WUSF (FM)

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WUSF
WUSF (FM) logo.jpg
CityTampa, Florida
Broadcast areaTampa Bay area
Frequency89.7 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingWUSF News
Programming
FormatFM/HD1: Public radio
HD2: Classical music (WSMR simulcast)
AffiliationsAmerican Public Media
National Public Radio
Public Radio International
Ownership
OwnerUniversity of South Florida
WSMR
History
First air date
1963
Call sign meaning
W University of South Florida
Technical information
Facility ID69122
ClassC1
ERP72,000 watts
HAAT287 meters (942 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
27°50′53.00″N 82°15′48.00″W / 27.8480556°N 82.2633333°W / 27.8480556; -82.2633333
Translator(s)103.9 W280DW (Tampa, relays HD2)
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitewusf.org

WUSF (89.7 FM) is the flagship National Public Radio member station in the Tampa Bay area. It is licensed to Tampa and owned by the University of South Florida. WUSF signed on in 1963, seven years after USF's founding in 1956. It joined NPR in 1976 and was the first public radio station in the country—and the first station of any kind in Florida—to launch HD radio.[1]

WUSF's current format features news and talk programming during the day and jazz at night, and variety programming on weekends from NPR and other sources, including Wait Wait Don't Tell Me and Radio Lab. Its HD Radio feed features classical music from sister station WSMR.

In 2010, USF acquired Sarasota Christian radio station WSMR 89.1 MHz from Northwestern College of Roseville, Minnesota.[2] USF planned to change that station's format to classical music. It would inherit most of the classical music inventory of WUSF, which would switch to a format of NPR news and nighttime jazz programming. WSMR's current reception area is focused on the Sarasota-Bradenton area; however, the station's programming will be available online and on WUSF's HD subcarrier. WUSF's format was changed on September 15, 2010; WSMR's relaunch, also scheduled for that day,[3] was delayed due to technical issues.[4] WSMR's sale to USF also includes W280DW, a repeater of WSMR in Brandon that broadcasts on 103.9 MHz and serves Pasco and northern Hillsborough counties; the repeater will continue to repeat WSMR, with the new classical format.[5]

Two weeks after the failed launch of classical replacement WSMR, station management came under public scrutiny [6] for neglecting to perform due diligence regarding the purchase of the WSMR transmitter. According to a Bradenton Herald article:

Arthur Doak, an engineer for the FCC, said there was no record of WUSF or Northwestern College conducting an inspection on the tower but said stations are entitled to a review of tower sites.
“If the buyer wanted it done to protect themselves, certainly they could,” Doak said. “That’s between the buyer and the seller.”

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "L3Harris™ Fast. Forward".
  2. ^ WSMR: "Life 89.1 Going Off Air August 4th.", July 30, 2010.
  3. ^ St. Petersburg Times: "Tampa public radio station WUSF-FM to go all NPR and jazz Sept. 15, shifting classical music to Sarasota station", August 4, 2010.
  4. ^ WUSF: "WSMR On-Air Launch Delayed: WUSF Still to Switch Format", September 14, 2010.
  5. ^ WUSF First Choice: "WUSF Public Media is Making Exciting New Changes to its Radio Programming and Adding 103.9 FM to the Tampa Area!", August 27, 2010.
  6. ^ "WUSF works to figure out problems, broadcasting tower causing interference issues" September 30, 2010

External links[]

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