WRMC
Encyclopedia
WRMC-FM is the full power, student-volunteer-run radio station
of Middlebury College
. WRMC broadcasts a variety of content types, including talk, news, and radio drama, although the vast majority of the schedule is music of all genres. Shows are produced largely by student DJ's, although staff, faculty, and other members of the college and town community contribute content on occasion. Most shows last from one to two hours and generally air once a week. Democracy Now airs weekdays at 17.00. WRMC airs a reduced schedule during the summer, which includes shows produced by each of Middlebury College's summer language schools, broadcast entirely in the language of that school. The station also produces an annual music festival, called Sepomana.
station on May 1, 1949 at 13.00 with the call sign
"WMCRS" (Middlebury College Radio Services). This original station was founded by John Bownker, an undergraduate member of the College's class of 1952. Originally broadcasting at 3 watts
from a chicken coop at 129 Adirondack View, the station played six hours daily of music and interviews on 750 AM. In 1950, WMCRS added the capability to broadcast play-by-play commentary of College hockey and basketball games. For a time, the station broadcast over the College's bell system into dorm rooms and fratertinity houses. In 1967, WMCRS expanded to 10 watts and began broadcasting at 91.7 FM. The following year the station first began 24-hour broadcasting, a first for any station in the Champlain Valley. In 1980, now at 91.1 MHz, the station increased its power to 100 watts.
Sepomana Music Festival was first held in 1998 thanks to a loophole in the Student Government Association's financing rules. The name was invented and has no additional significance. The first festival was MC'd by an Elvis impersonator and featured a live pig as a mascot. For several years, Sepomana was held in Coltrane Lounge in the Adirondack House, but was relocated to larger spaces in future years due to overwhelming demand.
WRMC boasts approximately 150 student DJ's during each semester. All members of the College are welcome to participate in the station's General Board meetings, which have historically met in the station lounge weekly at 17.00 on Mondays when school is in session. With the assistance of the General Board, the Executive Board is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the station. The Executive Board, which is composed of the General Manager, Program Director, Business Director, Special Productions Director, and two Music Directors, is elected annually. The General Manager serves as the Chief Operator of the station for the President and Trustees of the College, who hold the station's license with the FCC.
Alumni of the radio station include award-winning journalist Frank Sesno
, Vermont Governor
Jim Douglas
, writer Jeff Lindsay
, musician Anais Mitchell
, NYC Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe, and recording artist Jonathan Tristram.
, Yo La Tengo
, Animal Collective
, The Decemberists
, Ratatat
, Versus
, Mates of State
, Smog
, Tenacious D
, The National
, Clearlake
, Josh Ritter
, Future Islands
, the Death Set
, Tobacco
, the Bran Flakes
, the French Kicks, The Ruby Suns
, Menomena
, The Capstan Shafts
, The French Kicks, Enon
, The Books
, Dan Deacon
, Andrew Bird
, Regina Spektor
, Das Racist
, Palms Out Sounds, Marcus Price
, Boody B, and E-603 among others.
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...
of Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
. WRMC broadcasts a variety of content types, including talk, news, and radio drama, although the vast majority of the schedule is music of all genres. Shows are produced largely by student DJ's, although staff, faculty, and other members of the college and town community contribute content on occasion. Most shows last from one to two hours and generally air once a week. Democracy Now airs weekdays at 17.00. WRMC airs a reduced schedule during the summer, which includes shows produced by each of Middlebury College's summer language schools, broadcast entirely in the language of that school. The station also produces an annual music festival, called Sepomana.
History
WRMC debuted as an 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 May 1, 1949 at 13.00 with the call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
"WMCRS" (Middlebury College Radio Services). This original station was founded by John Bownker, an undergraduate member of the College's class of 1952. Originally broadcasting at 3 watts
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:...
from a chicken coop at 129 Adirondack View, the station played six hours daily of music and interviews on 750 AM. In 1950, WMCRS added the capability to broadcast play-by-play commentary of College hockey and basketball games. For a time, the station broadcast over the College's bell system into dorm rooms and fratertinity houses. In 1967, WMCRS expanded to 10 watts and began broadcasting at 91.7 FM. The following year the station first began 24-hour broadcasting, a first for any station in the Champlain Valley. In 1980, now at 91.1 MHz, the station increased its power to 100 watts.
