WRUF-FM
Encyclopedia
WRUF-FM is a radio station
broadcasting a country music
format. Licensed to Gainesville, Florida
, USA, the station serves the Gainesville/Ocala area. The station is currently owned by the University of Florida
. The station has been on the air since 1948.
Although the station is owned by a public university, the station, like AM sister WRUF, is operated as a commercial station in contrast to sister station WUFT-FM
.
WRUF-FM has been a country station since October, 2010. Prior to that, it was an album-oriented rock station since 1983. Prior to becoming "Rock 104" that year, the station played a Top 40 style hit radio format from 1981 to 1983. The hit radio format was adopted because another local FM station, had recently switched to playing hits on the FM with great success. The hit format had previously been played for many years on WRUF-AM, so technically, it was an easy switch, though many of the important powers at the University disfavored putting pop music on the FM. Prior to 1981, it played beautiful music
and classical music
under the moniker "Stereo 104," except for a Saturday-night disco
music program from 1979-1980 called "Studio 104."
On October 11, 2010, the University announced that WRUF-FM would switch to a country music
format in the near future. The "Rock 104" name and format will move to an internet-only station.
On October 15, 2010 WRUF-FM made the format change from rock to country, branded as "Country 103.7, The Gator".
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...
broadcasting a country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format. Licensed to Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, USA, the station serves the Gainesville/Ocala area. The station is currently owned by the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. The station has been on the air since 1948.
Although the station is owned by a public university, the station, like AM sister WRUF, is operated as a commercial station in contrast to sister station WUFT-FM
WUFT-FM
WUFT-FM 89.1 is an NPR member radio station owned by the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, broadcasting news from NPR.UF has been involved in broadcasting for almost nine decades. It owns WRUF , one of the oldest radio stations in the state, and sister television station WUFT-TV was...
.
WRUF-FM has been a country station since October, 2010. Prior to that, it was an album-oriented rock station since 1983. Prior to becoming "Rock 104" that year, the station played a Top 40 style hit radio format from 1981 to 1983. The hit radio format was adopted because another local FM station, had recently switched to playing hits on the FM with great success. The hit format had previously been played for many years on WRUF-AM, so technically, it was an easy switch, though many of the important powers at the University disfavored putting pop music on the FM. Prior to 1981, it played beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
and 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...
under the moniker "Stereo 104," except for a Saturday-night disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
music program from 1979-1980 called "Studio 104."
On October 11, 2010, the University announced that WRUF-FM would switch to a country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format in the near future. The "Rock 104" name and format will move to an internet-only station.
On October 15, 2010 WRUF-FM made the format change from rock to country, branded as "Country 103.7, The Gator".
Notable alumni
- Paul Castronovo, host of the syndicated morning radio program, ‘The Paul & Young Ron Show’, was a former Rock 104 disc jockey, as well as a graduate of the University of FloridaUniversity of FloridaThe University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. - ConservativeConservatismConservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
talk radio personality Andrew WilkowAndrew WilkowAndrew Wilkow is a conservative political talk radio host on the Sirius XM Patriot channel on SIRIUS channel 125 and XM channel 125. Until July 2006, Wilkow had been on WGY in Schenectady, New York, and WABC in New York City...
, host of an eponymous show on Sirius Satellite RadioSirius Satellite RadioSirius 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...
's "Sirius Patriot", is an alumnus of the station, having spent the latter half of his college - Rich FieldsRich FieldsRichard Wayne "Rich" Fields is an American broadcaster, spokesman, announcer and meteorologist, best known for being the announcer of the American version of The Price Is Right from 2004–2010....
, the former announcer for CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
's The Price Is RightThe Price Is RightThe Price Is Right is a television game show franchise originally produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, and created by Bob Stewart, and is currently produced and owned by FremantleMedia. The franchise centers on television game shows, but also includes merchandise such as video games, printed...
and Gameshow Marathon, was a former WRUF-FM afternoon drive disc-jockey and music director, as well as a graduate of the University of Florida. Rich Fields is also a recipient of the Red BarberRed BarberWalter Lanier "Red" Barber was an American sportscaster.Barber, nicknamed "The Ol' Redhead", was primarily identified with radio broadcasts of Major League Baseball, calling play-by-play across four decades with the Cincinnati Reds , Brooklyn Dodgers , and New York Yankees...
Award for Broadcasting Excellence.