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WOSU (AM)
Encyclopedia
WOSU
WOSU (820 AM
is a National Public Radio news and talk radio station
located in Columbus, Ohio
and serving the Columbus metro area. WOSU is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission
as a daytime and nighttime radio station, operating with a non-directional power of 5 kW during the day, and dropping to 790 watt
s at night, to protect clear channel WBAP in Fort Worth, Texas
. The current license holder is The Ohio State University.
WOSU is the oldest radio station in Columbus that is still currently broadcasting. WOSU's origins trace back to 1920 when Ohio State University was granted an experimental license on April 20, 1920. On June 3, 1922, the station received the call letters WEAO (Willing Energetic Athletic Ohio). In 1933
, the call letters were changed to WOSU.
Today, WOSU is primarily an NPR member station. However, it also broadcasts programs from American Public Media
and Public Radio International
. WOSU is also home to the Ohio State ice hockey
and women's basketball
broadcasts. On weekend evenings the station features 12 hours of bluegrass music on a program called The Bluegrass Ramble hosted by a group of three rotating announcers.
In addition to its sports and news coverage, the station also produced an award-winning talk show, Open Line with host Fred Andrle who retired in May 2009 after 25 years in radio. In September 2009 Andrle's program was rechristened "All Sides With Ann Fisher," hosted by a former Columbus Dispatch reporter and columnist with 20 years of journalism experience.
and converting it to a non-commercial classical music
station. In turn, WOSU-FM
dropped the remaining classical music from its schedule and became an NPR news/talk station simulcasting with WOSU-AM. However, the FM station will now be branded as the main station, under the moniker "89.7 FM NPR News." WWCD's existing format moved to 102.5 FM, and WOSU converted its four FM repeaters into repeaters of the new classical outlet to serve areas outside of Columbus not well served by the new 101.1 frequency. http://www.wosu.org/radio_announcement/
(1580 AM) via a lease agreement with owner Bernard, Ohio L.L.C. The transfer of the license and sale of the current WOSU-AM to St. Gabriel Radio Inc. was approved by the FCC on November 7, 2011.
WOSU-AM's sign-off is planned for Friday December 9, 2011 and will be off the air for close to several weeks. 820 AM will then change its call letters to WVSG
, on its sign-on date of Tuesday December 20, 2011 at 6pm local time and St. Gabriel will cease its broadcasts on WVKO; WOSU's current programming will continue on WOSU-FM
at 89.7 mHz
WOSU (820 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...
is a National Public Radio news and talk radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
located in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
and serving the Columbus metro area. WOSU is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission
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...
as a daytime and nighttime radio station, operating with a non-directional power of 5 kW during the day, and dropping to 790 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s at night, to protect clear channel WBAP in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. The current license holder is The Ohio State University.
WOSU is the oldest radio station in Columbus that is still currently broadcasting. WOSU's origins trace back to 1920 when Ohio State University was granted an experimental license on April 20, 1920. On June 3, 1922, the station received the call letters WEAO (Willing Energetic Athletic Ohio). In 1933
1933 in radio
The year 1933 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.-Events:*14 January – In Spain, radio station EAJ-24 Radio Córdoba begins transmission, its first broadcast coming from the Conservatorio Superior de Música in the city....
, the call letters were changed to WOSU.
Today, WOSU is primarily an NPR member station. However, it also broadcasts programs from American Public Media
American Public Media
American Public Media is the second largest producer of public radio programs in the United States of America after NPR. Its non-profit parent, American Public Media Group, also owns and operates radio stations in Minnesota, California, and Florida. Its station brands are Minnesota Public Radio,...
and Public Radio International
Public Radio International
Public Radio International is a Minneapolis-based American public radio organization, with locations in Boston, New York, London and Beijing. PRI's tagline is "Hear a different voice." PRI is a major public media content creator and also distributes programs from many sources...
. WOSU is also home to the Ohio State ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
and women's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
broadcasts. On weekend evenings the station features 12 hours of bluegrass music on a program called The Bluegrass Ramble hosted by a group of three rotating announcers.
In addition to its sports and news coverage, the station also produced an award-winning talk show, Open Line with host Fred Andrle who retired in May 2009 after 25 years in radio. In September 2009 Andrle's program was rechristened "All Sides With Ann Fisher," hosted by a former Columbus Dispatch reporter and columnist with 20 years of journalism experience.
2010 FM Format Change
On July 1, 2010, Ohio State announced it was buying commercial station WWCDWWCD
WWCD —currently branded CD101 @ 102.5—is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Baltimore, Ohio and serving the Columbus metro area....
and converting it to a non-commercial classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
station. In turn, WOSU-FM
WOSU-FM
WOSU-FM — branded 89.7fm NPR News — is a National Public Radio news and talk radio station licensed to Columbus, Ohio and serving the Columbus metro area. It is owned by Ohio State University. The station has multiple repeaters throughout the U.S...
dropped the remaining classical music from its schedule and became an NPR news/talk station simulcasting with WOSU-AM. However, the FM station will now be branded as the main station, under the moniker "89.7 FM NPR News." WWCD's existing format moved to 102.5 FM, and WOSU converted its four FM repeaters into repeaters of the new classical outlet to serve areas outside of Columbus not well served by the new 101.1 frequency. http://www.wosu.org/radio_announcement/
WOSU-AM sold to St. Gabriel Radio
According to its website, WOSU-AM was purchased by St. Gabriel Radio Inc on September 21, 2011. Since 2007,St. Gabriel Radio has been airing Catholic programming on WVKOWVKO (AM)
WVKO is an American AM radio station licensed to broadcast in Columbus, Ohio.WVKO changed from a progressive talk format to Catholic radio programming, provided by Columbus-based St. Gabriel Radio....
(1580 AM) via a lease agreement with owner Bernard, Ohio L.L.C. The transfer of the license and sale of the current WOSU-AM to St. Gabriel Radio Inc. was approved by the FCC on November 7, 2011.
WOSU-AM's sign-off is planned for Friday December 9, 2011 and will be off the air for close to several weeks. 820 AM will then change its call letters to WVSG
WVSG (AM)
WVSG "St.Gabriel Radio" is a planned non-commercial radio station which is scheduled to take the place of the current WOSU 820 kHz in Columbus, Ohio....
, on its sign-on date of Tuesday December 20, 2011 at 6pm local time and St. Gabriel will cease its broadcasts on WVKO; WOSU's current programming will continue on WOSU-FM
WOSU-FM
WOSU-FM — branded 89.7fm NPR News — is a National Public Radio news and talk radio station licensed to Columbus, Ohio and serving the Columbus metro area. It is owned by Ohio State University. The station has multiple repeaters throughout the U.S...
at 89.7 mHz