Sepomana Music Festival was first held in 1998 thanks to a loophole in the Student Government Association's financing rules. The name was invented and has no additional significance. The first festival was MC'd by an Elvis impersonator and featured a live pig as a mascot. For several years, Sepomana was held in Coltrane Lounge in the Adirondack House, but was relocated to larger spaces in future years due to overwhelming demand.
Location
WRMC is located on the Middlebury College campus in Middlebury, VT - approximately midway between Burlington and Rutland on Route 7. The station's studios are upstairs in Proctor, the dining hall behind Mead Chapel. The transmitter is mounted on the side of the smokestack at the Service Building.WRMC boasts approximately 150 student DJ's during each semester. All members of the College are welcome to participate in the station's General Board meetings, which have historically met in the station lounge weekly at 17.00 on Mondays when school is in session. With the assistance of the General Board, the Executive Board is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the station. The Executive Board, which is composed of the General Manager, Program Director, Business Director, Special Productions Director, and two Music Directors, is elected annually. The General Manager serves as the Chief Operator of the station for the President and Trustees of the College, who hold the station's license with the FCC.
Alumni of the radio station include award-winning journalist Frank Sesno
Frank Sesno
Frank Sesno is an award-winning American journalist, former CNN correspondent, anchor and Washington bureau chief, and director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at The George Washington University. Sesno is also the creator and host of Planet Forward, a web-to-television show on PBS. Sesno...
, Vermont Governor
Governor of Vermont
The Governor of Vermont is the governor of the U.S. state of Vermont. The governor is elected in even numbered years by direct voting for a term of two years; Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold gubernatorial elections every two years, instead of every four...
Jim Douglas
Jim Douglas
James H. Douglas is an American politician from the U.S. state of Vermont. A Republican, he was elected the 80th Governor of Vermont in 2002 and was reelected three times with a majority of the vote...
, writer Jeff Lindsay
Jeff Lindsay
Jeffrey Dean Lindsay is a business consultant, author, apologist, chemical engineer and patent agent who received attention defending The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on his website and blog...
, musician Anais Mitchell
Anais Mitchell
Anaïs Mitchell is an American singer-songwriter.-Early life:Anaïs Mitchell grew up on a farm in Addison County, Vermont and attended Middlebury College. Her father is a novelist and a retired college professor....
, NYC Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe, and recording artist Jonathan Tristram.
Concerts
WRMC has brought a plethora of musical acts to the Middlebury campus over the years, including Rilo KileyRilo Kiley
Rilo Kiley was an American indie rock band based in Los Angeles. Formed in 1998, the band consisted of Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett, Pierre de Reeder, and Jason Boesel....
, Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...
, Animal Collective
Animal Collective
Animal Collective is an experimental psychedelic band originally from Baltimore, Maryland, currently based in New York City. Animal Collective consists of Avey Tare , Panda Bear , Deakin , and Geologist...
, The Decemberists
The Decemberists
The Decemberists are an indie folk rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States, fronted by singer/songwriter Colin Meloy. The other members of the band are Chris Funk , Jenny Conlee , Nate Query , and John Moen .The band's...
, Ratatat
Ratatat
Ratatat is a New York City electronic music duo consisting of Mike Stroud and producer Evan Mast .-History:Evan Mast and Mike Stroud first met as students at Skidmore College, but they did not work together until 2001, when they recorded several songs under the name "Cherry"...
, Versus
Versus (band)
Versus is an American indie rock band formed in 1990 by Richard Baluyut, Fontaine Toups and Edward Baluyut in New York City. Richard and Fontaine were to remain the two core members throughout the band's history. The band was noted for their marriage of indie pop songwriting and vocal harmonies to...
