WLRA

WLRA-FM

Romeoville, Illinois (former license was Lockport, Illinois)
Broadcast area	Chicago, Illinois area and greater Joliet, Illinois region
Frequency	88.1 MHz
Branding	88.1 FM WLRA
Programming
Format	Variety
Ownership
Owner	Lewis University (College of Arts and Sciences - Communications Department)
Sister stations	Lewis University Television Network
History
First air date	1972
Call sign meaning	W-L-ewis RA-dio
Technical information
Facility ID	37190
Class	A
Power	333 watts forward power
ERP	140 watts effective radiated power
HAAT	40.0 meters
Transmitter coordinates	41°36′10.00″N 88°4′49.00″W
Links
Webcast	www.lewisu.edu/wlra[1]
Website	www.lewisu.edu[2]

WLRA-FM (88.1 FM) is a college radio station broadcasting a Variety format. Licensed to Romeoville, Illinois, USA, the station serves the Chicago / greater Joliet region. The station is licensed to and owned by Lewis University.

Lewis University's Radio Station History

WFJL-FM - WLCL-AM - WERA-AM - WLRA-FM

• WFJL-FM -- (w - FJL - Frank J. Lewis)(93.1 FM Chicago)went on the air in the 1940s until 1959. WFJL operated as a non-commercial station by Lewis College of Science and Technology (previous name of Lewis College, now Lewis University) . Lewis College sold WFJL-FM in 1958. The new owners of WFJL-FM renamed the call letters to WSBC-FM - from 1959 to 1963, now it is called WXRT-FM. WFJL-FM, under the leadership of Roman Catholic Auxillary Bishop Bernard J. Sheil of the Archdiocese of Chicago, radio format consisted of religious, educational, news, talk, and CYO Boxing. WFJL's facilites were located at the Lincoln Tower Building, 75 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, 600 feet above the ground and had an effective radiated power of 29,000 watts.

• WLCL-AM - (w - LCL - Lewis College Lockport) AM carrier current radio station on Lewis College, Lockport, Illinois campus. Located in Sheil Hall dormitory basement from its inception until 1971. Robert Feustal and Norb Bora are credited with the inception of WLCL-AM.

• WERA-AM - (WERA - WE're a RAdio station) was the renamed WLCL-AM carrier current radio station to match new FM station license - WERA-AM and WLRA-FM. Studios were built for the station in Fitzpatrick Hall dormitory basement in 1971.

• WLRA-FM - (w - LRA - Lewis RAdio) went on the air in 1972 on 88.1 in mono, 250 watts of effective radiated power at 90 feet HAAT. WLRA is licensed as a non-commercial- educational radio station. In 1976 WLRA added stereo. Lewis University was annexed from Lockport to Romeoville, Illinois and WLRA's license reflected the change. Although Steve Partman was the first General Manager of WLRA Rado, Michael Burlak is credited with all the work getting WLRA licensed and moving its facilities to Fitzpatrick Hall - he graduated before the first broadcast on 88.1fm in fall 1972.

Lewis University's WLRA Radio was the first college radio station in the country to become digital. Lewis University received a digital radio project grant in the 1990's from a major communications corporation. The studios, music archives, music scheduling system, audio storage and retrieval systems (including an AES/EBU Audiovault serial number 001 and 002), audio consoles, cd players & recorders, minidisc players and recorders, and DAT), ISDN digital phone system, ISDN remote broadcast codecs, AES/EBU audio processing, AES/EBU broadcast delay, AES/EBU fm exciter, and transmitters were upgraded from analog to state of the art digital AES/EBU type I balanced and AES/EBU type II optical. The entire digital project was a joint venture with the Freberg Communications Corporation of Illinois, Harris Corporation of Florida, Pacific Research and Engineering of California, A-Ware Corporation[3] of Wisconsin, and Broadcast Electronics Corporation of Illinois. WLRA also added RDS Radio Data System to the FM transmission allowing information about the artist and song to be displayed on a radio tuned to 88.1fm. Lewis University installed a self standing 250 foot radio tower and new digital IBOC or HD Radio ready ERI Rototiler[4] single bay fm antenna in 2000 adjacent to DeLaSalle Hall. WLRA increased the antenna height to 200 feet HAAT and had to reduce the effective radiated power to 140 watts. WLRA moved from the basement of Fitzpatick Hall dormitory basement to new studios and broadcasting center in December 2005. The new broadcasting facility was named the Andrew Center of Electronic Media at Lewis University. The state of the art broadcasting studios and transmitters are located in DeLaSalle Hall on the Lewis University Romeoville campus.

WLRA Radio Programming

As with most colleges, WLRA included, the music industry and musical tastes of the station's staff and the listening audience change with the times. Colleges and Universities have a diverse student population and audience. The college's radio station has the obligation to meet these challenges. As Cardinal John Henry Newman wrote: "to live is to change... and to be perfect is to have changed often". College radio stations pride themselves by promoting underplayed and underrepresented forms of music, the obscure and unique - versus the mainstream. The college radio stations achieve this with the independent music labels and the College Media Journal[5].

WLRA Radio's diverse programming reflects a traditional college radio format known as variety presented in block style (2-3 hour show).

WLRA Radio, through its creative staff and leadership, has hosted many innovative radio programs over the years. These include an eclectic and Freeform (radio format), experimental college radio programming, weekly live radio talk shows, Lewis University Flyer[6] sporting events from around the country, remote broadcasts, and community service events.

