WGMU Radio
Coordinates: 38°39′47.6″N 77°18′27″W / 38.663222°N 77.30750°W
| City of license | Fairfax, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Washington, D.C. |
| Slogan | "Music. Going Forward." |
| Format | Alternative Rock, College, Talk |
| Owner | George Mason University |
| Webcast | WGMU Webstream |
| Website | WGMU Online |
WGMU Radio is a college radio station located on the Fairfax campus of George Mason University in Virginia, USA. It broadcasts a range of music, sport, news and talk.
Location
Offices are in Student Union Building II, The HUB, and the studios and broadcasting facilities are located in the George W. Johnson Center.
History
WGMU has a history dating back to the 1980s and had an AM signal at one point.
Output
The station now broadcasts live 24/7. It features a wide range of programming, including local music, mainstream music, news, sports and talk programming. Interviews and in-studio sessions are done regularly with local bands. Due to its close proximity to Washington DC, political figures have appeared on the station.
WGMU streams on its website, on iTunes, on-campus television channel 16 and on RadioFlag through their iPhone/Android application and website.
Sport
Amongst its roles at the university, WGMU functions as the home station for the George Mason Patriots athletics team, who achieved international fame in the 2005-2006 season. The station broadcasts every home game for both the women's and men's teams as part of the Athletic Department's Go Mason Digital Network. Broadcasts begin 30 minutes before tip-off with Pride of the Patriots for the women's games and 45 minutes beforehand for the men's games with WGMU's own pre-game show.
Music
WGMU is also home to a wide variety of musical shows. In 2006, WGMU aired live call-ins with such artists such as Thomas Dolby, Necro, New Riders of the Purple Sage's Ronnie Penque, Giddle Partridge, and Deep Red. In 2007, WGMU invited Virginia-based artists and bands such as Dermaptera, guitarist Phil Venable (The Venables, Crankcase), ukelele player/singer Mike Ratel, guitarist Wes Howard, and Sansyou up for on air concerts. In 2010-2011 they interviewed notable people such as Jimmy Fallon, Russell Brand, Keith Morrison, Presidential Candidate and former Governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson and original MTV VJ and current Sirius XM Radio 80's on 8 host Nina Blackwood. In 2013, WGMU interviewed Workaholics actor Erik Griffin, former pop star Aaron Carter, musician Claude Von Stroke, Former Washington Redskins defensive end Renaldo Wynn and personalities from USA Network and WWE.
Gospel Hymns controversy
In 2007 WGMU became entangled in controversy when indie artist Caeser Pink & The Imperial Orgy claimed that their CD, Gospel Hymns For Agnostics & Atheists, was banned from airplay on the station. The group's label claimed that when they asked if the station was refusing to play the CD because it was too controversial, WGMU Radio music director Skyler Silliphant stated “I played the CD for the DJs and they said outright they wouldn’t play it on the air.” Later when questioned about the issue by Spinnaker Newspaper reporter Jenna Strom, Silliphant denied ever making the statement. To add to the controversy Strom wrote an article on the WGMU controversy claiming that the CD was "full of Jesus bashing and promoted drug use as a way to find happiness," deeming the CD "Downright sacrilegious." [1] Caeser Pink denied the allegations and published a letter to the editor stating his case.[2]
Management
Storm Paglia is the current General Manager, and the longtime faculty adviser is Professor Rodger Smith.
WGMU contributes to listings published by the media company CMJ.