WMPH
Encyclopedia
WMPH is Delaware
's first high school radio
station, located in Wilmington
. The Brandywine School District Board of Education owns the license granted by the FCC
. The call letters WMPH stand for Mount Pleasant High and offered several program formats including Top 40, progressive rock, dance and now classic and alternative music. WMPH signed off the air on June 11, 2010 but has since been totally renovated and came back on-air at full power on June 3, 2011 in a classic/alternative rock, jazz and community based format.
WMPH began broadcasting with 1.52 watts effective radiated power from a tower atop the school. In 1975 the station increased its output to 28.2 watts ERP. WMPH reaches over a half million potential listeners in Wilmington Delaware and surrounding communities. Located at Mount Pleasant High School and part of the Brandywine School District, WMPH currently broadcasts at 100 watts ERP and serves as part of the Broadcast Learning Center of Mount Pleasant High School.
WMPH was known as "The Non-Commercial Rock Station" during its heyday in the 70's with a Top 40 and Progressive Rock format. The station was entirely operated by Mount Pleasant High School students many of whom went on to careers in the radio broadcasting industry. Original studios were in the basement of the high school. The station kept broadcasting hours before the school day with announcers such as "The Dutchman" Guy VanderLek and "Big Al" Ingalls. After the school day the station would sign back on at 3 PM with more student announcers including Joy VanderLek (who went on to be an air talent at Connecticut Radio Network), Bruce Weiner, Steve Streiker, David Mackenzie, Steve Balick, Leigh Jacobs, and Mike Schwartz (to name a very few). Well known Broadway actor John Dossett
was an announcer (1972–1976) while he attended Mount Pleasant.
The radio station was dark (off the air) from 1990-1993. The school district actually forfeited the FCC broadcast license and nearby West Chester University was trying to obtain it. Clint Dantinne gave a proposal to the superintendent to resurrect the defunct station. Had he not interceded at that time, WMPH would have been closed permanently. Under his management, WMPH returned to the air March 1, 1993. It was at this time he chose 'Super 91.7' as the new slogan. Clint Dantinne founded the Broadcast Learning Center incorporating radio, television, film club, recording studio, puppets, newspaper, and web team at Mount Pleasant High School. Dantinne remained the faculty manager until the end of the 2010 school year.
WMPH has always been located at Mount Pleasant High School (Wilmington, Delaware)
on the corner of Washington Street Extension and Marsh Road with the exception of the 1995-1996 school year. The entire building was renovated and the radio studios were temporarily moved to a trailer at the Claymont Education Center.
During the past 40 years, the station had been a training ground for many aspiring broadcasters. Alumni include WSTW
's Mike Rossi (inducted in the Mount Pleasant Hall of Fame under real name William Schwartz on October 28, 2011) and Clear Channel Radio executive Leigh Jacobs. Dave Mays, DJ for MTV
Spring Break and Sirius Satellite Radio
, first learned the trade at WMPH in the 90s. WMPH was also one of two non-commercial stations owned by school districts in the United States that programmed a continuous Dance music format, KNHC/Seattle, Washington
is the other. The new WMPH has switched formats to include a wider array of programming including classic/progressive rock, alternative, jazz, and various student/district related functions including interviews, sports, and band/choral concert events.
The 40th anniversary of WMPH was celebrated on October 23, 2009 at the Mount Pleasant Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The event, held every two years around homecoming weekend, was celebrated at the nearby Brandywine Hundred Fire Company. The Mount Pleasant Hall of Fame CLASS OF 2009 inductees were Arthur Colbourn, John Crum, Carol Hoffecker, Rodney Lambert, John Jancuska, and WMPH founders Jesse Morris and Bob Huber. Dr. Jesse Morris was introduced by student Haley Hirzel and then his wife. Bob Huber was introduced by student Todd Hartsock. Teacher Kelli Bradley presented the plaque to our final inductee of the evening. Student Alex Sprague then introduced WMPH manager Clint Dantinne who gave a multimedia presentation.
