WKNC-FM

WKNC-FM

City of license	Raleigh, North Carolina
Broadcast area	Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
Slogan	"The Revolution"
Frequency	88.1 (MHz)
First air date	October 9, 1966
Format	Variety
Power	25,000 watts
Class	C3
Facility ID	49160
Transmitter coordinates	35°47′15″N 78°40′14″W
Owner	North Carolina State University
Webcast	wknc.org/listen
Website	wknc.org

WKNC-FM (88.1 FM), North Carolina State University's student-run radio station, is a College radio station in the United States. Broadcasting with an effective radiated power of 25,000 watts, its signal covers much of the Research Triangle and outlying areas. The station is entirely student-run, from the DJs and technicians to the station management. The primary weekday format is indie rock. The station was recently named "Best of the Triangle" by the readers of the Independent Weekly.

Programming

WKNC's programming is divided into four main formats: Daytime Rock (primarily indie rock), Afterhours (electronic/techno music), Underground (hip hop), and Chainsaw Rock (heavy metal). The "Local Lunch" airs weekdays from 12:00PM to 1:00PM, during which only North Carolina artists are played.

WKNC airs many specialty shows including Geet Bazaar (music from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and others), Saturday Night Soul R&B, The 2.0 show Mixshow Hip-Hop, Neo soul, Dance music, Reggae, A cappella, Punk rock, Post-rock, Ska, Americana and Blues and Grunge.

WKNC produces a weekly public affairs show called "Eye on the Triangle," which focuses on current events and culture in the Research Triangle. It is co-hosted by Public Affairs Director, Nick Savage and assistant director Jake Langlois.

The station carries NC State Wolfpack women's basketball games and men's baseball games from the Wolfpack Sports Network. "The Pulse of The Pack" is a sports talkshow hosted by Cory Smith.

Each year since 2004, WKNC also holds a benefit concert named the Double Barrel Benefit. The two-night concert series bring in North Carolina based bands in order to raise additional funds for the station.

The station has also expanded to online-exclusive content including a weekly podcast called SoundOff, which discusses new music and music news.

History

• 1922 - First licensed as WLAC by communications department faculty and students; it was the second radio station in North Carolina.
• 1923 - WLAC signed off due to financial troubles.
• 1944 - A group of engineering students establish WOLF (the mascot of NCSU is the Wolfpack) as a carrier current station for on-campus listeners.
• 1945 - The station's call letters were changed to WNCS (W-North Carolina State) and the station was recognized by the Student Publications Authority. With university support, a permanent home for the station was established on campus.
• 1947 - The call letters were changed, again, to WVWP (W-Voice of the Wolf Pack) as the station experimented with broadcasting sporting events.
• 1948 - The station broadcast all home basketball games.
• 1952 - The FCC shut the station down for over-radiation of its signal.
• 1954 - WVWP returned to the airways.
• 1958 - A final call letter change from WVWP to WKNC, 580 AM.
• October, 1966 - WKNC 580AM became WKNC 88.1FM. The 10 watt transmitter expanded the coverage area from on-campus residence halls to much of the surrounding city. WKNC aired a mix of folk, jazz, and classical music at the time.
• 1972 - The station moved into studios in the University Student Center, and a guyed 30 foot antenna tower was built atop the University's library.
• 1974 - Transmitter power increased to 1,000 watts. Format changed to a progressive rock style, but continued to feature top-40, jazz, and soul.
• early 1980s - The station moved into a hard rock/heavy metal format and gained praise as one of the top college stations in the nation.
• 1984 - Effective Radiated Power increased to 3,000 watts, expanding coverage to a 40 mile radius. An 80 foot self-supporting tower replaced the guyed mast.
• 1991 - WKNC moved into its current studios in the Student Center Annex (later named the Witherspoon Student Center).
• 1997 - WKNC began its webcast
• late 1990s & early 2000s - The format changed from a hard rock format to a wider blend of music focusing on independent and non-top-40 artists.
• 2003 - Effective Radiated Power increased to 25,000 watts, making WKNC one of the most powerful college radio stations in America.

References

• WKNC website: History

External links

• Official website
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WKNC
• Radio-Locator information on WKNC
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for WKNC