WUAG

WUAG
Broadcast areaPiedmont Triad
Frequency103.1 MHz
BrandingThe Music 103
Programming
FormatVariety
Ownership
OwnerUniversity of North Carolina at Greensboro
History
First air date
1964 (at 89.9)
Former frequencies
89.9 MHz (1965–1981)
106.1 MHz (1981–1989)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID68667
ClassD
ERP18 watts
HAAT79 meters
Transmitter coordinates
36°3′51.00″N 79°48′37.00″W / 36.0641667°N 79.8102778°W / 36.0641667; -79.8102778
Links
Public license information
Websitewuag.uncg.edu

WUAG (103.1 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a variety format.[2] Licensed to Greensboro, North Carolina, United States, the station serves the Piedmont Triad area. The station is currently owned by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.[3]

History

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WUAG's logo circa late 1980s early 90s when it was known as The Music 103.

Since 1964[4] this college radio station has been through several changes. The station has changed location and frequency three times. First, it was 89.9 (a frequency that had been abandoned by Greensboro's Grimsley High School),[5] then 106.1 in 1981,[6] then by 1990 had changed to what it is today, 103.1 FM.[7] WUAG currently broadcasts at 18 watts, but that is enough to reach Greensboro. For 25 years prior to 2007, WUAG was located in the UNCG theater building. After the Brown Building's renovation, WUAG moved there and now has a modern studio and offices. As of 2022, Sarah Dawkins is the General Manager.[8]

Programming

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The official format of WUAG is Progressive but with a philosophy of "willful eclecticism and minimal musical boundaries".[9] During the weekday business hours the station plays a constantly changing rotation of everything from Americana, punk, electronica, reggae, hip-hop, rock, jazz, local and world music.[9] During the night hours (7pm-1am) and weekend the station airs specialty shows that focus on a specific genre of music. Since WUAG is primarily student-run it has to adapt each semester to the influx of new DJs who may have more of an interest in one type of music over the other.[citation needed] Examples of Specialty programming are the '80s shows and the Night Zoo, a top 40-leaning show that aired through the early-to-mid '90s.[10]

In 2010, music director Matt Northrup said WUAG had 85 CDs in "heavy rotation", and 15 to 20 new recordings each week, introduced on Northrup's weekly show on Thursday afternoons. WUAG had 100 student DJs, who were told "Less talk, more rock" (though the musical genres varied) and to play eight cuts per hour from the CDs in rotation.[9]

Operations

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The day-to-day operations of WUAG are led entirely by students, through a student executive board. The board is staffed with a music director, program director, sports director, news director, and promotions/productions director. Along with the changes each semester of DJs, the student executive board changes each year as well.

References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WUAG". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "WUAG Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. ^ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
  4. ^ "103.1 WUAG". UNCG. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
  5. ^ Gwynn, David (2014-07-07). "Spartan Stories: Fifty years of WUAG". Spartan Stories. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
  6. ^ "WUAG frequency change promotional announcement". UNCG Archives. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
  7. ^ Tom Steadman, "It Started with a Tuesday Night Jam", Greensboro News and Record, September 30, 1990, p. 1.
  8. ^ "Contact Us". WUAG. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
  9. ^ a b c Puterbaugh, Parke (2010-12-16). "College radio stations are a hit". News & Record. Archived from the original on December 19, 2010. Retrieved 2010-12-16.
  10. ^ The Music 103 Night Zoo (February 16th, 1996), retrieved 2022-08-17
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