WBRU is a commercial alternative rock radio station in Providence, Rhode Island that broadcasts on 95.5 FM. It was the first student-owned-and-operated campus radio station in the United States when it started as the Brown Network at Brown University in 1936. Its transmitter is located in Providence.

History

Beginnings

Founded by two freshmen at Brown, David Borst and George Abraham, the first broadcast of the Brown Network was transmitted on November 30, 1936, from Abraham’s room. He originally conceived of the idea as a way to share his record collection and serve as a personal disk jockey for his friends. By the next year, he had installed wires through the trees on campus, assigning students in various dormitories to act as “section managers” who would receive the signal on their receiver and transmit it to the rest of the building.

The New England Hurricane of 1938 destroyed most of the wires in the trees and Borst and Abraham were forced to move the wires into the steam tunnels beneath the campus. In February 1940, the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System was formed by 13 colleges, and it held its first meeting at Brown.

The '60s and '70s

In 1962, the Brown Broadcasting Service (BBS) was established as a separate entity from the University and in 1965, the BBS was donated a commercial FM license (WPFM) from The Outlet Company, a local department store chain and licensee of Providence stations WJAR 920 AM and WJAR-TV channel 10 (NBC). BBR was then split into two stations: WBRU-AM and WBRU-FM. WBRU-AM continued to broadcast locally as a carrier-current station (distributed through Brown's electrical system) and operated as the training station for WBRU-FM.

During the 1970s, WBRU-FM broadcast at 20,000 watts on 95.5 FM and established itself as the principal progressive rock (aka, album-oriented rock or AOR) station in Rhode Island and southern New England. Attempts to boost the signal to 50,000 watts with a transmitter on the Sciences Library failed because of the interference it caused to sensitive scientific equipment, but the station was making plans to move its transmitter to the WPRO-FM transmitter location and increase power to 50,000 watts. This could not be done until 2009 because public TV station WSBE-TV's analog TV antenna currently occupies the tower space where WBRU plans to put its broadcast antenna. WSBE is locating its digital antenna at the WJAR-TV antenna tower in Rehoboth, Massachusetts.

Switch to alternative format

In 1988, WBRU switched its format to modern rock and has remained in that format ever since, although leaning towards playing newer artists and artists of the indie rock genre.

WBRU was also frequently named one of the best radio stations in the country by numerous trade magazines such as Billboard and Rolling Stone (which named it best radio station in the country in a medium size market three years in a row, the only radio station ever to achieve that).

The station is part of the Providence music scene, and has been instrumental in introducing to the area alternative bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam and countless other important bands. It was among the first radio stations in the United States to play Ben Folds Five and Talking Heads. Kurt Cobain's last radio interview before his death was on WBRU.

Between April 17 and April 21, 2006, WBRU played their entire music catalog by title from A-Z, starting at 5:30 p.m. with "About a Girl" by Nirvana on the 17th and ending around 11:15 on the 21st with "Zombie" by The Cranberries. The songs ranged from new music (by such bands as Panic! at the Disco and Zox), 1980s and 1990s pop rarely played by the station (such as Right Said Fred's "I'm Too Sexy") and classic punk (i.e. Sex Pistols and New York Dolls).

On June 15, 2006, the station began streaming live online.

WBRU aired its first voicetracked break at 5:17 PM on November 15, 2010, during the Afternoon BRU with Corey and Cato.

World premieres

In 2006, WBRU was the first U.S. radio station to play "Supermassive Black Hole" by British band Muse and played the Beck single "Cellphone's Dead" before its release until Interscope Records filed a cease and desist order against the station.

In 2007, WBRU premiered the Smashing Pumpkins new single "Tarantula" only 15 minutes after KROQ-FM world premiered it, becoming only the second station in the country to play it and the first to play it twice when they played it a second time immediately afterwards.

In 2008, WBRU was the first station in the country to air "I Will Possess Your Heart" by Death Cab For Cutie, which it did at approximately 1:30 p.m. on March 18, 2008.

