 MHz |
| First air date | October 14, 1920 |
| Format | College Radio |
| ERP | 100 watts |
| HAAT | -27 meters |
| Class | A |
| Callsign meaning | Wireless Radio of Union College |
| Owner | Union College |
| Website | http://wruc.union.edu |
WRUC-FM is an independent college radio station owned and operated by Union College in Schenectady, New York. The station is licensed by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to operate on the frequency 89.7 Mhz at an effective radiated power of 100 watts. The station also streams its content on Internet radio at wruc.union.edu. The station has long claimed to be the first station in the nation, a distinction that has been challenged by other stations.
WRUC is run entirely by the students of Union College. The station offers an eclectic mix of alternative programming, Union sports and news to listeners within a 15-mile radius.
The station's offices and studios are located in the Reamer Campus Center on the Union College campus.
History
WRUC became the first student operated radio facility in the United States when it began broadcasting on October 14, 1920.[1] The station is widely recognized as America's first college radio station.[2] The New York Times noted in its April 25, 1921 edition that a broadcast by the Union College radio club could be heard 1,000 miles away.[3] The paper also detailed one month later an experiment in which a baby being pushed in a carriage through Schenectady was able to receive a radio broadcast.[4]
While some of these claims are disputed, station records indicate that it was the "first station in the nation", airing experimental content before Pittsburgh's KDKA. It is also believed to have aired one of the first sports broadcasts in the country.
In 1920, the station was called 2ADD, the personal call letters of one of the members of the club at the time. The club has gone through numerous call letters including, "2XQ," "WRL," "UBS," and "UCRS."[1] The station previously aired on 640 AM and on 90.9 FM, before assuming its current dial position in the mid-1980s.
The station operates regularly only when Union College is in session.
Notable alumni
- Dick Ferguson (Class of 1967) - the 2002 National Association of Broadcasters National Radio Award winner. Ferguson retired as the Executive Vice President of Cox Radio in 2006.[5][6]
- Richard Roth (Class of 1970) - a former correspondent for CBS News and NBC News[7]
- Scott Wykoff (Class of 1985) - now a reporter for Baltimore radio station WBAL (AM)[8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Union College Concordiensis, October 8, 1975
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Official website
- Query the FCC's FM station database for WRUC
- Radio-Locator information on WRUC
- Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for WRUC
| Presidents |
 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Other people |
|
|
| Academics | ||
| Culture |
|
|
| Campus | ||
| Athletics | ||
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
