WFCS
Encyclopedia
WFCS is a non-commercial
college radio station licensed to New Britain, Connecticut
, USA. The station is currently owned by Central Connecticut State University.
Programming is produced by students, faculty and staff of CCSU and the station has a diverse radio format
including alternative rock, urban, world, oldies, etc.
AM station. The college, originally the New Britain Normal School changed names to the Teacher's College of Connecticut in 1929. The original call letters of station were WTCC, a call-sign now held by the station of Springfield Technical Community College. The station's studios were located in East Hall. In 1959 TCC became Central Connecticut State College. The call letters were changed to WCCS. When the new campus Student Center opening in the early 1960s, the studios were relocated. The station was affiliated with the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS). In 1969 plans were started to move from AM to FM. Originally the WCCS call letters were requested. Local Hartford radio station WCCC thought this would cause too much confusion, so the call letters WFCS were assigned.
The station began broadcasting as WFCS on 90.1 FM with 10 watts in 1972 but had to vacate the frequency in 1980 due to FCC rule changes for low power non-commercial stations and to make room for Connecticut Public Radio which had increased its power from Middlefield. WFCS then moved to 97.9 and operated there for a decade until it was forced to move again due to its "secondary" status to make room for a new commercial radio station in Enfield, CT that was about to begin broadcasting on the same frequency. The WFCS application to move to its current dial position at 107.7 was prepared and filed by Carmine Iannace in 1987, while he was student at CCSU. Originally a move to the WTIC-TV tower in Farmington was proposed to dramatically increase the WFCS broadcast range, but it was rejected by FCC. Carmine was Program Director in addition to being Chief Engineer during his tenure at WFCS and was responsible, along with other station members at the time, for bringing the cutting edge, "new music" or alternative rock
to WFCS and the New Britain/Hartford radio market in the 1980s.
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...
college radio station licensed to New Britain, Connecticut
New Britain, Connecticut
New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately 9 miles southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 71,254....
, USA. The station is currently owned by Central Connecticut State University.
Programming is produced by students, faculty and staff of CCSU and the station has a diverse radio format
Radio format
A radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
including alternative rock, urban, world, oldies, etc.
History
This station began in the late 40s, as a 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 station. The college, originally the New Britain Normal School changed names to the Teacher's College of Connecticut in 1929. The original call letters of station were WTCC, a call-sign now held by the station of Springfield Technical Community College. The station's studios were located in East Hall. In 1959 TCC became Central Connecticut State College. The call letters were changed to WCCS. When the new campus Student Center opening in the early 1960s, the studios were relocated. The station was affiliated with the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS). In 1969 plans were started to move from AM to FM. Originally the WCCS call letters were requested. Local Hartford radio station WCCC thought this would cause too much confusion, so the call letters WFCS were assigned.
The station began broadcasting as WFCS on 90.1 FM with 10 watts in 1972 but had to vacate the frequency in 1980 due to FCC rule changes for low power non-commercial stations and to make room for Connecticut Public Radio which had increased its power from Middlefield. WFCS then moved to 97.9 and operated there for a decade until it was forced to move again due to its "secondary" status to make room for a new commercial radio station in Enfield, CT that was about to begin broadcasting on the same frequency. The WFCS application to move to its current dial position at 107.7 was prepared and filed by Carmine Iannace in 1987, while he was student at CCSU. Originally a move to the WTIC-TV tower in Farmington was proposed to dramatically increase the WFCS broadcast range, but it was rejected by FCC. Carmine was Program Director in addition to being Chief Engineer during his tenure at WFCS and was responsible, along with other station members at the time, for bringing the cutting edge, "new music" or alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
to WFCS and the New Britain/Hartford radio market in the 1980s.