, Mates of State
Mates of State
Mates of State are an American indie pop duo, active since 1997. The group is composed of the husband-and-wife team of Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel .Over the course of the band's fourteen year career, they've released three EPs and six full-length, studio...
, Smog
Smog
Smog is a type of air pollution; the word "smog" is a portmanteau of smoke and fog. Modern smog is a type of air pollution derived from vehicular emission from internal combustion engines and industrial fumes that react in the atmosphere with sunlight to form secondary pollutants that also combine...
, Tenacious D
Tenacious D
Tenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...
, The National
The National (band)
The National is an indie rock band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1999 and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. The band's lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger, a baritone...
, Clearlake
Clearlake (band)
Clearlake are an indie rock band, based in Brighton, England. The members of the band are:*Jason Pegg *David 'Woody' Woodward *Toby May *Jim Briffett -History:...
, Josh Ritter
Josh Ritter
Josh Ritter is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and author who performs and records with The Royal City Band. Ritter is known for his distinctive Americana style and narrative lyrics. In 2006 he was named one of the "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" by Paste magazine.- Early life :Josh...
, Future Islands
Future Islands (Band)
Future Islands are a synthpop band based in Baltimore, Maryland. The band is composed of Gerrit Welmers , William Cashion , and Samuel T. Herring...
, the Death Set
The Death Set
The Death Set is an art punk music group formed in 2005 in Sydney, Australia. Six months after its inception the band moved to the East Coast of the United States, living in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Brooklyn respectively, where the band found an audience for its style of experimental, cross...
, Tobacco
Tobacco (musician)
Thomas Fec, better known by the alias Tobacco, is an American electronic musician. He is the frontman of the band Black Moth Super Rainbow, in addition to working as a solo artist; in both settings he works most conspicuously with pre-digital electronic instruments such as analog synthesizers and...
, the Bran Flakes
The Bran Flakes
The Bran Flakes are a sound collage pop group with members in the United States and Canada who specialize in creating music from pre-existing sources...
, the French Kicks, The Ruby Suns
The Ruby Suns
The Ruby Suns are an indie/pop group from New Zealand. They formed in 2004 when Californian Ryan McPhun moved to Auckland and started playing in several bands such as The Brunettes and The Tokey Tones.-Biography:...
, Menomena
Menomena
Menomena are an indie rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States; currently made up of Justin Harris, Danny Seim and more recently Joe Haege of 31Knots and Tu Fawning...
, The Capstan Shafts
The Capstan Shafts
The Capstan Shafts is the musical project of American lo-fi artist Dean Wells. He has been releasing material under the Capstan Shafts name since 1999, through various indie labels such as Yellow Mica, Asaurus and Abandoned Love Records...
, The French Kicks, Enon
Enon
Enon was an indie rock band founded by John Schmersal, Rick Lee and Steve Calhoon. Currently, Enon is situated in Philadelphia, though the band is known for being part of the New York music scene.-Biography:...
, The Books
The Books
The Books are an American duo, formed in New York City in 1999, consisting of guitarist and vocalist Nick Zammuto and cellist Paul de Jong. Their releases typically incorporate samples of obscure sounds and speech...
, Dan Deacon
Dan Deacon
Dan Deacon is an American composer and electronic musician based out of Baltimore, Maryland. Since 2003, Deacon has released eight albums under several different labels...
, Andrew Bird
Andrew Bird
Andrew Bird is an American musician, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.- Early life and the Bowl of Fire :...
, Regina Spektor
Regina Spektor
Regina Ilyinichna Spektor is a Russian American singer-songwriter and pianist. Her music is associated with the anti-folk scene centered in New York City's East Village.-Early life:...
, Das Racist
Das Racist
Das Racist is an alternative hip hop group based in Brooklyn, New York City, composed of MCs Himanshu Suri , and Victor Vazquez and hype man Ashok Kondabolu...
, Palms Out Sounds, Marcus Price
Marcus Price
Marcus Raymond Price is a former professional American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He played seven seasons for the San Diego Chargers , New Orleans Saints , and the Buffalo Bills .-References:...
, Boody B, and E-603 among others.