Station Spotlight: Case Western Reserve University’s WRUW

Special thanks to station general manager Bethany Kaufman for answering the questions!

Tell me a little history about your station and where your station is now?
WRUW is the college station of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. WRUW has its roots with the Flora Stone Mather College for women. It began as WFSM, “broadcasting” via a public address system in 1946. In 1955, WFSM evolved into WRAR, an AM carrier-current station. WRAR became WRUW FM 91.1 on February 22, 1967! Initially, WRUW was a 10-watt mono station broadcasting only to the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland. Since then, it has grown to 15,000 watts and broadcasts in stereo. It can be heard across most of northern Ohio, from the Pennsylvania border to parts of Michigan and even north into Canada. We can also be heard worldwide via our internet stream at wruw.org!

WRUW has a live programmer broadcasting 24/7. We offer over 90 shows per semester ranging from jazz, funk, rock, and even polka music to public affairs and talk.

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A student spins at B Side Liquor Lounge as part of student DJ night.

What sets your station apart from other college radio stations?
Both our entirely freeform format and community member involvement set WRUW apart from other college radio stations. WRUW is purely an extracurricular activity for students; we are not affiliated with any academic department of Case Western Reserve University. Programmers have the freedom to broadcast nearly any material they would like within FCC regulations. In addition to our student programmers, we have many community member programmers as well. Some of them are Case graduates who have stayed in the area and stuck around the station. Some have no affiliation with Case outside of WRUW. Some have been with the station for decades! Our eclectic group of programmers is like a giant family; students enjoy mingling with and learning from the community members and vice versa.

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The annual WRUW Studio-A-Rama, a free outdoor music festival held right in our backyard, the Mather Memorial Courtyard.

Why did you choose to work at the radio station?
I knew that I loved music and wanted to be involved with college radio even as a high school student. I was first exposed to WRUW during an orientation week event at Case. Every fall, WRUW takes a group of students on a Cleveland music excursion as part of the orientation program. Students get to explore music venues, record stores, and (hopefully next year) a record pressing plant, all while meeting current WRUW staff members and other new students with similar interests. I began training to be a programmer the following semester, and I’ve been hooked since! I’ve met my best college friends at WRUW.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for your station?
The craziest thing I’ve ever done for WRUW is record a listener compliment to the station from a man who told me he plays WRUW for his pets and it makes them smile.

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Jisel & Eileen Diaz, a local Cleveland duo, in the WRUW vinyl library after playing Live from Cleveland, a weekly live music show that airs Thursdays from 10-11 p.m.

What’s the best part of college radio? And the hardest part?
For me, the best part of college radio is station outreach events for staff, students, and the public. Every fall, WRUW puts on a free outdoor music festival called Studio-A-Rama. It’s held right in our backyard, the Mather Memorial Courtyard, and features approximately seven local acts, one special guest, and a national headliner. Past headliners include Guided by Voices, the Black Angels, and the New Bomb Turks. In addition, we’ve had the opportunity to partner with a local club to offer a student DJ night. My current project is Punk Prom, an alternative formal dance featuring Shannon & the Clams with local guests Wooly Bullies! It’s important to have as many opportunities for station staff to hang out with one another and meet our listeners. We all love college radio, and this common ground transcends the potential barriers of age, area of study, etc. The hardest part is bringing all of the cool ideas staff, students, and listeners have to fruition! There’s so little time and limited resources.

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