WVBR
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| WVBR-FM | |
| City of license | Ithaca, New York |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Finger Lakes Region, New York |
| Slogan | "Real Rock Radio" |
| First air date | 1958 |
| Frequency | 93.5, 105.5 (MHz) |
| Format | Classic/Modern/Alternative rock (weekdays), Specialty shows (weekends) |
| ERP | 3,000 watts |
| Callsign meaning | Voice of the Big Red |
| Owner | Cornell Radio Guild, Inc. |
| Website | wvbr.com |
WVBR-FM is a radio station that broadcasts to Ithaca, New York, and surrounding areas. It operates at frequency 93.5 FM at 3 kilowatts from a transmitter on Hungerford Hill, in Ithaca. A translator on 105.5 FM provides a cleaner signal to certain areas of Ithaca. WVBR's current studios are located on Ithaca's East Hill.
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[edit] Organization
WVBR is unusual because it is operated and managed by Cornell University students, but is totally independent of the university. It supports itself by selling advertising, and receives no funding from the university; student staff members are unpaid. The station is owned by the Cornell Radio Guild, a nonprofit organization composed entirely of students who work at the station. It acts as a training ground for students interested in broadcasting, as well as a force in the Ithaca radio market. The station typically finishes in the top 3 of Ithaca's Arbitron Ratings in several demographics.
WVBR is also very involved in the Ithaca and Tompkins County community. The station features a "Community Calendar" segment twice daily, where non-profit organizations can send bulletins of their events to be read over the air during the morning and afternoon. WVBR also does remote broadcasts from a variety of locations in Ithaca, including from the Ithaca Farmer's Market and from local businesses around town. Much of the station's advertising time is filled with local advertisers as well.
[edit] History
WVBR's history goes back to 1935 when the Cornell Radio Guild was incorporated, as a Cornell student organization that produced radio programs that aired on WESG in Ithaca. In the early 1940s, the Guild started a network of its own low power AM "carrier-current" transmitters in the dormitories.
The FCC-licensed FM station first went on the air in 1958, though the WVBR call letters had already been in use for years on the Guild's AM "carrier-current" broadcasts, which could be received only on campus. The call letters originally stood for "Voice of the Big Red", referring to the Cornell Big Red athletic teams. But the station de-emphasized that connection over the years as it carved out an identity independent of the university, and as the university's sports broadcasts were generally carried by WHCU, a commercial station that Cornell owned for many years.
In its early years, WVBR-FM's musical programming was mainly classical whereas the AM side carried popular music. WVBR-FM switched to rock and popular music in the late 1960s and greatly expanded its audience, especially off campus. In the mid-1970s its format was progressive rock radio, similar to pioneering free-form rock stations like WNEW-FM in New York, WMMS in Cleveland or KSAN-FM in San Francisco. In later years the station's format evolved toward more tightly controlled, hit-oriented playlists, mirroring the larger trend in the industry.
The station's commercial success peaked in the early 1970s and early 1980s, but was undermined by several factors including: changes to the economy; New York State raising its drinking age to 21, a blow to the radio station's nightclub and bar advertisers; several new stations brought into the Ithaca market via translators and cable; and after deregulation of the radio industry resulted in most of its local competitors being taken over by a single chain owner.
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[edit] Weekday programming
The station's playlist during the week is comprised of a variety of rock music. During the day, the format is a mix of classic rock, modern rock, mainstream rock, and active rock. At night, starting at 7:00pm, WVBR features VBR After Dark, which features programming geared more towards college students. There is more of a focus on alternative rock and modern rock, but classic rock songs are played as well. VBR After Dark also features college-related giveaways and promotions.
Currently, WVBR features Jeff Mix every morning from 6am-10am and Peter Knight from 10am-3pm. Also unique, the station's afternoons and evenings feature a different DJ every day and night. All or most are students at Cornell University (although a few hail from other colleges around the area). The station also provides news and sports reports in the morning at 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, and 8:30, and also in the afternoon at 4:00, 5:00, and 6:00.