In 2009, WBRU was the first station to debut Say Anything's new single "Hate Everyone." The single premiered at approximately 3:30 p.m. on August 17, 2009. The band's lead singer Max Bemis also premiered the song "Crush'd," playing acoustic in studio.

Brown Student Radio (BSR)

In 1997, WBRU's carrier-current AM station split off and became Brown Student Radio (BSR)--broadcasting on WELH-FM (88.1), a license owned by The Wheeler School. BSR currently broadcasts continuously online, and from 9:00 p.m. until 3:00 a.m. on WELH. In 2003, BSR added a community radio element to its mission, incorporating community members as programmers and volunteers alongside students.

Governance

-owned building from which WBRU broadcasts and is headquarted]] WBRU-FM is one of the few college radio stations that operates on a commercial basis. It receives no funding from Brown University, while still being staffed by Brown students. There are several professional staff members who work with the students, but the station is jointly governed by a body called the Station Membership, which consists only of student members, and a Board of Directors, chiefly made up of station alumni along with the student General Manager.

Programming and formats

Today, WBRU is known for playing alternative rock, hip-hop and jazz music. Jazz is played during the early hours of weekday mornings with the exception of Tuesday mornings which is traditionally blues and Thursday mornings, when alternative hip hop was, for a time in late 2009, played in addition to jazz. The station's regular alternative format is played in place of jazz on Friday night/Saturday morning. Hip-hop, soul, gospel, funk, and other genres related is played all Sunday and branded as The 360 Black Experience. Reggae is played early Monday mornings. The rest of the time is devoted to alternative rock, with a strong leaning towards indie rock music, which is often not played by larger market alternative stations.

Buddy FM prank

On March 29, 2006, WBRU claimed to be sold to Initech (a reference to the 1999 film Office Space) and changed the format of the station from alternative rock to "Buddy FM" - a variety hits format similar to the Jack format that had emerged at stations around the country. WBRU "signed off" on 4:57PM March 31, 2008, cutting out 10 seconds before the end of what they proclaimed to the final song played by the station, Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by Green Day and was replaced by dead air until 5:02PM, switching to "Buddy FM" with "The Sign" by Ace of Base. The hoax was complete with telling radio sweepers done in-studio. Some examples included: "Buddy FM: hits of the '70s '80s '90s and today... and the 1940s... and the 1850s...", and mentions that the station was "fun for the whole family" after which the station played "Me So Horny" by 2 Live Crew. Local network television affiliates WJAR and WLNE reported that WBRU had been sold without gaining confirmation about the story.

It was later found out to be an April fools joke, and, as of noon on April 1, 2006, WBRU had "regained" control of their radio station and began playing their normal playlist once again. Later that day, they confirmed that they were back to being WBRU, and that Buddy FM was no longer functioning.

This is not the first time that this April fools joke had been pulled at the station, but it was the first time it had been taken to this extent. Previous April Fools Days featured similar pranks by WBRU DJs, announcing that the station would be switching formats, but the joke was usually only kept up for a couple of hours.

Radio schedule

The station runs several different features on the station. Some of them include

12 Cuts Above the Rest - 7:00PM, Fridays. The Top 12 songs on the station as voted by listeners

The List, 7:00PM, Monday through Thursday. A themed countdown of songs, such as Top 50 Warped Tour Bands or Top 95 One Hit Wonders.

The CD Scramble - 8:00AM. A contest to see if someone can identify a scrambled song.

Essential Albums 3:00PM, Monday through Thursday. An essential and important album to alternative rock.

Home BRU'd. Weekdays at 9:00PM. Features Six songs by bands from Rhode Island and the neighboring area. Formerly aired 12:00 AM, Monday through Wednesdays

The 95 Minute Retro Lunch. 12:00PM, Monday through Friday. Request hour of alternative rock of the 1980s and 1990s. Expanded to the five hour "Retro Brunch" on Saturday.

Exposure: 11:00PM Monday through Thursday. an hour of approximately 11-12 indie rock or electronica songs not currently on the WBRU playlist and personally selected by the DJ currently on shift. In early August 2010, this program was expanded from Wednesdays to Monday through Thursday and merged with the similar Nine O'Clock News program.