On June 11, 2010, WMPH went "silent" while a new manager was sought. During this transition period, the school district decided to refurbish the studios with a new look and brand new equipment. The broadcast operation returned nearly a year later on June 3, 2011. The new operation is under the direction and management of radio industry veteran Paul Lewis (Wishengrad) formerly of WJBR
and BSD Information Systems Director, Pat Bush. The studio is under final renovations and went back on-air on June 3, 2011 with a Classic/Alternative Rock, Jazz and district/community program formats. WMPH shares the 91.7 frequency locally with Drexel University's WKDU
to its north, West Chester University's WCUR
to its northwest, and WRTI
, Dover to its south.
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
's first high school radio
High school radio
High school radio within the United States is almost as old as radio broadcasting itself. Simply defined as a radio station, with its studios located at a high school and usually operated by its students with faculty supervision, stations fitting this description existed in the mid-1920s...
station, located in Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
. The Brandywine School District Board of Education owns the license granted by the FCC
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
. The call letters WMPH stand for Mount Pleasant High and offered several program formats including Top 40, progressive rock, dance and now classic and alternative music. WMPH signed off the air on June 11, 2010 but has since been totally renovated and came back on-air at full power on June 3, 2011 in a classic/alternative rock, jazz and community based format.
History
Jesse Morris, Class of 1968, was running for the Mount Pleasant Senior High School student council. On the Morris Ticket was the proposal for a student-run low power radio station. The radio station was initially proposed in May 1967 prior to the student council election. The student council election was held on May 20, 1967. Jesse Morris was elected Student Council President for the Class of 1968. On May 23, Robert Huber (also Class of 1968) was appointed radio station manager and project coordinator. The school administration were helpful and supportive of this ambitious project. On February 19, 1968, the Mount Pleasant Board of Education submitted the FCC application. The FCC issued a non-commercial FM low power educational radio station construction permit to the school board on October 15, 1968. This was the first permit of its kind to be granted for the State of Delaware. WMPH radio first signed on the air October 1, 1969. The faculty advisor was Ron Webster under the direction of school district administrator Jack Vinokur.WMPH began broadcasting with 1.52 watts effective radiated power from a tower atop the school. In 1975 the station increased its output to 28.2 watts ERP. WMPH reaches over a half million potential listeners in Wilmington Delaware and surrounding communities. Located at Mount Pleasant High School and part of the Brandywine School District, WMPH currently broadcasts at 100 watts ERP and serves as part of the Broadcast Learning Center of Mount Pleasant High School.
WMPH was known as "The Non-Commercial Rock Station" during its heyday in the 70's with a Top 40 and Progressive Rock format. The station was entirely operated by Mount Pleasant High School students many of whom went on to careers in the radio broadcasting industry. Original studios were in the basement of the high school. The station kept broadcasting hours before the school day with announcers such as "The Dutchman" Guy VanderLek and "Big Al" Ingalls. After the school day the station would sign back on at 3 PM with more student announcers including Joy VanderLek (who went on to be an air talent at Connecticut Radio Network), Bruce Weiner, Steve Streiker, David Mackenzie, Steve Balick, Leigh Jacobs, and Mike Schwartz (to name a very few). Well known Broadway actor John Dossett
John Dossett
John Dossett is an American actor and singer.-Early life and education:Dossett attended Mount Pleasant High School in Wilmington, Delaware from 1972 through 1976, where he was an announcer for the school's radio station, WMPH, and appeared in student theater productions.-Career:Dossett made his...
was an announcer (1972–1976) while he attended Mount Pleasant.
The radio station was dark (off the air) from 1990-1993. The school district actually forfeited the FCC broadcast license and nearby West Chester University was trying to obtain it. Clint Dantinne gave a proposal to the superintendent to resurrect the defunct station. Had he not interceded at that time, WMPH would have been closed permanently. Under his management, WMPH returned to the air March 1, 1993. It was at this time he chose 'Super 91.7' as the new slogan. Clint Dantinne founded the Broadcast Learning Center incorporating radio, television, film club, recording studio, puppets, newspaper, and web team at Mount Pleasant High School. Dantinne remained the faculty manager until the end of the 2010 school year.
