KWUR
Encyclopedia
KWUR is a College radio in St. Louis, Missouri
located at 90.3 MHz FM
. KWUR was founded on July 4, 1976 at Washington University in St. Louis
, and represents one of the last remaining independent and fully student managed radio station
in the United States.
Commercial-free programming, including rock, surf-rock, garage-rock, hip-hop, punk, metal, world, goth-industrial, classical, reggae, jazz, blues, electronica, talk, experimental, and Washington University sports, represent KWUR's freeform
format.
Although KWUR is only a class D FM station with a 10 watt
effective radiated power
(early in its history it billed itself as "the 10,000 milliwatt giant"), its location on the Washington University campus allows reception over the lively and focal Delmar Loop
. Additionally, live Internet audio streaming supports a dedicated student, national, and global following. KWUR receives funding and support from the Washington University Student Union, the institution's undergraduate student government. KWUR is notable for fostering the St. Louis music scene through its initiatives including "Stack Sessions", where local musicians are featured, as well as other community events, including St. Louis Open Streets.
AM
station, KFRH, serving the Forsyth Residence Halls at Washington University in St. Louis
in 1961. In 1968, freshman Beau Harris single-handedly broadcast for over 136 consecutive hours establishing a new collegiate record and helping to increase the station's budget. KFRH ceased broadcasting in the spring of 1974 while its staff worked toward establishing an FM station. On July 4, 1976, KWUR 90.3 FM began broadcasting at 10 watts on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. In 1991, in response to the lack of published music writing on campus, KWUR started producing a magazine titled Sample. Based at KWUR, Sample would become the outlet for record reviews and numerous interviews until its end in 1999.
In 1998, KWUR became one of the first college stations to offer a live online stream (at the time in RealAudio
format). The now defunct Nibblebox.com, who were once the central body of college radio, gave KWUR nine awards for best shows in their respective timeslots. In 2003, KWUR won the critic's choice from the Riverfront Times
for the Best Radio Station in St. Louis.
In 2001, KWUR began the latest of its periodic wattage upgrade campaigns, in the hopes of increasing its transmitting power to 100 watts. (Previous upgrade campaigns occurred in 1989 and 1995.) The outcome of this campaign was the same as before: despite approval from the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) and commissioned technical studies showing there would be no interference with adjacent stations, KWUR was unable to get approval from its closest neighbor, NPR
-affiliate KWMU
.
In 2005, KWUR began a complete renovation of its studio and technology.
In 2006, KWUR began official rebroadcasts of Free Speech Radio News
.
, and provide an array of free software
written in PHP
and Java
. Software includes an automated scheduling and show application management system, playlist tracker, single click live remote broadcasting, automatic archival of live and remote content, and a fully customizable audio automation system. As part of a larger KWUR initiative to encourage grass-roots and community radio, on 3 January 2007, KWUR released all of these tools via SourceForge.net
under the GNU General Public License
. In addition to its support software, KWUR utilizes Linux to consolidate hardware and cut costs via fully functional and anonymous diskless kiosks.
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
located at 90.3 MHz FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
. KWUR was founded on July 4, 1976 at Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
, and represents one of the last remaining independent and fully student managed radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
in the United States.
Commercial-free programming, including rock, surf-rock, garage-rock, hip-hop, punk, metal, world, goth-industrial, classical, reggae, jazz, blues, electronica, talk, experimental, and Washington University sports, represent KWUR's freeform
Freeform (radio format)
Freeform, or freeform radio, is a radio station programming format in which the disc jockey is given total control over what music to play, regardless of music genre or commercial interests. Freeform radio stands in contrast to most commercial radio stations, in which DJs have little or no...
format.
Although KWUR is only a class D FM station with a 10 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
(early in its history it billed itself as "the 10,000 milliwatt giant"), its location on the Washington University campus allows reception over the lively and focal Delmar Loop
Delmar Loop
The Delmar Loop is an entertainment, cultural and restaurant district in University City, Missouri and the ajoining western edge of St. Louis, Missouri. Most of its attractions are located in the streetcar suburb of University City, but the area is expanding eastward into the Skinker-Debaliviere...