Timeline of notable events

1936 - First broadcast of the Brown Network

1940 - The newly-formed Intercollegiate Broadcasting System holds its first meeting at Brown

1948 - WJAR-FM signs on (May 10)

1950 - According to the 1950 Broadcasting Yearbook, WJAR-FM broadcasts at 20 kW

1950s- 95.5Mc. is home to WPFM, a classical music station

1962 - Brown Broadcasting Service (BBS) is established as a corporation independent from Brown University

1963 - The first BBS/WBRU constitution is written

1966 - Brown University buys WPFM & signs on WBRU (February 21)

1969 - WBRU is the first progressive rock station in the market

1971 - Attempts to broadcast at 50,000 watts failed due to interference with sensitive scientific equipment

1974 - WBRU is granted tax-exempt status

1975 - First paid professionals are hired

1976 - Station receives first Gold Record for airplay of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run."

1979 - WBRU moves its studio from Faunce House to 88 Benevolent Street, its current location

1981 - (October) Competitor WHJY signs on

1982 - Due to low ratings, WBRU abandons its free-form format and hires the consulting firm of Burkhart, Abrams, Michaels, Douglas to institute a tight playlist of approved songs that "test well" with the station's intended demographic.

1984 - Elvis Costello stops by with a box of records and plays DJ for an hour

1988 - WBRU adopts a modern-rock format, called "The Cutting Edge of Rock"

1992 - Student station members reverse a decision which would turn WBRU into an NPR affiliate

1993 - WBRU wins first place in the Rolling Stone Readers' Poll for best medium-sized market

1994 - WBRU wins first place again in the Rolling Stone Readers' Poll

1995 - (June) WDGE signs on and becomes a direct competitor with WBRU

1995 - WBRU wins first place again in the Rolling Stone Readers' Poll

1999 - WDGE officially signs off (due to WBRU's dominance in the market) and is replaced by WHKK

1999 - Station members vote unanimously against a joint sales agreement with Capstar Broadcasting Company

2000 - WFNX, a Boston station, extends into Providence to compete with WBRU

2002 - Competitor WKKB signs on in Middletown, RI

2004 - WFNX signs off in Providence

2004 - WKKB becomes a Spanish station

2006 - As a three-day April Fools' Day hoax, WBRU pretends to be bought-out by "Initech" who change the station's format to "Buddy FM"

2006 - On June 15, WBRU begins to stream live on the web

2006 - The station plays its entire catalog from A-Z

2007 - As its annual April Fools' Joke, the station was stuck in a time warp - 1995; and all music played was recorded before the date.

2008 - Station plays its entire catalog from A-Z again.

2008 - Red Sox games air live on WBRU when WEEI broadcasts Boston Celtics playoff games instead

Concert Promotion

WBRU Annual Rock Hunt

Every year, the radio station holds a battle of the bands, the WBRU Annual Rock Hunt, which begin around 1980 and was held every year until 1998, and was revived in 2001.

Past Winners of the WBRU Annual Rock Hunt

1980: The DC Tenz

1981: The Mundanes (featuring band member John Linnell, later of They Might Be Giants)

1982: The Schemers

1983: Critical Few

1984: no competition

1985: MX 1986: The Dames (featuring band member Gail Greenwood, later of Belly and L7)

1987: Coat of Arms

1988: That'll Learn Ya

1989: Bop Harvey

1990: Jungle Dogs

1991: Superbug

1992: The Phobics

1993: Angry Salad

1994: John Monopoly

1995: Blairs Carriage

1996: unknown

1997: unknown

1998: The L.U.V.'s

1999: no competition

2000: no competition

2001: M-80 (band)

