WHAT IS WFMU?
WFMU-FM is a non-commercial, freeform radio station broadcasting at
91.1 Mhz FM in Jersey City, NJ, right across the Hudson from lower
Manhattan. We were formerly on the campus of Upsala College, in East
Orange, NJ, but relocated in 1998, having procured our independence in
1994 from the college. We have a relay station, WXHD, 90.1 Mhz FM,
broadcasting in the Hudson Valley, Lower Catskills, Western New Jersey and
Eastern Pennsylvania. We also have a website with extensive info and links
at www.wfmu.org.
HOW CAN I LISTEN TO WFMU ON THE WEB?
Our signal is now available live, free of charge, over the web!
See our audio page at wfmu.org/ssaudionet.shtml for more info and updates.
WHY ISN'T MY FAVORITE SHOW ON THE AIR ANYMORE?
WFMU changes it's programming schedule twice a year, usually in October
and May. There are many reasons why shows may not appear on new schedules,
but the most common reason of all is that the DJ simply wanted to take a
break. But there are many other reasons as well, and sometimes the DJ's
reason is personal and therefore not made public. As Program Director,
Brian Turner also occasionally takes programs off the schedule temporarily
to allow for flexibility and to afford newer shows the same opportunity
older shows were once given -
the chance to get on the air in the first place. For more detailed
explanations of why particular shows are not on the air, it's recommended
to
e-mail Brian Turner directly
HOW DO I REACH THE STATION
For individual staff members, see our staff contact page at
wfmu.org/staff.html
Our snail-mail address is:
WFMU
PO Box 2011
Jersey City, NJ 07303
Station Manager:
Ken Freedman
Assistant General Manager:
Liz Berg
Program and Music Director:
Brian
Turner
Volunteer Director: Scott
Williams
Special Events Director:
Mike
Lupica
Listener Services Director / Swag Inquiries:
Megan
Murphy
Folks wishing to have their music reviewed should send packages to Brian
Turner at PO Box 5101, Hoboken, NJ 07030.
On-air telephone: (201) 200-9368
Office telephone: (201) 521-1416
WHO FUNDS WFMU?
WFMU receives absolutely no corporate or government funding--we are
100% funded by our listeners through our annual on-air fundraising
marathon as well as our annual record fair in Manhattan that occurs
the first weekend of November, info for which can be found linked to our
website at www.wfmu.org/recfair/.
Shortly before the closing of Upsala College on May 31, 1995, WFMU
purchased the license from them, and is now fully independent. This
meant a whole new layer of ghastly new expenses, but it also meant
great new opportunities for high media subversion. WFMU's license is
now owned by Auricle Communications, a non-profit group made up of
current and former WFMU staff members and listeners
IS THERE A PROGRAM GUIDE?
WFMU used to produce a program guide, "Lowest Common
Denominator" (LCD) It featured
strange articles on radio and records, and comics, and more. LCD is not
currently being published, and when WFMU's schedule changes in June, a
schedule change postcard is mailed out, and when the schedule changes in
October, and small foldout schedule is sent out to current
contributors.
WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH WFMU'S BEWARE OF THE BLOG?
WFMU's Beware of the Blog is chock full
of articles, MP3s, movies and more, all assembled by a consortium of WFMU
staff members and listeners. The blog has a search engine window on it,
which will help you track down older articles. We're always looking for
new authors for the blog. If you would like to become an author and you
have some experience blogging, e-mail Station Manager Ken.
HOW WELL KNOWN IS WFMU?
WFMU was named best radio station in the Country by Rolling Stone
magazine four years in a row. We've also been called the best radio
station in NYC or the U.S. by The Village Voice, New York Press, CMJ, and
more. We've been showcased in a New York Time Magazine feature article,
have gotten publicity from the BBC, gotten high praise from the Simpsons'
creator Matt Groening, and oh yeah, a mental patient sported
a WFMU tee shirt proudly in an ABC- TV series that got cancelled after two
weeks.
WHAT IS WFMU'S PROGRAMMING LIKE?
WFMU's programming ranges from Edison Cylinders to Punk Rock to Breakcore
and beyond; lots of flat-out uncategorizable strangeness, psychedelia,
experimental, obscure 50's-60's blues, R&B, soul, hot-rod music, demonic world
music, 78's, 8-tracks, indiepop, schlock-a-billy, exotica, Downtown art
music,Radio Improvisation, dopey call-in shows, interviews with obscure
radio personalites,interviews with notable science-world luminaries,
Spoken Word collages, Gospel, Good Ol' Country Music, and much, much
more.
WHERE ARE MY GOODIES PROMISED FOR MY MARATHON
PLEDGE?
Contact our Tchotchke Services Department at (201) 521-1416
X229, or help@wfmu.org and we'll get to
the bottom of it. Our marathon fulfillment does not immediately follow our
March fundraisers. We usually gather together a small army and do our
mail-outs of prizes, t-shirts etc. during the spring and summer, and we
very much appreciate your patience and pledging!
HOW DO I GET ON THE AIR?
We are entirely open to new ideas to enhance our freeform programming,
though the scene here for new DJs is pretty competitive. Program Director
Brian Turner will review any tapes sent in, and is the point of contact
for any kind of interest in getting involved with the station in an on-air
context. A basic cornerstone of the audition process for WFMU is to basically
get involved with the station's off-air activities (and even then there
is no sure guarantee of an airshift). We rely a lot on volunteers to keep
the day-to-day office operations continuing; so if you can give us some of
your time either at the station or at our various functions (benefits,
record fairs, etc.) that would be a good way to begin. To do basic
volunteer work here at WFMU, contact our Volunteer Director at the phone
number or email address listed above.
WFMU provides an hour weekly (Saturdays 9-10 AM) for individual listeners
to take a stab at our programming. We issue questionnaires to folks upon
request by either calling Program Director Brian Turner at (201) 521-1416
X223 leaving name and address, or
emailing him
HOW DO I FIND A SONG PLAYED?
You can start by using our Time
Search Page, which will help you figure
out whose show you heard the song on.
Best bet is to contact the individual DJ who spun the track, and to do
that you can refer to our staff list at wfmu.org/staff.html. Some of our
jocks post their playlists on a weekly basis onto the playlists page of
the web.
HOW DO I GET AN EVENT PLUGGED ON AIR?
Public Service announcements can be sent to the mailing address above,
noting: "Attn: PSA Department". We ask that all PSA's are sent typed,
and as far in advance of specific events as possible.
Non-public service events can also be mailed to WFMU at the address above,
or emailed to Brian Turner. We will include them in our events folders if
we feel they pertain to our listeners and their interests.
DOES WFMU TAKE UNDERWRITING ANNOUNCEMENTS?
Nope.
DOES WFMU TAKE RECORD DONATIONS?
Absolutely. Please contact Record Fair Director Mike Lupica at
(201) 521-1416 X243 or
email him. Also, WFMU
can issue certificates of donation for tax purposes.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WFMU MESSAGE BOARD?
The WFMU Message Board ran from 1999 until September 2006. It was
ultimately removed due to lack of staff and listener participation, which
was due in part to the fact that the board had been overrun with spam.
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