WZND-LP
WZND-LP (103.3 MHz FM) is a low-power FM radio station licensed for Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois, United States. The station is staffed by students of Illinois State University and airs music from genres including rock, hip-hop, classic, pop, and country.[2] WZND has received many awards including the 2018 BEA Best College Station in the Nation award.[3]
 | |
| Broadcast area | Bloomington-Normal, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 103.3 MHz |
| Branding | WZND Fuzed Radio |
| Programming | |
| Format | College radio, top 40 |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Illinois State University Foundation |
| WGLT | |
| History | |
First air date | 1965 (WILN) 1981-03-28 (WZND) 2004-09-21 (WEWT-LP)[1] 2011-09-27 (WZND-LP) |
Former call signs | WEWT-LP (2004-2011) |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 126023 |
| Class | L1 |
| ERP | 23 watts |
| HAAT | 61.6 m (202.1 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 40.508186°N 88.987766°W |
| Links | |
| Website | wznd |
History
ISU student radio
Student broadcasting at Illinois State University began in 1935 in a partnership with McLean County radio station WJBC.[5] WILN, a campus radio station, was started in 1965 with the assistance of Ruth Yates[2] and broadcast to the dorms.[5]
On 18 March 1981, WILN changed its name to WZND[2][5] and began broadcasting via carrier current on 106.1 FM and 540 AM. At first branded "The Sound" and later in 1983 "Cable’s Hot Music FM, The New WZND", the station reached five thousand to ten thousand people. WZND broadcast progressive rock, new wave sound, soul, and aired local soul, jazz, and spot band music.[2] In 2001 WZND rebranded to Z106[2] and broadcast alternative and hip hop music. On April 4, 2007, WZND switched formats to include 90s music in addition to alternative rock. In January 2010, WZND changed to a college shuffle format, playing a wide variety of genres. The station was rebranded "WZND Fuzed Radio".[2]
WZND has had several locations on campus. Its original location was in Cook Hall in 1981, but moved to Old Union (then called the Media Services Building) in 1985. In the spring of 1994, WZND relocated to its current location in the basement of Fell Hall.[2]
103.3
Rock In Victory Ministries, Inc., a Catholic ministry, received a license for WEWT-LP on 103.3, and began broadcasting on September 21, 2004, airing a Christian contemporary music format.[1]
The Illinois State University Foundation acquired the 103.3 broadcast license on September 14, 2011.[6] Truth 103 shut down FM broadcasting in the early morning hours of September 16, 2011[7] for financial reasons, but Truth 103 continued as an Internet streaming program afterwards.[8]
References
- "About Us: Our Broadcast/Our History/Our Future". Truth 103. 2005-06-06. Archived from the original on July 8, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
- "About Us". WZND. Archived from the original on 13 February 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
- "WZND continues to impress with national awards". News. 2020-12-15. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
- "Timeline Photos". Facebook. WZND Fuzed Radio. 29 March 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
- Steinbacher, Michele (3 March 2006). "WZND-FM celebrating 25 years on the air". The Pantagraph. The Pantagraph. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
- Baughan, Ann P. (2011-09-14). "Consummation Notice". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
- Cinda (September 16, 2011). "Truth 103". Facebook. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
- Cinda (September 15, 2011). "Truth 103". Facebook. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- Rumbold, Katlyn (27 September 2011). "WZND switches to FM dial". Daily Vidette. The Vidette. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
- "WZND-LP". FCCInfo.com. Manassas, Virginia: Cavell Mertz & Associates, Inc. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
- Sallen, James (April 6, 2017). "WZND On MTV-U". TV 10. Illinois State University. Archived from the original on February 13, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
External links
- WZND in the FCC FM station database
- WZND-LP on Radio-Locator
- WZND in Nielsen Audio's FM station database