2002: Monty Are I

2003: Zox

2004: The Lingo

2005: Sasquatch & The Sick-A-Billys

2006: The Sleazies

2007: Triangle Forest

2008: It Was The Best Of Times

2009: Fairhaven

2010: The Wandas

2011: VulGarrity

WBRU Summer Concert Series

Every summer the station puts on the WBRU concert series. The shows usually feature a popular band and a few local acts opening up. Initially, there were about 10 shows per year which were free to the public and paid for by sponsor booths, but in recent years the station has started charging for these concerts and has reduced the number of shows to 3 per year. In 2010, the station resumed free single artist Summer Concert Series concerts in addition to the multiple band for-pay concerts. Past concert series include:

1996: The Cardigans

1997: Our Lady Peace; Echo & the Bunnymen; The Seahorses

1998: Candlebox and Fastball; Soul Asylum; Save Ferris; Gruvis Malt; Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

1999: Silverchair and Dovetail; The Flys and Fountains of Wayne; The Verve Pipe; Sponge; Beth Orton; Fuel and Vertical Horizon

2000: Guster; Eve 6 and SR-71; Vertical Horizon and 3 Doors Down; Catherine Wheel, Wheatus and Amazing Crowns; The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Sum 41; Everclear; Silverchair

2001: Better Than Ezra; Rustic Overtones and Bob's Day Off; Stroke 9

2002: New Found Glory and Goldfinger; Better Than Ezra and Maroon 5; Pete Yorn and Sense Field (moved indoors to Lupo's due to rain); Trik Turner; Ash and Unwritten Law (moved indoors to Lupo's due to rain); Doves

2003: Guster and ZOX; Third Eye Blind and Hot Hot Heat; Brand New and M-80

2004: Lit, Local H and Finger Eleven; New Found Glory, The Living End and The Lingo; Lostprophets, Midtown and Monty's Fan Club

2005: The Bravery and Hot Hot Heat; Finch, ZOX and the Rx Bandits; My Chemical Romance, Alkaline Trio, and Monty Are I

2006: Guster and Blizzard of '78; Hawthorne Heights and Yellowcard; Dropkick Murphys, Madball and The Sleazies

2007: Plain White T's, The Academy Is... and Arcadia Landing; The Bravery, Shiny Toy Guns and Triangle Forest; Guster and Hello Mahalo

2008: Death Cab for Cutie and Amanda Palmer; ZOX, Badfish, Someday Providence, Hello Mahalo and Scotty Don't; Paramore, Jack's Mannequin, Phantom Planet and Paper Route; Ben Folds and Missy Higgins

2009: Third Eye Blind and Wild Light; The Airborne Toxic Event, Metric, Cage the Elephant and The Nightwatchman; The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Ida Maria and Catch-22 2010: AFI, Violent Soho and New Politics; Fanfarlo; Civil Twilight; Sit Down Baby; Fairhaven; Constellations; Santa Mamba; The Wandas (canceled); Sarah Potenza and the Tall Boys; OK Go; Coheed and Cambria, The Dear Hunter and Manchester Orchestra 2011: Santa Mamba, Young the Giant, Deer Tick, Sleeper Agent, Viva Brother, VulGarity, The Wandas

WBRU Birthday Bash

The station also has their Birthday Bash concerts in November to celebrate the station's anniversary. In 2007, the Birthday Bash was split from one concert to multiple concerts throughout November. Previously, the only time it was split was in 2001 where two concerts were held. Past Birthday bashes include :

1994: Stabbing Westward, Hole, Weezer and Sheryl Crow

1995: Lisa Loeb, Ben Folds Five and Everclear

1996: Superdrag, Republica, Soul Coughing, Local H, Luscious Jackson, G. Love and Special Sauce, The Lemonheads, Goldfinger and Fun Lovin' Criminals

1997: Letters to Cleo, Ben Folds Five, Catherine Wheel, Everclear, Sneaker Pimps, Days of the New, Blink-182 and Ben Harper

1998: Placebo, Cracker, Local H, Everlast, Marcy Playground, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Godsmack and Eels

1999: G. Love and Special Sauce, Vertical Horizon, Guster, Primus, Our Lady Peace, Foo Fighters, Run-DMC, Staind, Kid Rock, Tori Amos and Marcy Playground

