WMUA
Encyclopedia
WMUA is a student-run College radio station broadcasting a Variety
format. Licensed to Amherst, Massachusetts
, USA, the station serves the campus of the University of Massachusetts Amherst
and its signal is also received in southern New Hampshire
and western Worcester County, Massachusetts
. The station is currently owned by the University of Massachusetts
and has featured programming from AP Radio in the past, but no longer has an affiliation with the AP.
WMUA was established in 1949 originally as an AM
station. Though it is run by full-time, fee-paying undergraduates, other faculty, staff, assorted members of the community, and graduate students contribute to the station. WMUA is broadcast to the Connecticut River Valley, including western Massachusetts
, northern Connecticut
, and southern Vermont
. The station is federally-licensed (authorized by the FCC
) and non-commercial, and is under the supervision of the UMass Board of Trustees.
WMUA functions are based out of the UMass Amherst
campus, in Amherst, Massachusetts
. The studio is located in the basement of the Lincoln Campus Center building. The actual transmitter
and antenna
are located on Observatory Way, between the Orchard Hill & Sylvan Residential living areas. The station is a licensed "class A" broadcast facility.
In 2001, WMUA bought a new radio transmitter
to replace their original. The original transmitter, atop Dickinson Hall in Orchard Hill, is still in place and serves as a backup.
Radio in the College / University and Eclectic sections.
Variety (radio)
The term variety as a radio format is loosely defined as a format that plays music across numerous genera.Freeform variety is associated with a wide range of programming including talk, sports, and music from a wide spectrum. This format is usually found on smaller, non-commercial...
format. Licensed to Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
, USA, the station serves the campus of the University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
and its signal is also received in southern New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and western Worcester County, Massachusetts
Worcester County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:In 1990 Worcester County had a population of 709,705.As of the census of 2000, there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 496 people per square mile . There were 298,159 housing units at an average density...
. The station is currently owned by the University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
and has featured programming from AP Radio in the past, but no longer has an affiliation with the AP.
WMUA was established in 1949 originally as an AM
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
station. Though it is run by full-time, fee-paying undergraduates, other faculty, staff, assorted members of the community, and graduate students contribute to the station. WMUA is broadcast to the Connecticut River Valley, including western Massachusetts
Western Massachusetts
Western Massachusetts is a loosely defined geographical region of the U.S. state of Massachusetts which contains the Berkshires, the Pioneer Valley, and some or all of the Swift River Valley. The region is always considered to include Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties, and the...
, northern Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, and southern Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. The station is federally-licensed (authorized 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...
) and non-commercial, and is under the supervision of the UMass Board of Trustees.
WMUA functions are based out of the UMass Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
campus, in Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
. The studio is located in the basement of the Lincoln Campus Center building. The actual transmitter
Transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an electronic device which, with the aid of an antenna, produces radio waves. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating...
and antenna
Antenna (radio)
An antenna is an electrical device which converts electric currents into radio waves, and vice versa. It is usually used with a radio transmitter or radio receiver...
are located on Observatory Way, between the Orchard Hill & Sylvan Residential living areas. The station is a licensed "class A" broadcast facility.
In 2001, WMUA bought a new radio transmitter
Transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an electronic device which, with the aid of an antenna, produces radio waves. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating...
to replace their original. The original transmitter, atop Dickinson Hall in Orchard Hill, is still in place and serves as a backup.
Programming
WMUA's programming philosophy outlines the intent of the station to feature programming that is not typically found anywhere else on the dial. WMUA features a variety of programs that follow a "block" format. There are themed blocks daily, such as jazz, world, rock, and experimental music, but programs within these blocks vary from each other as well. There are also talk shows, sports updates, and two newscasts every weekday. WMUA broadcasts 24/7/365, and is available as a stream online from the home page of the WMUA website as well as on iTunesITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
Radio in the College / University and Eclectic sections.
See also
- WSYL A student-run station based out of the Sylvan Residential Area
- WUMLWUMLWUML is a non-commercial College radio station licensed to Lowell, Massachusetts, USA. The station is owned by University of Massachusetts Lowell.-History:Radio at UMass Lowell was started in 1952 by a student named Ed Bonacci...
at the University of Massachusetts LowellUniversity of Massachusetts LowellThe University of Massachusetts Lowell is a public university in Lowell, Massachusetts, and part of the University of Massachusetts system...