| City of license | Worcester, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Worcester area |
| Slogan | Your Radio Alternative |
| Frequency | 91.3 MHz |
| Format | Educational |
| ERP | 630 watts, Stereo |
| HAAT | 44.0 meters |
| Class | A |
| Facility ID | 74162 |
| Callsign meaning | Clark University Worcester |
| Owner | Wuw, Inc. |
| Website | wcuw.org |
WCUW (91.3 FM) is a community radio station licensed to Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. The station, which broadcasts at 91.3 FM, is owned by WCUW, Inc., a nonprofit organization. WCUW is managed by a professional staff, while all of its programs are hosted by community volunteers.[1]
WCUW began as a carrier-current AM station, on 640 kHz, some time before 1971. The studios were in the basement of Sanford Hall. This station could barely be heard on campus, let alone off of it; and it ceased broadcasting in May 1972. In the fall of 1972, an effort was begun to establish an FM station under the WCUW call letters.
WCUW, as a FM station, was started in a Clark University dorm room in 1973, sanctioned by the university but under a local organization, WUW, Inc., the predecessor to WCUW, Inc. The station quickly gained a national reputation for its eclectic programming, and by 1977, WCUW had a staff of nine employees and a budget of $130,000.[2]
In 1978, the station received a power increase and through federal funding, purchased a new transmitter, as well as studio and remote broadcasting equipment. Relations with the university began to deteriorate, and in 1980, the station left the campus for new facilities on Worcester's Main Street. The station struggled over the next decade and was forced to lay off staff, but still managed to buy its building and maintain operations with volunteer committees.[2]
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