[edit] Weekend programming
Weekends on WVBR feature a large variety of specialty shows, the majority hosted by community members, including the following:
Saturday:
Crossroads (9am-12pm): Blues
Saturday Swing (12pm-2pm): Swing
The Ultimate 80s Show (2pm-5pm): '80s Top 40
Rockin' Remnants (5pm-8pm): Rock Oldies
Crossing Borders (8pm-10pm): World/Variety
Sunday:
Last Exit for the Lost (12am-6am): Heavy Metal
The Salt Creek Show (6am-10am): Country/Bluegrass
Nonesuch (10am-2:30pm): Folk Variety
Miles Ahead (2:30pm-4:30): Jazz
Vinyl Departure (4:30pm-6:30pm): Obscure Classic/Modern Rock
This Sunday (6:30pm-7:00pm): News Talk
Sports Round-Up (7:00pm-8:00pm): Sports Talk
Bound For Glory (8:00pm-11:00pm): Folk
Rock & Roll Extravaganza (11:00pm-12:00am): Freeform Rock
Sunday Night Stress Relief (12:00am-2:00am): Hip-Hop/Rap
Bound for Glory is said to be North America's longest-running radio folk music show. Hosted by Phil Shapiro since September 1967, this show usually features a live, three-set concert from Cul-de-Snac Cafe in Anabel Taylor Hall at Cornell University. The show features a different folk act every week, and has seen many well-known folk acts pass through over its illustrious history. Bound For Glory is sponsored in part by the Friends of Bound for Glory, Inc., an organization devoted entirely to improving the quality of this historic show.
[edit] Current station management
Given the fact that all station managers are students, this list changes yearly. Here is the Executive Committee for the 2006-2007 school year:
President/GM: Jordan Gremli
Vice President, Staff and Facilities: Jillian Shaughnessy
Vice President of Public Relations: Kara Capelli
Vice President, Training: Steve DeNero
Treasurer: Annetta Pietrczak
Corporate Secretary: Meg Ausen
Program Director: Dan Powers
News Director: Carly Schlamowitz
Sports Director: Kurt Hornsby
Promotions Director: Michelle Bitman
Sales Manager: Mike Estrich
Production Manager: Dan Cole
WVBR's management also includes a 12-member Board of Directors (13 members including the President/GM, who is a non-voting member). All members of the Board are elected to their positions by the Cornell Radio Guild and serve for two-year terms. Board of Directors members include station alumni, community members, and people in the broadcasting field.
[edit] Notable WVBR alumni
- See also: List of Cornell University people
- Bob Bellin - CEO of mp3player.com
- Steve Blatter - Senior VP of Music Programming for Sirius Satellite Radio
- Dr. Joyce Brothers - Media psychologist, columnist, personality
- Dave Browde - Correspondent, CBS News, Trustee, AFTRA Health & Retirement Funds
- Pam Coulter - Anchor/Reporter on ABC Radio
- Scott Davis - VP of Harmelin Media
- Larry Epstein - Assistant Dean of Drexel University College of Media, Arts, & Design
- Jessica Ettinger - Anchor on 1010 WINS-AM in New York, News Director, Howard 100 News, the Howard Stern Show at Sirius Satellite radio, voice talent female voice of the New York City subways
- John Ettinger - Vice President, Promotion, Mercury/Universal Music Group
- Vincent J. Gentile - New York City Council Member (D - Brooklyn, District 43)
- Andrew Gersh - Documentary film and video editor
- Bettina Gregory - ABC News Correspondent (retired)
- Matthew Kall - Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio
- Gary Kaye - Producer, CNN Newsstand
- Warren Kurtzman - VP of Coleman, a media research and consulting firm in the radio industry
- Ron Larussa - Director of Interactive Media at WGBH-TV Boston
- Dave Lebow - VP/GM of AOL Media Networks
- RB Lerch - VP for Original Programming at AT&T Broadband Northeast
- Pat Lyons - A staff editor at the New York Times
- Stephanie Mann - Correspondent for Voice of America
- Tom Marchitto - Senior engineer for ABC Radio network
- Steve Marx - Chairman and co-founder of The Center for Sales Strategy
- John Toohey-Morales - Chief meteorologist for NBC-51 in Miami, Florida
- Scott Musgrave - Senior VP of software for Arbitron
- Keith Olbermann - Host of "Countdown" on MSNBC
- Bill Pidto - Anchor/reporter on ESPN "SportsCenter"
- Tom Poleman - senior vice president of programming for Clear Channel
- Christopher Reeve - former actor
- Jamie Roth - News reporter for WFSB-TV in Hartford, Connecticut
- Peter Schacknow - News anchor at Bloomberg Radio
- Todd Schnitt - Tampa-based radio host for Clear Channel
- Bill Silberg - VP of The Commonwealth Fund; formerly senior VP at WebMD
- Mark Smith - White House correspondent for the Associated Press, president of White House Correspondent's Association
- Kate Snow - Good Morning America Weekend Anchor
- Whit Watson - Host for Sun Sports and FSN Florida; formerly anchor at ESPN and ESPNEWS
- Bob Maxon- Meteorologist, NBC30 West Hartford, CT
[edit] External links
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AM Stations: 820 | 870 | 920 | 1000 | 1160 | 1470
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