City | Detroit, Michigan |
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Broadcast area | Metro Detroit [1] |
Branding | 101.9 WDET |
Slogan | "Detroit's Public Radio Station" |
Frequency | 101.9 MHz (also on HD Radio) 101.9 HD-2: WDET2 Diverse Music & News |
First air date | December 18, 1948 |
Format | Public Radio: News/Talk/Music |
Power | 48,000 watts |
HAAT | 169 meters (554 ft) |
Class | B |
Facility ID | 71189 |
Transmitter coordinates | 42°21′6″N 83°03′48″W / 42.35167°N 83.06333°W |
Callsign meaning | DETroit |
Affiliations | National Public Radio (NPR) |
Owner | Wayne State University |
Webcast | Listen live player |
Website | www.wdet.org |
WDET-FM is a public radio station Detroit, Michigan. Licensed to Wayne State University in the city's Cass Corridor neighborhood, about a mile south of the New Center neighborhood, WDET broadcasts original programming and shows from National Public Radio, Public Radio International and American Public Media. It broadcasts on the FM dial at 101.9 MHz. The station serves Metro Detroit and is the primary provider of news involving the American automotive industry and Michigan politics within the NPR distribution network.
WDET-FM is licensed by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission for hybrid (digital plus analog) broadcasting.
Wayne State University holds the broadcasting license for the station through a grant from the United Auto Workers, which originally ran the station from its sign-on (December 18, 1948) until 1952. The UAW originally broadcast public service programming on the station, under station manager Ben Hoberman. The university bought the station for one dollar in 1952 and converted it to non-commercial status. It is one of the few public radio stations in the nation that operates on a commercial frequency.