Broadcast area | Columbia, South Carolina |
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Branding | WUSC-FM |
Slogan | Left of the dial, right in your ear |
Frequency | 90.5 MHz (also on HD Radio) |
First air date | January 17th, 1977 |
Format | Free-Format |
ERP | 2,500 watts |
HAAT | 77 meters (253 ft) |
Class | A |
Callsign meaning | University of South Carolina |
Owner | University of South Carolina |
Website | wusc.sc.edu |
WUSC-FM is a student-run College radio station operating at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina, United States.
The purpose of WUSC-FM is to educate and inform the listener and the DJ by providing musical diversity, information regarding student life and community events, and by airing Public Service Announcements.
WUSC-FM is a free-format non-commercial educational radio station. The station's policy prohibits playing music that is in rotation at any other local station, or that has been on the Top 40 charts within the past 40 years. (This rule is sometimes ignored for special events, such as all-Beatles weekends or weekends devoted to the music of the 1980s). Some DJs have specialty shows, handling one genre such as soundtracks, hip-hop music, or electronic music. DJs who have "free-format" shows are required to play three genres of music during their show. Free-format show DJs are also required to grab 50 percent of what they play from heavy and light rotation. The station is owned and operated by the University of South Carolina.
WUSC is governed by the Board of Student Publications and Communications, the Department of Student Life, the Director of Student Media, and the USC Board of Trustees (the USC Board of Trustees holds the station's license).
A vast majority of the DJs at WUSC are current students at the university. However, the station allows faculty, staff, and WUSC alumni to host shows as well. One particular show, Red Bank Bar and Grill, has been aired off and on since 1978. It is currently the only show that is three hours long year-round; during the fall and spring semesters, shows are two hours long and air once per week. During summer and some academic breaks, shows become three hours long.
Each DJ is responsible for the content of their show, and several of the shows have unique names and themes. Names in the Spring 2006 semester include "Bitch Stole My Fish", "Concordia Discourse", "Billfred in the Niiiiiightiiiiiiiiime!" (which airs on Friday mornings), "Ska is for Suckers", and "Still Questionable".