| City of license | Coral Gables, Florida |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Miami |
| Branding | The Voice of the University of Miami |
| Frequency | 90.5 MHz |
| First air date | 1967[1] |
| Format | Alternative |
| ERP | 1,300 watts |
| HAAT | 53.0 meters |
| Class | A |
| Facility ID | 74175 |
| Callsign meaning | Voice of the University of Miami[2] |
| Owner | Wvum, Inc. |
| Website | Official Website |
WVUM (90.5 FM) is a non-commercial college radio broadcasting an eclectic radio format with a focus on new and electronic music not played on commercial radio stations in the area. Licensed to Coral Gables, Florida, in the United States, the station serves the University of Miami and the surrounding Coral Gables and Miami communities. The station streams internet radio, with measured audiences in South America, Canada, and Europe.
The station is owned by Wvum, Inc., a corporation owned by an advisory board composed of faculty and students at the University of Miami. It is branded as "The Voice of the University of Miami."[3] Air talent and station management are University of Miami students. Most positions are volunteer but some management positions are paid.
WVUM is the flagship station of Miami Hurricanes sports, airing most events live with color commentary by the station's sports staff. In February 2011, WVUM's Sports Department was invited to be the broadcasters on The University of Miami's web stream broadcasts on hurricanesports.com. The station featured presence at many local Miami arts festivals, particularly at Art Basel Miami Beach and the Winter Music Conference Ultra Music Festival.
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WVUM is the noncommercial and fully student-run radio station broadcasting out of the University of Miami. Since its inception in 1967, as a pirate radio station hidden in the Mahoney dormitory, The “Voice” has evolved into a nationally recognized leader in college radio, broadcasting eclectic and singular music programming (with a slight electronic bent), public affairs/news content and excellent sports programs (reflective of the U’s athletic programs).
Licensed to Coral Gables, Florida, WVUM serves the University of Miami and the surrounding Miami communities. The radio station operates on 1,300 Kilowatts and has an approximate radius of 15 miles, as well as a stream of programming broadcast worldwide on wvum.org. A power increase currently in the works, and will expand the station’s reach.
The award-winning Voice offers an ever molding and expanding music selection, with rotation and specialty shows. Rotation shows feature the latest Heavy and Medium rotation albums selected by the music directors and music staff while specialty shows focus on a specific genre, style or concept.
The radio station also offers news, public affairs and sports programming. WVUM is the flagship station for Hurricane baseball, and cover women’s volleyball, basketball and Men’s football and basketball as well. The news department offers hourly newscasts, featured news, public service announcements and community outreach.
While WVUM has a corporate board and an advisory board consisting of staff advisors, the station is student-run and lead with the main decision-making entity: the Executive Board, which consists of 13 students. The WVUM staff focuses on diverse programming, community involvement and creative ways of engaging with the local art and music scene.
While WVUM has undergone many categorical “format” changes over its history, the long-standing tradition to bring the latest, most diverse and original programming in Miami is the guiding principle that transcends each new class of WVUM members.
Listeners of WVUM tend to be within the age range of 16 – 49 years old. The station’s online stream is well above the average for college radio stations, and receives hits internationally. Because of WVUM’s unique position in the Miami community as the only radio station playing innovative underground music, listeners are often very loyal to the station and its mission.
WVUM has thrown / sponsored many fun and well attended events over its history, most recently concerts for Javelin, Prefuse 73, Washed Out, Pictureplane (in collaboration with Nightdrive),The Walkmen (in collaboration with Free Yr Radio and Urban Outfitters), Nite Jewel and Tanlines (in collaboration with Nightdrive), as well as a bi-weekly showcase of Miami music talent on UM’s University center patio, dubbed WVUM Days Out.
WVUM’s has also worked and continues to work with many quality institutions in the Miami music and arts scene (and elsewhere), whether it is through promotion of quality local endeavors, collaboration, informal consulting, or just offering a forum for communication. Some of these organizations include but are not limited to: Ultra Music Festival, Sweat Records, MoMA’s WPS1 Art Radio (during Art Basel Miami Beach), The Electric Pickle, CMJ, Friends With You, Poplife / Grand Central, Nightdrive, FREEGUMS, Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), IamYourVillain, Miami Art Museum (MAM), The Fillmore (Live Nation), The Vagabond, OHWOW, The Overthrow, Roofless Records, SCOPE Art Fair, WSVA Radio (NYC), Bardot.
The station has been recognized by both the community and the press, as the Miami New Times’ Reader’s Choice as Best FM Radio Station (2010 / 2009) and Editor’s Choice Best FM Radio Station (2007 / 2006), as well as a slew of other titles for individual hosts and shows. Zoom Out has recognized WVUM as one of the top noncommercial streaming radio stations in the country, among heavyweights such as KEXP, WFMU, WNYU and others. In March 2011, the station was awarded the mtvU's Woodie Award for "Best College Radio Station" in the nation.
WVUM’s online presence continues to expand, with wvum.org hitting well over 1 million hits since it’s re-launch in 2009. The station’s Facebook page has over 5,100 fans, and its newly launched Twitter account continues to grow in followers.The Raw Beginning
In 1967, a group of engineering students in Mahoney Hall (a dormitory on campus) created an unlicensed transmitter and began operating an illegal radio station. Shortly after discovered by the FCC, it was requested that they discontinue broadcasting. In order to amend relations, the University of Miami decided to register the station and create what expanded to be WVUM 90.5fm.
So on February 1968, WVUM received its license to broadcast a 10-watt non-commercial, educational radio station (it was not even enough power to be heard all over the university campus!). The Station was located on the second floor of the Whitten University Center. The first call letters were WVOH (Voice of Hurricanes) and later changed to WBIS (IBIS) which was later changed to WVUM (Voice of the University of Miami).
At the time, the radio station was controlled by the Mahonney Residence Hall Association, Inc. In the Spring of 1977, Mahonney Residence Hall association, Inc changed its name to WVUM, Inc, the company that still runs today.
In 1972, WVUM went stereo and in 1978, the station completely renovated the studio facilities on the second floor of the Whitten student center. The station would remain there until a larger space downstairs was renovated in 1999 offering two studios and an office. Previously, this new space had been a Barber Shop (that went bankrupt in the later 60s, early 70s because of the Hippy movement) and a Bowling Alley motor room. In 2008, for the 40th year of WVUM, IKEA completely aesthetically renovated the office in the University Center.
The University of Miami is constructing a new university center, in which it will house a larger WVUM studio and office space (with the studios having all-glass walls facing the Osceola Lake!). These plans however, will be completed in 5–7 years.
More Power Please! In 1981, the FCC requested all 10-watt stations to increase to at least 100 watts. At that time, WVUM made the necessary arrangements to increase to 365 watts (moving on up!). In 1993, the station expanded to 1,300 watts, and currently there are talks to double the range of WVUM with a new transmitter that will include HD technology and a digital channel. In 2000, the station began broadcasting online on wvum.org.
In these past 41 years, there has been a variety of music and political movements as well as over 10 generations of WVUM staff members. From only broadcasting University of Miami events and news in the 1960s, to mostly community news programming and a top-40 radio format in the early 70's, to the underground programming revolution of the early 1980s (that focused on the unknown new wave, punk rock of the era), WVUM has had many styles. (At one point, the station's name was even changed in the mid 1990s to represent its grunge, underground style).
Though it is not know what the next phase may be for the station's radio format, the long-standing tradition to bring the latest, most diverse and original programming in Miami is the guiding principle that transcends each new class of WVUM members.
As of Spring 2011:
As of Spring 2011:
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