WLRA's current programming includes news and talk radio, coverage of Lewis University Flyer Sports, local high school football and basketball; music genre formats including: Adult Album Alternative, Alternative Rock, Hip Hop, Rap, Rock and Roll, Blues, Jazz, Reggae, Religious, Country, seasonal Christmas music, and Latina-American cultural immersion [7].

WLRA, with a commitment to community service, has produced marathon broadcasts for a local children's hospital [8]and Christmas music programming with the United Way of Will County.

WLRA Radio Departments

2007-2008 WLRA-FM radio station leadership:

Department	Director
General Manager	Thomas Graham
Operations and Programming	R. Brett Mega
Music	Shannon Spector
News	Catie Cryder
Sports	Greg Warnimont
Promotions and Marketing	Zoey Mitronis
Production	Shannon Flannigan
Technology and Engineering	Larry Linka

WLRA Radio contact information

WLRA Radio	Contact information
Studio request line	phone: 815-836-5000
Station Offices	phone: 815-838-0500 ext. 5214
Lewis University	phone: 815-838-0500
Mailing Address	Radio Station WLRA-FM The Andrew Center of Electronic Media at Lewis University One University Parkway Romeoville, Illinois 60446-2200
EMail Address	wlraradio@lewisu.edu
Lewis University Website	www.lewisu.edu[9]
Listen Live on the Internet	www.lewisu.edu/wlra[10]
Legal ID	88.1FM WLRA Romeoville

WLRA Radio Notable Alumni

• Douglas Bobrowski [11], afternoon drivetime radio personality "Doug E. Styles" for CBS Radio station WBBM-FM B-96.3fm Chicago
• Derrick Brown, WVAZ V103 Clear Channel Radio, Chicago Program Director
• Len O'Kelly [12], WFGR Grand Rapids, Program Director and radio personality
• Spike O'Dell, Tribune Broadcasting's WGN-AM, Chicago morning drivetime radio personality
• John W. Kilpatrick, 3 time Daytime Emmy Award recipient for nationally daily syndication television program The "Oprah Winfrey Show".
• John V. Strolia, 7 time Daytime Emmy Award recipient for nationally daily syndication television program The "Oprah Winfrey Show".
• Deborah Olivia Brown, Director of Station Relations for NBC WMAQ-TV in Chicago
• John Mason [13], television news presenter (News Anchor) for KSTP-TV, Minneapolis
• Kwesi Atowi, radio account executive for WGCI 107.5fm Clear Channel Radio Chicago
• Renee Syzmonick, promotions manager for CBS Radio station WBBM-FM B-96.3fm Chicago
• Angelo Lazzara, television producer, for nationally weekly syndication agriculture television show - "This Week in Agra Business" (formerly the Tribune Broadcasting's "US Farm Report") - hosted by Orion Samuelson and Max Armstrong
• Jay Zawaski, executive radio producer for CBS Radio station WSCR The Score Sportsradio 670 AM Chicago
• Ryan Huff, radio producer of sports shows on KFNS-AM in St. Louis
• Eric Wilson [14], television news presenter (News Anchor) for WREX-TV, Rockford, Illinois
• Anthony Musiala, Vice President of Sales/Marketing, Minty Fresh Records, Chicago, [[Illinois]
• Tim Tierney [[15]], Good Karma Broadcasting, Janesville, Wisconsin afternoon drivetime radio personality and Program Director of WWHG 105.9 The Hog[16]
• Chris Madsen [[17]]radio personality for CBS Radio station KNX (AM) - 1070 Los Angeles
• David Collins, [[18]]radio personality "DJ Cowboy", WVEE, Atlanta

Lewis University Radio Station Managers

WFJL-FM General Managers:

Years	WFJL-FM General Manager
194?-1959	Auxiliary Bishop Bernard J. Sheil Archdiocese of Chicago

WLCL-AM General Managers:

Academic Years	WLCL-AM General Manager
1965-1967	Robert Feustal Norb Bora '67
1968	John McCrea '70

WERA-AM General Managers:

Academic Years	WERA-AM General Manager
1969	John McCrea '70
1970-1971	Dennis Stork
1972	Michael Burlak

WLRA-FM General Managers:

Academic Years	WLRA-FM General Manager
1973	Steve Partman '74
1974	Diane Drinka '75
1975	Joseph Vercelotti
1976	Robert Best
1977	James Boles '77
1978	John Mason '80
1979	Kate Dolan
1980	David O'Donnell
1981	Russell Tulacz '82
1982	Sandra Janicke Edward Vucinic
1983	Paul Yedwofski Martin Albert
1984	Segio Cerda James Duda '85
1985	Lauria Skala '86
1986	Thomas Hehir
1987	John J. Sonnefeldt II
1988	Stanley Wysocki
1989	Anthony Musiala
1990	Calvert N. Coleman Eric Wilson
1991	Christopher Thelan
1992	Kathy Holland
1993	Steven L. Jordan
1994	Renee Syzomonik
1995	Adam F. Schwake
1996	Candice Foiles
1997	Eugino Garcia
1998	Cindy M. Dardwin
1999	Gennin Bradley
2000	Mara Mishler
2001	Ryan Arnold
2002	Justin Greiner
2003	Patrick J. Brodnicki
2004	Peter J. Turano
2005	Carmen Madia
2006	Ryan Huff '06
2007	Justin Thomas '07
2008	Thomas Graham '08
2009	TBA

WLRA's Memberships

• NAB (National Assoication of Broadcasters)[19] member station
• ILBA (Illinois Broadcaster's Association)[20]
• BEA (Broadcast Education Association)[21]

External links

• Template:FMQ
• Template:FML
• WLRA in Nielsen Audio's FM station database