From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
WRUC-FM (Independent Radio) is a college radio station owned by, and staffed by, the students of Union College in Schenectady, New York. The 100-watt stations broadcasts on (89.7 FM) and streams on the Internet at wruc.union.edu.. It is often referred to as "First Station in the Nation."
[edit] History
WRUC became the first student operated radio facility in the United States when it began broadcasting the "top 40" on October 14, 1920.[1] The station is widely recognized as America's first college radio station,[1]. 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. 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.
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."[2]
The station previously aired on 640 AM and on 90.9 FM, before assuming its current dial position in the mid 1980s.
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.
The station currently operates regularly only when Union College is in session.
Among the station's most famous alumni is Dick Ferguson, the 2002 National Radio Award winner, as named by the National Association of Broadcasters.[2] Ferguson retired as the Executive Vice President of Cox Radio in 2006.
- ^ Union College Concordiensis, October 8, 1975
- ^ Union College Concordiensis, October 8, 1975
[edit] External links
|
New York college radio stations |
|
WAIH (State University of New York College at Potsdam) • WALF (Alfred University) • WARY (Westchester Community College) • WBSU (College at Brockport) • WCDB (State University of New York at Albany) • WCEB (Corning Community College) • WCVF (Fredonia State University) • WCWP (Long Island University, CW Post Campus) • WDWN (Cayuga County Community College) • WECW (Elmira College) • WERW (Syracuse University) • WETD (Alfred State College) • WFNP (SUNY New Paltz) • WFTU (Five Towns College) • WFUV (Fordham University) • WGCC (Genesee Community College) • WGFR (Adirondack Community College) • WGSU (SUNY Geneseo) • WHCL (Hamilton College) • WHCR (City College of New York) • WHPC (Nassau Community College) • WHRW (Binghamton University) • WICB (Ithaca College) • WITC (Cazenovia College) • WITR (Rochester Institute of Technology) • WKCR (Columbia University) • WKRB (Kingsborough Community College) • WMAR (Marist College) • WNYK (Nyack College) • WNYO (State University of New York - Oswego) • WNYU (New York University) • WONY (SUNY College at Oneonta) • WPNR (Utica College of Syracuse University) • WQKE (Plattsburgh State University) • WRCU (Colgate University) • WRHO (Hartwick College) • WRHU (Hofstra University) • WRPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) • WRUC (Union College) • WRUR (University of Rochester) • WSBU (St. Bonaventure University) • WSIA (College of Staten Island) • WSPN (Skidmore College) • WSUC (State University of New York - Cortland) • WTSC (Clarkson University) • WUSB (State University of New York - Stony Brook) • WVHC (Herkiner County Community College) • WVKR (Vassar College) • WVWA (Colleges of The Seneca)
|
|
| See also: Adult Contemporary, College, Country, News/Talk, NPR, Oldies, Rock, Sports, Top 40, Urban, and Other radio stations in New York |
|
