WYCE
Encyclopedia
WYCE is an American Community
Radio station
, broadcasting a Noncommercial, Triple A format. The station's music is programmed by volunteers, drawing from a diverse library of eclectic music, primarily folk
, rock
, blues
, worldbeat
and jazz
music, with some emphasis on local musicians.
, it first began broadcasting in 1983 as an FM-based extension to a cable-based radio station that had been operating since 1978 on (then) GE Cablevision in the Wyoming
and Kentwood
areas. This station was licensed to Wyoming Community Education (the source of the station's call letters).
In 1987, the Wyoming Board of Education, in response to concerns about the music their students were programming, willingly transferred the license and sold the assets to Grand Rapids Cable Access Center (who operated a Public-access television
cable TV channel known as GRTV), which was the forerunner to the Grand Rapids Community Media Center (GRCMC).
For several years, a special committee of the GRCAC board known as the Friends of WYCE provided direction to the station staff and volunteers.
In the mid-1990s, the studios were moved from the community education site in suburban Wyoming, joining other components of the GRCMC as they consolidated in renovated facilities on the second floor of the West Side Library, just west of downtown Grand Rapids.
In the late 1990s the station got a new transmitter and tower, thereby increasing its signal strength and coverage. The tower is located on Woodward Ave SW, just south of 28th Street, in Wyoming, Michigan.
In 2010 the station received clearance from the FCC to expand its coverage area and power output, and so a new transmitter and antenna were purchased and installed. WYCE currently serves listeners in much of the West Michigan area including Grand Rapids, Holland and Muskegon.
WYCE operates 24 hours a day, mostly with musical programming hosted by live presenters. Most shifts feature music from all of the station's standard genres. An early-morning block of programming features a long-standing Spanish-language program featuring Mexican music. The station also features a small number of prerecorded syndicated programs and community-affairs features.
The station sponsors a variety of concerts and other events within the metropolitan Grand Rapids area. These include free concerts at which voluntary donations are solicited to support local charities. Since 2000, WYCE has presented "the Jammies", an annual awards program spotlighting local musicians.
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...
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...
, broadcasting a Noncommercial, Triple A format. The station's music is programmed by volunteers, drawing from a diverse library of eclectic music, primarily folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, rock
Rock 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...
, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, worldbeat
Worldbeat
Worldbeat is a music genre that primarily refers to a blending of Western pop music with traditional/folk or world music influences...
and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
music, with some emphasis on local musicians.
History
Licensed to Wyoming, MichiganWyoming, Michigan
Wyoming is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 72,125. That makes it the 2nd largest community or city in West Michigan, the 14th largest city in the state of Michigan, and the 18th largest community in the state as well...
, it first began broadcasting in 1983 as an FM-based extension to a cable-based radio station that had been operating since 1978 on (then) GE Cablevision in the Wyoming
Wyoming, Michigan
Wyoming is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 72,125. That makes it the 2nd largest community or city in West Michigan, the 14th largest city in the state of Michigan, and the 18th largest community in the state as well...
and Kentwood
Kentwood, Michigan
Kentwood is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 48,707 at the 2010 census, making it the second most populous suburb of Grand Rapids and the 25th most populous city in Michigan.-History:...
areas. This station was licensed to Wyoming Community Education (the source of the station's call letters).
In 1987, the Wyoming Board of Education, in response to concerns about the music their students were programming, willingly transferred the license and sold the assets to Grand Rapids Cable Access Center (who operated a Public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cable TV channel known as GRTV), which was the forerunner to the Grand Rapids Community Media Center (GRCMC).
For several years, a special committee of the GRCAC board known as the Friends of WYCE provided direction to the station staff and volunteers.
In the mid-1990s, the studios were moved from the community education site in suburban Wyoming, joining other components of the GRCMC as they consolidated in renovated facilities on the second floor of the West Side Library, just west of downtown Grand Rapids.
In the late 1990s the station got a new transmitter and tower, thereby increasing its signal strength and coverage. The tower is located on Woodward Ave SW, just south of 28th Street, in Wyoming, Michigan.
In 2010 the station received clearance from the FCC to expand its coverage area and power output, and so a new transmitter and antenna were purchased and installed. WYCE currently serves listeners in much of the West Michigan area including Grand Rapids, Holland and Muskegon.
Programs
WYCE is funded entirely by donations from listeners and corporate sponsors, and operated by nearly 100 volunteers and a small paid staff. In addition to broadcasting via its FM transmitter, it streams audio over the internet.WYCE operates 24 hours a day, mostly with musical programming hosted by live presenters. Most shifts feature music from all of the station's standard genres. An early-morning block of programming features a long-standing Spanish-language program featuring Mexican music. The station also features a small number of prerecorded syndicated programs and community-affairs features.
The station sponsors a variety of concerts and other events within the metropolitan Grand Rapids area. These include free concerts at which voluntary donations are solicited to support local charities. Since 2000, WYCE has presented "the Jammies", an annual awards program spotlighting local musicians.