WFRD

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WFRD 99.3 FM is Dartmouth Broadcasting's student-run radio station known as "99 Rock." It plays a variety of rock music and is licensed as a commercial FM radio station, quite rare among university radio stations. It is a stereo FM station with 6000 watts of effective radiated power with offices located on the campus of Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH, USA.[1]

Contents 1 Music Format 2 Diversity Controversy 3 Unique Funding Status 4 Ownership and Control 5 Valuation

[edit] Music Format

Currently, 99 Rock - WFRD plays mainly modern rock music from the 1990s and 2000s.

[edit] Diversity Controversy

In 2003, a student editorial in The Dartmouth[2] wrote that 99 Rock's content and marketing may not be in accordance with the College's commitment to cultural and ethnic diversity. WFRD's broadcast region, in central Vermont and New Hampshire, is over 90% white, while the modern rock genre itself also reflects mainly white culture. This argument was refuted by the station management, declaring that adherence to cultural or musical diversity was "not its purpose."

Instead, management of WFRD suggested that students interested in free-form radio utilize WDCR-AM 1340, another college-owned station that broadcasts in monaural sound in the AM band.

[edit] Unique Funding Status

Dartmouth Broadcasting is entirely self-funded.[3] Revenues come from advertising commercials aired on WFRD, just as with most commercial FM radio stations. This is an unusual (perhaps unique) arrangement among universities and colleges. Most others use the more common Non-Commercial Educational FCC designation used by KUCI at University of California, Irvine, as well as dozens of similar alternative, free-form college radio stations in the USA.

[edit] Ownership and Control

The FCC license and assets of WFRD 99.3 FM are owned by the Trustees of Dartmouth College. However, day-to-day control of the station is entirely under student management.

[edit] Valuation

Although WFRD does not receive funds from Dartmouth College, it is a property of significant cash value. Since degregulation of FM radio ownership rules, the values of New England FM radio stations have climbed.[4] Rural New England FM stations can now be bought by large consolidated holding companies. This results in a cash value in the single-digit millions of dollars. In 2004, Nassau Broadcasting purchased 9 stations in WFRD's area for a reported $26 million.