WORT
Encyclopedia
WORT is a listener-sponsored community radio
station, broadcasting from 118 S. Bedford St. in Madison, Wisconsin
, USA
. WORT offers a range of programming.
WORT's FM signal reaches a roughly 50-mile radius around Madison. In early 2006, the station began webcasting all of its programming in both high quality (96K) and low quality (32K) streams. WORT also maintains an archive of recent news and public affairs programs available for podcast, download, or stream.
WORT broadcasts a mix of music and talk programming. All of WORT's music programs are produced by local DJs. WORT airs 33 hours of news and public affairs programming per week, 21.5 of which are locally produced. All of the programmers at the station are volunteers from the community, including DJs, hosts, producers, reporters, and engineers.
The weekend music lineup includes a range of genres. Saturday's programming is divided into two-hour shows, beginning with traditional Mexican music at 6am. At 8:00, WORT airs classic R&B, then vintage jazz and swing, reggae, music from all around Africa, salsa and Latin jazz, rock 'n' roll oldies, blues, and finally hip-hop all night.
Sunday's music has more variety, including medieval and renaissance music in the morning, womyn's music in the early afternoon, followed by show tunes, world music in late afternoon, kids' music at 6:30, then gospel, electronic, experimental, and avant garde music through the night.
Volunteers provide most of the on-air programming. In addition, many volunteers contribute to myriad off-air operations.
Radio host Michael Feldman
became a volunteer in 1977, broadcasting "The Breakfast Special" from a diner
on Madison's east side every morning for several years before joining Wisconsin Public Radio
.
and the Grassroots Radio Coalition
. The station hosted the GRC-5 Conference in 2000 and GRC-11 in 2006.
WORT is an affiliate of the Pacifica
network, the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters
(AMARC), and the Public Radio Satellite System, which is how it broadcasts programs like the BBC, supplied in the U.S. by Public Radio International
. The station is also a member of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association.
WORT also has a standing rebroadcast agreement with Madison Indymedia.
Annual Manual (readers' poll) for seven of the last eight years. Several of its programs have made the top three list of favorite radio shows, including Mel & Floyd (multiple years), Back to the Country, and Pan-Africa.
WORT received two Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Merit Awards for its 2006 documentary on Uganda
's "invisible children" and its 2005 documentary on the Hurricane Katrina
aftermath. It won best documentary in 2005 from Public Radio News Directors Incorporated for its investigation of pollution at the Madison Kipp factory. It also received a WBA Merit Award for its 2005 election lead-up coverage.
Community radio
Community radio is a type of radio service, that offers a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting. Community stations can serve geographic communities and communities of interest...
station, broadcasting from 118 S. Bedford St. in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. WORT offers a range of programming.
WORT's FM signal reaches a roughly 50-mile radius around Madison. In early 2006, the station began webcasting all of its programming in both high quality (96K) and low quality (32K) streams. WORT also maintains an archive of recent news and public affairs programs available for podcast, download, or stream.
WORT mission statement
WORT-FM is a non-commercial, listener sponsored, member controlled community radio station broadcasting to south central Wisconsin. WORT volunteers and staff provide quality programming and services to a broad spectrum of the community through:
- promotion of communication, education, entertainment, and understanding by providing a forum for both the discussion of public issues and the expansion of musical and cultural experience;
- facilitation of community expression and provision of community access to the airwaves for the purpose of sharing music, culture, news, and information;
- challenge of the cultural and intellectual assumptions of our listeners through unique and diverse programming;
- orientation towards the audience with concern for those under-represented by other media.
WORT is committed to radio programming with a human perspective - respecting all peoples and their environments.
Programming
Music programming
The weekday music schedule includes:- Classical - 5-8am
- Folk, bluegrass, and world - 9am-noon
- Jazz - 2-5pm (except Fridays - Rock 2-5pm)
- Rock, techno, metal, etc. - 8pm-5am
- Blues - Fridays 6-8pm
The weekend music lineup includes a range of genres. Saturday's programming is divided into two-hour shows, beginning with traditional Mexican music at 6am. At 8:00, WORT airs classic R&B, then vintage jazz and swing, reggae, music from all around Africa, salsa and Latin jazz, rock 'n' roll oldies, blues, and finally hip-hop all night.
Sunday's music has more variety, including medieval and renaissance music in the morning, womyn's music in the early afternoon, followed by show tunes, world music in late afternoon, kids' music at 6:30, then gospel, electronic, experimental, and avant garde music through the night.
News and public affairs programming
- Insurgent Radio Kiosk - 4 times each weekday - commentaries, "this day in history" notes, and community event info ("Action Calendar")
- Eight O'Clock Buzz - 8:00-9:00am weekdays - mix of music, culture, information, news and interviews
- A Public Affair - 12:00-1:00pm weekdays - call-in show on issues of international, national and local importance
- Democracy Now - 1:00-2:00pm Mon-Thurs, 4:30-5:30pm Fri
- Mel & Floyd - 1:00-2:00pm Fridays - Two wacky guys sit down each week to discuss news, views and things you need to know
- BBC News (taken from the BBC World ServiceBBC World ServiceThe BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
) - 5:00-6:00pm Mon-Thurs - Free Speech Radio NewsFree Speech Radio NewsFree 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...
- 6:00-6:30 Mon-Thurs - In Our Backyard - 6:30-7:00pm Mon-Thurs - Alternative local and state news
- En Nuestro Patio - 7:00-8:00pm Tues - Local, national, and international news and interviews in Spanish.
