WRGP
Encyclopedia
WRGP Radiate FM is the student run radio station of Florida International University
in Miami, FL. WRGP broadcasts on 88.1 MHz from a transmitter site in rural Miami-Dade County
at 17107 SW 248 St and rebroadcasts in the Miami metropolitan area on translator
stations W237CP, 95.3 MHz in Miami and W245BF, 96.9 MHz in North Miami.
Radiate FM maintains its studios and offices in the Graham Center building at the FIU University Park Campus in Miami.
station on 540 KHz with the call sign WUFI and a strong focus on alternative rock.
Between 1988 and 1999 WUFI was heard only on the University Park campus of FIU. In 1999 the station signed on to the FM dial at 88.1 MHz with the call sign WRGP and the branding ‘Radiate 88.’ Until 2001 the station aired mainstream pop and hip-hop before reverting to its underground roots.
In 2003 the branding was changed by management to ‘Radio Golden Panther’ then in 2005 it was changed to the current Radiate FM.
Due to power limitations mandated by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) WRGP was unable to provide effective coverage of the University Park campus or Miami area on 88.1 MHz. This was remedied in 2006 with the installation of an FM translator at University Park, relaying the signal from 88.1 MHz on 95.3 MHz. In 2008 the reach of the station was further expanded when another translator station on 96.9 MHz was installed at the Biscayne Bay Campus
of FIU in North Miami. With these three frequencies Radiate FM now effectively covers the entire Miami metropolitan area.
In March 2011, Radiate FM was certified a Top 25 college radio station by MTVu
, voted on by listeners.
, helping to establish chart rankings for up and coming artists.
The music for non-specialty day-parts is furnished by the Music Department at the behest of its director and his or her staff. As many as 90 unique artists and four times as many tracks make up the regular rotation of music played during non-specialty programming hours. This rotation of music is updated weekly and will often include older albums selected by the staff from the station archives for regular airplay. The format is designed to be flexible enough to allow DJs to pick their own music
and to fill listener requests whenever possible.
radio station Radiate FM airs public service announcements in lieu of commercial advertising and carries locally produced news updates provided by its in-house news department.
athletics with its own staff of announcers and analysts.
The station staff is made up entirely of FIU students. At any time, Radiate FM may have as many as 30 live DJs filling the day-parts in shifts that range from 1 to 3 hours of airtime.
A General Manager is voted upon yearly by the FIU Media Board, which is a committee made up of university staff and local media professionals. The GM is ultimately responsible for all station operations including staffing and budgetary matters.
The GM appoints and oversees an immediate staff of directors who administer the music, programming, training, promotions, news, sports and engineering departments.
Florida International University
Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
in Miami, FL. WRGP broadcasts on 88.1 MHz from a transmitter site in rural Miami-Dade County
Princeton, Florida
Princeton is a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,090 at the 2000 census.- History :...
at 17107 SW 248 St and rebroadcasts in the Miami metropolitan area on translator
Broadcast relay station
A broadcast relay station, relay transmitter, broadcast translator , rebroadcaster , or repeater is a broadcast transmitter which relays, repeats, or reflects the signal of another radio station or television station, usually to an area not covered by the signal of the originating station...
stations W237CP, 95.3 MHz in Miami and W245BF, 96.9 MHz in North Miami.
North Miami, Florida
North Miami is a suburban city located in northeast Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, about north of Miami. The city lies on Biscayne Bay and hosts the Biscayne Bay Campus of Florida International University, and the North Miami campus of Johnson & Wales University...
Radiate FM maintains its studios and offices in the Graham Center building at the FIU University Park Campus in Miami.
History
Radiate FM was established in 1988 as a carrier currentCarrier current
Carrier current is a method of low power AM radio transmission that uses the AC electrical system of a building to propagate a medium frequency, AM signal to a relatively small area, such as a building or a group of buildings...
station on 540 KHz with the call sign WUFI and a strong focus on alternative rock.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
Between 1988 and 1999 WUFI was heard only on the University Park campus of FIU. In 1999 the station signed on to the FM dial at 88.1 MHz with the call sign WRGP and the branding ‘Radiate 88.’ Until 2001 the station aired mainstream pop and hip-hop before reverting to its underground roots.
