WSAJ-FM
 | |
| Broadcast area | Grove City, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 91.1 MHz |
| Branding | 91.1 The One |
| Programming | |
| Format | Freeform |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Grove City College |
| History | |
First air date | 1920 (AM), 1968 (FM) |
| Technical information | |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 2700 Watts |
| Links | |
| Website | http://www.wsaj.com |
WSAJ-FM (91.1 FM) is a non-commercial college radio station located in Grove City, Pennsylvania. The station is owned and operated by Grove City College and carries syndicated classical and jazz music, as well as student programming and local sports coverage. The station is managed by an employee of the college, and its day-to-day operations are overseen by a staff of student volunteers when school is in session.
History
Beginnings in AM
Experiments in radio broadcasting began at Grove City College under Professor Herbert W. Harmon[1] shortly before World War I. The station was issued experimental call sign 8CO in 1914, and, after a brief period off the air during the war, returned under experimental callsign 8YV in 1920. The first broadcast was made on April 26, 1920, when President Weir C. Ketler sent a message via the station to the New Castle Rotary Club.[2][3] The WSAJ call sign was issued in 1922 and the station began operating briefly on a frequency of 1310 kc, then moving on March 29, 1941 to 1340 kc.[4] WSAJ's studio and transmitter moved from the older lower campus, to the new upper campus in the 1930s.
Transmitting at 1340 kHz, WSAJ operated using a longwire antenna, strung between two poles on the roof of the Rockwell Science Hall, operating at a power of 100 watts. Another radio station, WOYL, signed on at this frequency from Oil City, Pennsylvania in 1946. In order for these two stations to co-exist within only 40 miles of each other, the FCC mandated WOYL to sign off for approximately 90 minutes twice a week in order to protect WSAJ's limited on-air schedule. In later years, the FCC determined that this "shared-time" restriction was no longer necessary because the stations did not create significant co-channel interference.
WSAJ-FM
An FM station at 89.5 MHz was added under the same call sign in 1968 before moving to 91.1 MHz during the 1990s. Student programming was a mainstay on WSAJ from its inception, with off-site satellite-delivered programming during non-student programs, until a power increase in 1995 resulted in the FM station's coverage area being significantly enlarged. At that time, student broadcasting on the FM station ceased and was moved to a current-carrier AM station on 530 kHz, which could only be heard in the immediate vicinity of the college campus.
WSAJ/1340 signs off
Over the next few years, the AM broadcasting equipment deteriorated until it was no longer functional. Student programming subsequently moved to a carrier-current station and later to an intranet streaming format, calling itself WGCC, even though this was not a legitimately-issued call sign. Because of WSAJ's limited signal and its short (three-hour per week) FCC authorized broadcast schedule, it was determined that the cost to replace the equipment was too great for the benefit to the college or listening community.
In 2004, newly installed college president Richard G. Jewell and chairman of the board David Rathburn, himself a WSAJ alumnus, instituted policy changes which allowed student broadcasting to return to the more powerful FM station. At that time the student programming rebranded itself as 91.1 The One and adopted a primarily indie rock format. In early 2006 the operating license for WSAJ was allowed to expire while WSAJ-FM remained on the air.[5] The original poles and longwire antenna for AM 1340, though no longer functional, remained atop Rockwell Science Hall for a year before being removed.
Addition of HD radio and signal increase
In 2007 WSAJ-FM applied for a construction permit[6] to increase its signal across more of western Pennsylvania through a move to a new tower and a power increase from 1,600 to 2,700 watts. WSAJ-FM moved to its new tower in the southwest corner of Venango County and filed its license to cover in March 2011. The new transmitter broadcasts in HD Radio, and its analog signal area has greatly improved to the north and east especially, including areas such as Franklin, Pennsylvania, Oil City, Pennsylvania and portions of Clarion County.
Programming
In March 2007 WSAJ-FM made significant changes to its syndicated programming lineup. For years, the station had carried classical music programming during the daytime from the Beethoven Satellite Network, originating at WFMT in Chicago. It was decided to switch to classical music offerings from Public Radio International, which also enabled the station to add news programming from the British Broadcasting Corporation. The station also added a variety of specialty classical, jazz, bluegrass, and folk music shows throughout the week. The WFMT syndicated program "Jazz with Bob Parlocha" continues to air as well.
During the school year, students from a recognized campus organization fill each evening of the week with programming under the moniker "91-1 The One", featuring a main format of independent/alternative rock. Under this format, the station reports its spin counts to the College Media Journal. Some students also air specialty shows during the week. The organization appoints its executive staff that governs the student programming. The students also do regular remote broadcasts at the college's Homecoming and Parents' Weekend events.
WSAJ-FM also airs Grove City College football and road basketball games and some area high school football games.
WSAJ-FM has future plans to add more local programming and news coverage to benefit the citizens of Grove City and the surrounding areas. Already, WSAJ-FM has aired brief reports from Grove City Borough Council meetings.
In 2007 the station became involved in controversy when the artist Caeser Pink and The Imperial Orgy claimed that the station banned the CD titled All God's Children due to the political content of the lyrics. After initially broadcasting the CD for two weeks, WSAJ music director Alex Papalia told the group's record label that "The station's manager read up on what the band's about and told us we couldn’t play the CD anymore." In reaction to the CD's being banned on a large number of college radio stations Caeser Pink began a media campaign claiming that because the CD was being banned due to the political content of the lyrics that it was censorship of free speech.
References
- ^ http://www.familyoldphotos.com/pa/mercer/2h/herbert_w_harmon.htm
- ^ WSAJ.com
- ^ official WSAJ history book
- ^ A visit to the WSAJ transmitter
- ^ http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2006/060206/nerw.html#pa
- ^ www.recnet.com
External links
- WSAJ official website
- WSAJ in the FCC FM station database
- Template:FML
- WSAJ in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- Coverage area map
- Grove City College web site