WCMU-FM

WCMU-FM is a radio station in the United States, broadcasting at FM 89.5 in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The station, owned by Central Michigan University, is a National Public Radio member station, airing a large amount of classical and jazz music along with a variety of other programming. The station call letters WCMU are also used to refer to the station network, CMU Public Radio.

Programming

CMU Public Radio offers a number of jazz and blues programs, including Nightside Jazz and Blues, Take Five, The Juke Joint and Destination Out. Locally produced weekend programs include Our Front Porch and Homespun. The station was MAB Public Station of the Year for 2002. Staff producers David Nicholas, Rick Westover, Jamie Lynn Gilbert, Sara Bingham and Eileen LaTarte have also won state awards.

Nightside Jazz and Blues is a locally produced Jazz and Blues show featuring music chosen and played by a live Radio DJ.

History

WCMU-FM was originally a 10-watt campus radio station at 90.1, signing on in April 6, 1964. During its early years the station broadcast a wide variety of programming aimed at the campus population of the university, including classical, popular music, and progressive rock. By 1969 the station was an affiliate of the National Educational Radio Network, which became NPR in 1970, and since then, the station has broadcast primarily classical and jazz music and news. WCMU-FM moved to 89.5 with 100,000 watts of power in the mid-1970s, and in 1978 began to add a series of rebroadcaster stations around central and northern Michigan, beginning with WCML-FM in Alpena.