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
In 2003 the branding was changed by management to ‘Radio Golden Panther’ then in 2005 it was changed to the current Radiate FM.
Due to power limitations mandated 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...
(FCC) WRGP was unable to provide effective coverage of the University Park campus or Miami area on 88.1 MHz. This was remedied in 2006 with the installation of an FM translator at University Park, relaying the signal from 88.1 MHz on 95.3 MHz. In 2008 the reach of the station was further expanded when another translator station on 96.9 MHz was installed at the Biscayne Bay Campus
Biscayne Bay Campus
The Biscayne Bay Campus is a campus of Florida International University located in North Miami, Florida. It is 40 minutes away from the Modesto Madique campus...
of FIU in North Miami. With these three frequencies Radiate FM now effectively covers the entire Miami metropolitan area.
In March 2011, Radiate FM was certified a Top 25 college radio station by MTVu
MtvU
mtvU is a division of Viacom's MTV Networks which produces a 24-hour television channel that is available on more than 750 college and university campuses across the United States, as well as several digital cable packages...
, voted on by listeners.
Programming
Radiate FM's programming focuses on independent artists from across all genres of music. Dedicated exclusively to this format and style, commercial and mainstream music receive no airplay on Radiate FM. Radiate FM contributes weekly to the trade publication College Music JournalCollege Music Journal
College Music Journal, commonly known as CMJ, is a music events/publishing company which hosts an annual festival in New York City, the CMJ Music Marathon, as well as a weekly magazine of and for the music industry and college radio stations in the United States and Canada. It publishes top 30...
, helping to establish chart rankings for up and coming artists.
The music for non-specialty day-parts is furnished by the Music Department at the behest of its director and his or her staff. As many as 90 unique artists and four times as many tracks make up the regular rotation of music played during non-specialty programming hours. This rotation of music is updated weekly and will often include older albums selected by the staff from the station archives for regular airplay. The format is designed to be flexible enough to allow DJs to pick their own music
Freeform (radio format)
Freeform, or freeform radio, is a radio station programming format in which the disc jockey is given total control over what music to play, regardless of music genre or commercial interests. Freeform radio stands in contrast to most commercial radio stations, in which DJs have little or no...
and to fill listener requests whenever possible.
Specialty programming
Each night of the week is dedicated to a particular genre of music, produced entirely by specialty DJs who operate independently of the Music Department. These DJs furnish their own music for these programs and are not bound by the formatics of other day-parts.Community service
As a non-commercial educationalNon-commercial educational
The term non-commercial educational applies to a radio station or TV station that does not accept on air advertisements , as defined in the United States by the Federal Communications Commission . NCE stations do not pay broadcast license fees for their non-profit uses of the radio spectrum...
radio station Radiate FM airs public service announcements in lieu of commercial advertising and carries locally produced news updates provided by its in-house news department.
Sports
Radiate FM also carries extensive live coverage of FIU Golden PanthersFIU Golden Panthers
The FIU Panthers are the athletic teams of Florida International University , a public university located in Miami, Florida. The Panthers compete in NCAA Division I athletics, and are currently members of the Sun Belt Conference...
athletics with its own staff of announcers and analysts.
Structure
The content aired on Radiate FM is done so entirely at the discretion of the station staff. While licensed to the FIU Board of Trustees, funded by the Student Government Association and overseen by a media adviser, the radio station operates as an autonomous entity within the university.The station staff is made up entirely of FIU students. At any time, Radiate FM may have as many as 30 live DJs filling the day-parts in shifts that range from 1 to 3 hours of airtime.
A General Manager is voted upon yearly by the FIU Media Board, which is a committee made up of university staff and local media professionals. The GM is ultimately responsible for all station operations including staffing and budgetary matters.
The GM appoints and oversees an immediate staff of directors who administer the music, programming, training, promotions, news, sports and engineering departments.