- Labor Radio - 5:30-6:00pm Fri - News for, by, and about working people
- Access Hour - 7:00-8:00pm Mon - A different host from the community every week.
- Radio Literature - 7:00-7:30pm Thursday - Poetry, fiction, non-fiction readings and discussion
- Queery - 7:00-7:30pm Wed - local and national news affecting Madison's LesBiGayTrans community
- Perpetual Notion Machine - 7:30-8:00pm every other Thurs - Science news and features
- Health Writers - 7:30-8:00pm every other Thurs - health care policy and advocacy for a grassroots health care movement
- Hmong Radio - 6:00-8:00am Sundays - News, announcements, interviews, and music in Hmong languageHmong languageHmong or Mong is the common name for a dialect continuum of the West Hmongic branch of the Hmong–Mien/Miao–Yao language family spoken by the Hmong people of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, northern Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos...
- Her Turn - 11:00-11:30am Sundays - News by and about women, though all are encouraged to listen
- Third World View - 5:00-6:00pm Sundays - News from the "Third World" from a left-critical perspective
- Salamat - 6:00-6:30pm Sundays - A weekly window into the vastly varied population of Arabs
- Pachyderm Parade - 6:30-7:00pm Sundays - The only by-kids, for-kids radio show in Madison
- Universal Soul Explosion("The Badd Boyz Of Radio") / After Hours - 12:00-6:00am Saturday Night - Hip-hop, R&B, old and new with music and commentary
WORT's structure
The organizational structure of WORT reflects the station's principles of democratic decision making; the paid and unpaid workers (the volunteers) at the station elect the Board of Directors; the Board sets policy and hires full-time and part-time paid staff. The full-time staff is organized as a collective that operates within sound management practices and written policies established by the Board. The staff collective oversees the day-to-day operations of the station.Volunteers provide most of the on-air programming. In addition, many volunteers contribute to myriad off-air operations.
History
WORT went on the air in 1975.Radio host Michael Feldman
Michael Feldman
Michael Feldman is an American radio personality. He is the host of Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?, a radio program distributed by Public Radio International...
became a volunteer in 1977, broadcasting "The Breakfast Special" from a diner
Diner
A diner, also spelled dinor in western Pennsylvania is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially in the Midwest, in New York City, in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout...
on Madison's east side every morning for several years before joining Wisconsin Public Radio
Wisconsin Public Radio
Wisconsin Public Radio is a network of 32 radio stations in the state of Wisconsin. WPR's network is divided into two distinct analog services, the Ideas Network and the NPR News and Classical Network, as well as the "HD2 Classical Service," a digital-only, full-time classical music service.-Ideas...
.
Affiliations
WORT is a member of the National Federation of Community BroadcastersNational Federation of Community Broadcasters
The National Federation of Community Broadcasters is a national membership organization of community-oriented, non-commercial radio stations, producers, and other organizations and individuals committed to community radio in the United States....
and the Grassroots Radio Coalition
Grassroots Radio Coalition
The Grassroots Radio Coalition is a coalition of community media activists.The GRC has a mailing list and holds a conference every year, but has so far not incorporated. There are no dues, no hierarchy and no bylaws...
. The station hosted the GRC-5 Conference in 2000 and GRC-11 in 2006.
WORT is an affiliate of the Pacifica
Pacifica Radio
Pacifica Radio is the oldest public radio network in the United States. It is a group of five independently operated, non-commercial, listener-supported radio stations that is known for its progressive/liberal political orientation. It is also a program service supplying over 100 affiliated...
network, the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters
World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters
The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters is the international umbrella organization of community radio broadcasters founded in 1983, with nearly 3,000 members in 110 countries....
(AMARC), and the Public Radio Satellite System, which is how it broadcasts programs like the BBC, supplied in the U.S. by Public Radio International
Public Radio International
Public Radio International is a Minneapolis-based American public radio organization, with locations in Boston, New York, London and Beijing. PRI's tagline is "Hear a different voice." PRI is a major public media content creator and also distributes programs from many sources...
. The station is also a member of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association.
WORT also has a standing rebroadcast agreement with Madison Indymedia.
Awards
WORT has been voted "Madison's Favorite Radio Station" in the IsthmusIsthmus (newspaper)
Isthmus is an alternative weekly newspaper in Madison, Wisconsin. It was founded in 1976, and has built a reputation for authoritative writing on news, arts and features. The paper prints more than 60,000 copies each Thursday, reaching an estimated 40% of all adults in Dane County, which includes...
Annual Manual (readers' poll) for seven of the last eight years. Several of its programs have made the top three list of favorite radio shows, including Mel & Floyd (multiple years), Back to the Country, and Pan-Africa.
WORT received two Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Merit Awards for its 2006 documentary on Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
's "invisible children" and its 2005 documentary on the Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
aftermath. It won best documentary in 2005 from Public Radio News Directors Incorporated for its investigation of pollution at the Madison Kipp factory. It also received a WBA Merit Award for its 2005 election lead-up coverage.
External links
- WORT's official webpage
- The Daily CardinalThe Daily CardinalThe Daily Cardinal is a student newspaper that serves the University of Wisconsin–Madison community. The sixth oldest daily student newspaper in the country, it began publishing on Monday, April 4, 1892...
. "Community radio station celebrates 30 years of diversity"