WMPH has always been located at Mount Pleasant High School (Wilmington, Delaware)
Mount Pleasant High School (Wilmington, Delaware)
Mount Pleasant High School is a public secondary school located in Wilmington, Delaware. The current principal is James Simmons III. There were 908 students enrolled in the fall for the 2008-2009 school year...
on the corner of Washington Street Extension and Marsh Road with the exception of the 1995-1996 school year. The entire building was renovated and the radio studios were temporarily moved to a trailer at the Claymont Education Center.
During the past 40 years, the station had been a training ground for many aspiring broadcasters. Alumni include WSTW
WSTW
WSTW is a Pop Contemporary Hit Radio formatted radio station that broadcasts in the Wilmington, Delaware metropolitan area which is just south of Philadelphia. Although the station and transmitter are located in Wilmington, the signal is strong enough to provide city-grade coverage of most of...
's Mike Rossi (inducted in the Mount Pleasant Hall of Fame under real name William Schwartz on October 28, 2011) and Clear Channel Radio executive Leigh Jacobs. Dave Mays, DJ for MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
Spring Break and Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
, first learned the trade at WMPH in the 90s. WMPH was also one of two non-commercial stations owned by school districts in the United States that programmed a continuous Dance music format, KNHC/Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
is the other. The new WMPH has switched formats to include a wider array of programming including classic/progressive rock, alternative, jazz, and various student/district related functions including interviews, sports, and band/choral concert events.
The 40th anniversary of WMPH was celebrated on October 23, 2009 at the Mount Pleasant Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The event, held every two years around homecoming weekend, was celebrated at the nearby Brandywine Hundred Fire Company. The Mount Pleasant Hall of Fame CLASS OF 2009 inductees were Arthur Colbourn, John Crum, Carol Hoffecker, Rodney Lambert, John Jancuska, and WMPH founders Jesse Morris and Bob Huber. Dr. Jesse Morris was introduced by student Haley Hirzel and then his wife. Bob Huber was introduced by student Todd Hartsock. Teacher Kelli Bradley presented the plaque to our final inductee of the evening. Student Alex Sprague then introduced WMPH manager Clint Dantinne who gave a multimedia presentation.
On June 11, 2010, WMPH went "silent" while a new manager was sought. During this transition period, the school district decided to refurbish the studios with a new look and brand new equipment. The broadcast operation returned nearly a year later on June 3, 2011. The new operation is under the direction and management of radio industry veteran Paul Lewis (Wishengrad) formerly of WJBR
WJBR-FM
WJBR-FM is a Wilmington, Delaware-based Adult Contemporary music formatted radio station. Although the station is broadcast from Wilmington, the signal is strong enough to be a competitive station in the Philadelphia radio market as it is Philadelphia's only radio station to have a similar format...
and BSD Information Systems Director, Pat Bush. The studio is under final renovations and went back on-air on June 3, 2011 with a Classic/Alternative Rock, Jazz and district/community program formats. WMPH shares the 91.7 frequency locally with Drexel University's WKDU
WKDU
WKDU is an award winning non-commercial college radio station located in Philadelphia, USA, broadcasting on 91.7 FM. It is owned and operated by Drexel University students, with several Drexel alumni among its on-air staff. It is the only free-format non-commercial FM station in Philadelphia...
to its north, West Chester University's WCUR
WCUR
91.7 WCUR FM The Curve, also known as West Chester University Radio, is a college radio station that broadcasts in the Philadelphia area via a transmitter that covers a 5-mile radius around West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania. WCUR offers a wide variety of music, news, sports,...
to its northwest, and WRTI
WRTI
WRTI is a public radio station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is a service of Temple University.WRTI began in 1948 as an AM carrier current station. It was founded by John Roberts, professor emeritus of communications at Temple and long-time anchorman at WFIL-TV . He'd helped found the School...
, Dover to its south.
External links
- WMPH Super 91.7 Website
- Brandywine School District Website
- Mount Pleasant High School Website
- WMPH Historical Archive