WEGL 91 FM
Encyclopedia
WEGL is a Class A, non-commercial
, FM
, College radio station located on the campus of Auburn University
in Auburn, Alabama
. The radop station's programming is broadcast at 3,000 watts from a tower situated atop Auburn University's tallest building, Haley Center.
WEGL's broadcast listening area includes the Alabama
counties of Lee
, Chambers
, Macon
, Russell
, Tallapoosa
, and Muscogee County, Georgia
. WEGL streams its broadcasts over the internet through its website.
The bulk of funding for the operation of WEGL 91 is allocated by Auburn University's Student Government Association and comes directly from Auburn's students' Student Activity Fees.
WEGL's all-volunteer DJ staff includes various members of the Auburn University student, faculty, and staff populations.
.
On June 1, 1970, the Board of Trustees authorized then-University President Harry Philpott to submit an application, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a permit to construct and operate an FM radio station. The Student Government Association then funded the operation of the station.
On April 25, 1971, WEGL Radio signed on the air with 10 watts of power and began broadcasting at 91.1 megahertz (MHz), as assigned by the FCC. The first song broadcast was "Another Day
" by Paul McCartney
. The first WEGL studio was located in room 1239 of Haley Center. After one year of operation, a student committee submitted a proposal to the Auburn University Board of Student Communication requesting a power increase. With the support of the University’s President, WEGL’s effective radiated power (ERP) increased to 380 watts in 1975. In June 1977, the station began broadcasting in stereo. The last song broadcast in mono was Elton John
's Captain Fantastic and the first song broadcast in stereo was "You've Got A Cold" by 10CC
.
In 1988, the station upgraded its power to 3,000 watts and became a Class A Non-Commercial radio station. During the 1989-1990 school year, plans were finalized to move WEGL Radio from its home in the Haley Center to a new location in Foy Student Union. On October 8, 1990, then university president James E. Martin officially signed WEGL on for the first time from the Foy Student Union.
WEGL remained in Foy Student Union until the summer of 2008. WEGL made its final broadcast from that location at 5:00 PM on Friday, August 15, 2008. The final song broadcast from Foy Student Union was "A Little Bit" by Tim Fite
.
WEGL, along with all other campus media, relocated from Foy Student Union to the new Student Center during the first weeks of the fall 2008 semester. Broadcasting with live DJs and Internet streaming audio resumed shortly thereafter from the new location.
On April 25, 2009 WEGL, in association with the Committee of 19
, held its first live music event in over a decade. "WEGLfest" was held in the ballroom of the New Student Center and all proceeds from the event went to benefit Auburn's War on Hunger. Performers at the event included Magnolia Sons, Weak Music for Thomas, and Tony Brook. Incidentally, the event took place on the 38th anniversary of WEGL's first air-date.
, Hip-Hop, Pop
, Blues, Jazz, Country
& Bluegrass
, Soul
, Dance
& Techno
, R&B, Reggae
, World Music
, Oldies
, and Gospel
. In addition to music, WEGL also has a sports department.
WEGL reports its charts to the College Music Journal
.
Official websites
Non-commercial
Non-commercial refers to an activity or entity that does not in some sense involve commerce, at least relative to similar activities that do have a commercial objective or emphasis...
, 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"...
, College radio station located on the campus of Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
in Auburn, Alabama
Auburn, Alabama
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2010 population of 53,380. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area...
. The radop station's programming is broadcast at 3,000 watts from a tower situated atop Auburn University's tallest building, Haley Center.
WEGL's broadcast listening area includes the Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
counties of Lee
Lee County, Alabama
Lee County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is named in honor of Robert E. Lee, commanding general of the Confederate Army. As of 2010 the population was 140,247. It is part of the Auburn, Alabama Metropolitan Area. The county seat is Opelika, and the largest city is Auburn...
, Chambers
Chambers County, Alabama
Chambers County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Henry H. Chambers, who served as a United States Senator from Alabama. As of 2010 the population was 34,215. Its county seat is Lafayette...
, Macon
Macon County, Alabama
Macon County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Nathaniel Macon, a member of the United States Senate from North Carolina. Developed for cotton plantation agriculture in the nineteenth century, it is one of the counties in Alabama within the Black Belt of the South.As...
, Russell
Russell County, Alabama
Russell County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Colonel Gilbert C. Russell, who fought in the wars against the Creek Indians. As of 2010, the population was 52,947...
, Tallapoosa
Tallapoosa County, Alabama
Tallapoosa County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. The name Tallapoosa is of Creek origin, and many Indian villages were along the banks of the lower river before the 19th century. As of 2010, the population was 41,616...