2000: Orgy, Disturbed, Dexter Freebish, VAST, Linkin Park and Collective Soul

2001: Tantric, 311, Adema and Lit; Coldplay, Remy Zero and Delta Clutch

2002: SR-71, Ash, Ok Go and Box Car Racer

2003: The Crystal Method, Rancid, Something Corporate, Yellowcard, Brand New, Kill Hannah, Story of the Year and Three Days Grace

2004: Skindred, Papa Roach, The Used, Taking Back Sunday, Lit, Coheed and Cambria, M-80 and Presidents of the United States of America

2005: Zox, Story of the Year, 30 Seconds to Mars, Morningwood and Sasquatch and the Sick-a-Billys

2006: My Chemical Romance and Say Anything

2007: Avenged Sevenfold and Operator; Papa Roach and 10 Years; Against Me! and Sage Francis; Silversun Pickups, Triangle Forest and Steel Train; Cake and Detroit Cobras

2008: Shiny Toy Guns; Girl Talk and Senior Discount; Mindless Self Indulgence and Leathermouth

2009: Passion Pit; Monty Are I; AFI and Gallows; Silversun Pickups and Cage the Elephant 2010: Guster and Jukebox the Ghost; The Wandas; Neutral Nation; Motion City Soundtrack, Say Anything and Saves the Day; Matt & Kim and Javelin

News department

WBRU has a full news department, with sports news and entertainment news divisions. For 2007 they won the Massachusetts/Rhode Island Associated Press awards in the college division for Best Web Site, Best Investigative Reporting, Best Breaking News, Best Feature Reporting, Best Continuing Coverage, Best Sports Program, and Best Use of Sound, and the award for News Station of the Year.

Notable alumni

WBRU staff members have gone on to excel in a variety of areas. They include:

Christiane Amanpour, CNN Foreign Correspondent

Ralph Begleiter, former CNN correspondent and Distinguished Journalist in Residence, University of Delaware

Chris Berman, anchor, ESPN and ABC Sports

Lisa Birnbach, author

Monica Brady-Myerov, radio news reporter WBUR

Karyn Bryant, former MTV VJ, television personality, actress

Andy Fisher, president of Cox Television

Ben Harvey, TV and radio host, Here! (TV network) and formerly WXRK, New York city

Stephen Hill, executive VP of programming at BET

Tom Hunter, former president, MTV, Latin America

George Hyde, RAB Executive Vice President

Nancy Josephson, Co-President of International Creative Management

Jonathan Klein, president, CNN/U.S.

Josh Klemme, Vice President, Tenth Street Entertainment, Manager: Steven Tyler, Buckcherry, Blondie, Papa Roach, Jet, Drowning Pool, Cold, Crossfade

Bill Lichtenstein, journalist, filmmaker and president, Lichtenstein Creative Media

Doug Mayer, producer, Car Talk on NPR

Aaron Schatz, ESPN.com NFL analyst and founder of Football Outsiders

Jane Spencer, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Wall Street Journal

Alison Stewart, daytime anchor for MSNBC

Rob Tannenbaum, music editor of Blender magazine and creator of What I Like About Jew

Peter Tannenwald, attorney

Matt Wald, reporter, New York Times

Ben Weiser, reporter, New York Times

Manuel "The Wizard" Diaz, Jr., DJ, KCRH 89.9 and 106.9 FREE FM

Dick Wingate, former SVP A&R; PolyGram Records, SVP Marketing Arista Records, SVP Content & Programming Liquid Audio, Chief Content Officer, Nellymoser, Inc.

Notes

# Mitchell, Martha. (2003). "WBRU." Encyclopedia Brunoniana. # Schwartzapfel, Beth. (January/February 2006). "Radio Heads." Brown Alumni Magazine.

References

External links

WBRU official website

WBRU Alumni of the 1960s

Buddy FM audio--April fools prank

List of F.M. stations in the U.S. in 1950

List of F.M. stations in the U.S. in the summer of 1958

Category:Brown University organizations BRU Category:Modern rock radio stations in the United States