WTJU
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| City | Charlottesville, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area |
Charlottesville, Virginia Albemarle County, Virginia |
| Branding | "WTJU" |
| Slogan | "The Sound Choice in Central Virginia" |
| Frequency | 91.1 MHz |
| First air date | May 10, 1957 |
| Format | Variety |
| Power | 1,500 watts |
| HAAT | 325 meters (1,066 ft) |
| Class | B1 |
| Facility ID | 69145 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 37°58′55.0″N 78°29′3.0″W / 37.981944°N 78.484167°W |
| Callsign meaning | W Thomas Jefferson's University |
| Former frequencies | 91.3 MHz (1957-1993) |
| Owner | University of Virginia |
| Sister stations | WXTJ-LP |
| Webcast | WTJU Webstream |
| Website | WTJU Online |
WTJU is a Variety formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Charlottesville, Virginia, serving Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia. WTJU is owned and operated by University of Virginia.
WTJU was founded in 1955 when UVA’s Department of Speech and Drama decided to start a UVA-based educational radio station. The fraternity Kappa Delta Pi put up a large part of the funds necessary to get the station off the ground. On May 10, 1957, WTJU went on the air at 91.3 FM with a classical music format. It was able to broadcast throughout Charlottesville, building a small but dedicated group of listeners.
In 1959, the station aired its first ever music marathon: the Classical Marathon, held during U.Va.’s exam period. In 1963, WTJU became a full-fledged student organization, separate from the UVA Department of Speech and Drama. By 1971, WTJU began broadcasting rock music, as well as some jazz and folk programs. By 1974, WTJU is broadcasting 24 hours a day. It also allowed non-students to be DJs in order to keep the station broadcasting 24/7 year-round.
In 1993, WTJU's license was threatened when student administrators accidentally violated FCC rules in filing a routine document. The Dean of Students office insisted the station hire its first paid staff member, General Manager Chuck Taylor, requiring a transition from a student organization to direct oversight from the university. In the same year, WTJU changed its frequency from 91.3 to 91.1 FM. In the late 1990s, planned construction at U.Va.'s Peabody hall forced WTJU to relocate. In 2000, WTJU moved into its current studios in Lambeth Commons. By 2010, WTJU had also started streaming its radio programming over the internet.
General Manager Chuck Taylor retired in 2010, and was replaced by Burr Beard. After stepping into his position, Beard tried to enact sweeping changes to the station’s operation and was met with major backlash from station volunteers and listeners. By fall of that same year, Beard resigned and the station began its search for a new manager. In 2011, Nathan Moore was hired and is the current General Manager of the station.
In 2011, WTJU participated in the first-ever [College Radio Day]. And in 2012, WTJU aired a live remote broadcast of the "Rally on the Lawn" demonstration against the ouster of U.Va. President Teresa A. Sullivan. Also in 2012, WTJU aired a special modern adaptation of The War of the Worlds on Halloween night.
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