WFTU (AM)

For the international organization for trade unions across the world, see World Federation of Trade Unions.
WFTU
City of license Riverhead, New York
Broadcast area eastern Long Island
Slogan Sound of Five Towns College
Frequency 1570 kHz
First air date August 8, 1963[1]
Format College
Power 1,000 watts (day)
500 watts (night)
Class B
Facility ID 18238
Transmitter coordinates 40°54′48.00″N 72°39′16.00″W / 40.9133333°N 72.6544444°W
Callsign meaning Five Towns University
Former callsigns WAPC (1963–1967)
WHRF (1967–1974)[2]
WRCN (1974–1982)
WRHD (1983 – Jan 1990)
WRHZ (Jan 1990 – Aug 1990)
WRHD (Aug 1990–1999)
WFOG (1999–2001)[3]
Owner Five Towns College
Webcast mms://radio.ftc.edu:1090/ Listen Live direct URL to copy/paste into media players
Website www.ftc.edu/student-life/wftu/

WFTU (1570 AM) is a college radio station on Long Island operated by Five Towns College in Dix Hills, New York. The station is broadcast from the campus in Dix Hills and is then transmitted from Riverhead, New York. The station also streams on the internet from its website.

Much of WFTU's programming is produced by current students and faculty of Five Towns College. The station is also operated by a student management staff under the guidance of the general manager, a staff professor.

In late 2006, the station began showcasing the student and staff musicians through a weekly impromptu performance outside the station or in the college's cafeteria. WFTU also occasionally broadcasts live music performances from the Dix Hills Center for the Performing Arts and the other performance venues on the college campus.

WFTU also has a program called "Theatre of the Air," where students re-enact the old days of radio through old radio dramas. The first of these events had so many on-line listeners, the station's server crashed.[4]

In late 2012, WFTU became home to That Other Metal Show. While serving as a tribute to That Metal Show, its mission is to spread the best in the world of hard rock and heavy metal and to also spread the word of new artist that may not have garnered as much public attention as others.[5]

History of 1570

WFTU began as Top 40 WAPC on August 8, 1963 to continue the signal of WPAC/1580 to the east. It would later become WHRF as "Wharf Radio" and then the A.M. side of WRCN-FM in 1974 as WRCN.[6]

Several notable air personalities emerged from WHRF, including Don Cannon (Dirty Don), who worked in the Philadelphia market for many years.

References

  1. ↑ 1969 Broadcasting Yearbook, page B-117
  2. ↑ 1968 Broadcasting Yearbook, page B-113. 1570 is now listed as WHRF.
  3. ↑ "Call Sign History". CDBS Public Access Database. FCC Media Bureau. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
  4. ↑ Snyder, Stephen (April 19, 2007). "Something special on the air...". Newsday. pp. combined ed. B section.
  5. ↑ "That Other Metal Show". Facebook page. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
  6. ↑ Long Island Radio History, A.M. stations.

External links