, and Muscogee County, Georgia
Muscogee County, Georgia
Muscogee County is a county located on the central western border of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Columbus, Georgia-Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population was 186,291. The 2009 Census Estimate shows a population of 190,414...
. WEGL streams its broadcasts over the internet through its website.
The bulk of funding for the operation of WEGL 91 is allocated by Auburn University's Student Government Association and comes directly from Auburn's students' Student Activity Fees.
WEGL's all-volunteer DJ staff includes various members of the Auburn University student, faculty, and staff populations.
History
WEGL was not the first radio station at Auburn University. In 1922, WMAV began broadcasting from Broun Hall with a 1,500 watt homemade transmitter. It became part of the University’s Extension Service and received a new name, WAPI-AM (WAPI) (for the school’s name at the time: Alabama Polytechnic Institute.) WAPI was later moved to Birmingham, AlabamaBirmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
.
On June 1, 1970, the Board of Trustees authorized then-University President Harry Philpott to submit an application, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a permit to construct and operate an FM radio station. The Student Government Association then funded the operation of the station.
On April 25, 1971, WEGL Radio signed on the air with 10 watts of power and began broadcasting at 91.1 megahertz (MHz), as assigned by the FCC. The first song broadcast was "Another Day
Another Day (Paul McCartney song)
"Another Day" is a song recorded by Paul McCartney in New York in 1970, during the sessions for his album Ram. Although it was the first single of McCartney's solo career, "Another Day" was actually written and previewed during The Beatles' Let It Be Sessions in 1969. It was officially released on...
" by Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
. The first WEGL studio was located in room 1239 of Haley Center. After one year of operation, a student committee submitted a proposal to the Auburn University Board of Student Communication requesting a power increase. With the support of the University’s President, WEGL’s effective radiated power (ERP) increased to 380 watts in 1975. In June 1977, the station began broadcasting in stereo. The last song broadcast in mono was Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
's Captain Fantastic and the first song broadcast in stereo was "You've Got A Cold" by 10CC
10cc
10cc are an English art rock band who achieved their greatest commercial success in the 1970s. The band initially consisted of four musicians -- Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme -- who had written and recorded together for some three years, before assuming the "10cc" name...
.
In 1988, the station upgraded its power to 3,000 watts and became a Class A Non-Commercial radio station. During the 1989-1990 school year, plans were finalized to move WEGL Radio from its home in the Haley Center to a new location in Foy Student Union. On October 8, 1990, then university president James E. Martin officially signed WEGL on for the first time from the Foy Student Union.
WEGL remained in Foy Student Union until the summer of 2008. WEGL made its final broadcast from that location at 5:00 PM on Friday, August 15, 2008. The final song broadcast from Foy Student Union was "A Little Bit" by Tim Fite
Tim Fite
Tim Fite is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, living and working in Brooklyn. His past releases have run the gamut from indie to alternative to country to hip hop.-History:...
.
WEGL, along with all other campus media, relocated from Foy Student Union to the new Student Center during the first weeks of the fall 2008 semester. Broadcasting with live DJs and Internet streaming audio resumed shortly thereafter from the new location.
On April 25, 2009 WEGL, in association with the Committee of 19
Committee of 19
The Committee of 19 is a committee of students at Auburn University that direct the War on Hunger efforts on campus and in the local community. In 2004, Auburn University was chosen by the World Food Programme, an agency of the United Nations and the largest humanitarian organization in the world,...
, held its first live music event in over a decade. "WEGLfest" was held in the ballroom of the New Student Center and all proceeds from the event went to benefit Auburn's War on Hunger. Performers at the event included Magnolia Sons, Weak Music for Thomas, and Tony Brook. Incidentally, the event took place on the 38th anniversary of WEGL's first air-date.
Programming
WEGL 91 is a traditional "college radio" station in that the station's programming consists of an eclectic mix of genres including, but not limited to: RockRock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, Hip-Hop, Pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, Blues, Jazz, Country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
& Bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
, Soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, Dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
& Techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
, R&B, Reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, World Music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
, Oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
, and Gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
. In addition to music, WEGL also has a sports department.
WEGL reports its charts to the College Music Journal
College Music Journal
College Music Journal, commonly known as CMJ, is a music events/publishing company which hosts an annual festival in New York City, the CMJ Music Marathon, as well as a weekly magazine of and for the music industry and college radio stations in the United States and Canada. It publishes top 30...
.
External links
Official websites