. Additionally, live Internet audio streaming supports a dedicated student, national, and global following. KWUR receives funding and support from the Washington University Student Union, the institution's undergraduate student government. KWUR is notable for fostering the St. Louis music scene through its initiatives including "Stack Sessions", where local musicians are featured, as well as other community events, including St. Louis Open Streets.
History
Kwirroots go back to a small carrier currentCarrier current
Carrier current is a method of low power AM radio transmission that uses the AC electrical system of a building to propagate a medium frequency, AM signal to a relatively small area, such as a building or a group of buildings...
AM
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
station, KFRH, serving the Forsyth Residence Halls at Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
in 1961. In 1968, freshman Beau Harris single-handedly broadcast for over 136 consecutive hours establishing a new collegiate record and helping to increase the station's budget. KFRH ceased broadcasting in the spring of 1974 while its staff worked toward establishing an FM station. On July 4, 1976, KWUR 90.3 FM began broadcasting at 10 watts on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. In 1991, in response to the lack of published music writing on campus, KWUR started producing a magazine titled Sample. Based at KWUR, Sample would become the outlet for record reviews and numerous interviews until its end in 1999.
In 1998, KWUR became one of the first college stations to offer a live online stream (at the time in RealAudio
RealAudio
RealAudio is a proprietary audio format developed by RealNetworks and first released in April 1995. It uses a variety of audio codecs, ranging from low-bitrate formats that can be used over dialup modems, to high-fidelity formats for music. It can also be used as a streaming audio format, that is...
format). The now defunct Nibblebox.com, who were once the central body of college radio, gave KWUR nine awards for best shows in their respective timeslots. In 2003, KWUR won the critic's choice from the Riverfront Times
Riverfront Times
The Riverfront Times is a weekly newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri that consists of local politics, music, arts and dining news in the print edition and daily updates to blogs and photo galleries on its website...
for the Best Radio Station in St. Louis.
In 2001, KWUR began the latest of its periodic wattage upgrade campaigns, in the hopes of increasing its transmitting power to 100 watts. (Previous upgrade campaigns occurred in 1989 and 1995.) The outcome of this campaign was the same as before: despite approval from the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) and commissioned technical studies showing there would be no interference with adjacent stations, KWUR was unable to get approval from its closest neighbor, NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
-affiliate KWMU
KWMU
KWMU, is a radio station in St. Louis, Missouri. Known on-air as St. Louis Public Radio, it is a member of National Public Radio. The station is owned by and licensed to the University of Missouri–St. Louis.-About St. Louis Public Radio:St...
.
In 2005, KWUR began a complete renovation of its studio and technology.
In 2006, KWUR began official rebroadcasts of Free Speech Radio News
Free Speech Radio News
Free Speech Radio News is an independently produced half hour daily national and international radio news program focusing on peace and social justice issues in the US and around the world. FSRN is collectively run by its workers and reporters...
.
Computing
KWUR's internal systems run entirely on LinuxLinux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
, and provide an array of free software
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
written in PHP
PHP
PHP is a general-purpose server-side scripting language originally designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages. For this purpose, PHP code is embedded into the HTML source document and interpreted by a web server with a PHP processor module, which generates the web page document...
and Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
. Software includes an automated scheduling and show application management system, playlist tracker, single click live remote broadcasting, automatic archival of live and remote content, and a fully customizable audio automation system. As part of a larger KWUR initiative to encourage grass-roots and community radio, on 3 January 2007, KWUR released all of these tools via SourceForge.net
SourceForge.net
SourceForge is a web-based source code repository. It acts as a centralized location for software developers to control and manage open source software development. The website runs a version of SourceForge Enterprise Edition, forked from the last open-source version available...
under the GNU General Public License
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....
. In addition to its support software, KWUR utilizes Linux to consolidate hardware and cut costs via fully functional and anonymous diskless kiosks.