WUMB-FM

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WUMB
City of license Boston, Massachusetts
Broadcast area Greater Boston
Branding WUMB Radio
Slogan Boston's NPR Music Station
Frequency 91.9 MHz (also on HD Radio)
Repeaters (see table below)
First air date September 19, 1982 (1982-09-19)[1]
Format Adult album alternative
ERP 160 watts
HAAT 189 meters
Class A
Facility ID 66578
Transmitter coordinates 42°14′49.00″N 71°2′56.00″W / 42.2469444°N 71.0488889°W / 42.2469444; -71.0488889 (WUMB-FM)
Callsign meaning University of Massachusetts Boston
Affiliations NPR
American Public Media
Owner University of Massachusetts Boston
(University of Massachusetts Boston)
Webcast Listen Live
Website www.wumb.org

WUMB-FM (91.9 FM) in Boston, Massachusetts is the radio station of University of Massachusetts Boston. It broadcasts an Adult Alternative mix hosted by its staff weekdays. On weekends the station concentrates on traditional folk, Celtic, blues, afropop and world music including syndicated programs.[2][3] Overnight programming starting at midnight and usually through 5am is a repeat of a portion of the previous day's programming; an announcement of this fact is made at midnight. The station has received many awards for its folk music programming.[4]

WUMB's previous logo as "Folk Radio"

WUMB-FM operates as a noncommercial public radio-style station which carries some NPR programming. HD Radio technology allows WUMB to transmit a high-quality digital signal.[5] Due to the crowded state of the noncommercial end of the FM dial in New England, WUMB operates at a modest 160 watts, effectively limiting its coverage area to Boston itself and its innermost suburbs. To widen its signal, it operates a network of seven repeater stations across eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. WUMB-FM can also be heard on the Internet at both low bit rate for those with dial up connection and in stereo for those with broadband service.

Since 1998 WUMB sponsored a live music festival, called the Boston Folk Festival through 2009 but renamed to WUMB Music Fest in 2010 and 2011. The first festival was held at scattered sites in Boston's Back Bay. Since then it has taken place on the University of Massachusetts-Boston campus. The event's future is now in doubt, as the station cancelled the 2012 festival.[6]

Since 2011 the station has carried a portion of the Newport Folk Festival from NPR Music live on its website. In 2012 the coverage began on Saturday, July 28 and will conclude the next day. The audio of the festival is being carried on air and its usual on line audio streams replacing its usual programming. The website still has a page from the 2011 Festival which makes access confusing. The page for the 2012 festival with an embedded player and the schedule is at this url address.

Until 2013, WUMB broadcast with 660 watts, with a height above average terrain of 63 meters; after the station lost its then-transmitter site, the station moved to a new site and began broadcasting with its present 160-watt facility.

Mission statement

Quote from the station's website: WUMB Radio is dedicated to produce, acquire, and disseminate high quality, diverse and valued public service radio programming to significant audiences. The radio station is committed to serving as a local and national resource for the cultivation, promotion and preservation of various genres of folk music through its radio programming and selected enterprises.[7]

Repeater stations

In addition to the main station, WUMB is relayed by seven repeaters to widen its broadcast area.

Station Frequency City First air date Power ERP HAAT Class Facility ID Coordinates Call Sign Meaning Former Call Signs
WFPB1 1170 kHz Orleans April 10, 1970[1] 1,000 watts
(daytime only)
D 8591 41°46′48.0″N 70°0′36.0″W / 41.780000°N 70.010000°W / 41.780000; -70.010000 (WFPB) derived from WFPB-FM (see below) WVLC (1970–1980)
WKZE (1980–1983)
WVLC (1983–1985)
WKPE (1985–1998)
WBPR 91.9 MHz Worcester 1994[1] 370 watts 213 m (699 ft) A 69163 42°18′11″N 71°53′52″W / 42.30306°N 71.89778°W / 42.30306; -71.89778 (WBPR) Boston Public Radio
WFPB-FM 91.9 MHz Falmouth 1995 300 watts horizontal
6,000 watts vertical
76.1 m (250 ft) A 69057 41°36′50″N 70°35′56″W / 41.61389°N 70.59889°W / 41.61389; -70.59889 (WFPB-FM) Falmouth Public Broadcasting
WNEF 91.7 MHz Newburyport January 13, 2002[8] 1 watt horizontal
1,000 watts vertical
100 m (328 ft) A 93889 42°51′56″N 70°56′17″W / 42.86556°N 70.93806°W / 42.86556; -70.93806 (WNEF) We're New England's Folk[8]
WUMG2 91.7 MHz Stow August 10, 2010 500 watts 23.5 m (77 ft) A 122279 42°25′17″N 71°27′10″W / 42.42139°N 71.45278°W / 42.42139; -71.45278 (WUMG) disambiguation of WUMB
WUMT 91.7 MHz Marshfield November 2011 1,100 watts 25 m (82 ft) A 122278 42°4′38″N 70°42′21″W / 42.07722°N 70.70583°W / 42.07722; -70.70583 (WUMT) disambiguation of WUMB
WUMV 88.7 MHz Milford, New Hampshire July 11, 2012 670 watts 12 m (39 ft) A 174551 42°49′58″N 71°43′45″W / 42.83278°N 71.72917°W / 42.83278; -71.72917 (WUMV) disambiguation of WUMB

Notes:

  • 1. WFPB operated as a commercial station from 1970 until its donation to UMass Boston by GramCam Communications in 1998.[9]
  • 2. WUMG shares time with high school radio station WAVM in Maynard.

In addition to its primary repeaters, since 2007 WPNI (1430 AM) in Amherst has temporarily repeated WUMB by arrangement with WFCR while Pamal Broadcasting has sought a buyer for the station.[10] WHRB (95.3 FM) in Cambridge[11] and WLYN (1360 AM) in Lynn[12] have also offered temporary WUMB simulcasts in the past during transitions to either new studios or new ownership.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999 (PDF). 1999. pp. D–208–14. Retrieved January 16, 2012. 
  2. WUMB website history and overview page
  3. WUMB website program description page
  4. Contact Us
  5. HD radio page wumb.org
  6. WUMB Music Fest
  7. Mission Statement WUMB BRIEF HISTORY AND OVERVIEW WUMB website Retrieved July-13-2012.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Fybush, Scott (January 7, 2002). "Is WKNJ Gone For Good?". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved January 16, 2012. 
  9. Fybush, Scott (September 25, 1998). "WNFT, WNTN Sold". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved January 16, 2012. 
  10. "WUMB’s folk programs to be broadcast on WPNI". In the Loop (University of Massachusetts Amherst). April 5, 2007. Retrieved January 16, 2012. 
  11. Fybush, Scott D (August 17, 1994). "New England Radio Watcher: Etc.". rec.radio.broadcasting (Google Groups). Retrieved January 16, 2012. 
  12. Fybush, Scott (October 8, 2002). "North East RadioWatch". Retrieved January 16, 2012. 

External links


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