WSUC-FM

WSUC-FM (90.5 FM) is a college radio station broadcasting a variety format from the State University of New York at Cortland (SUNY Cortland). The station is owned and licensed by the State University of New York at Cortland in Cortland, New York, United States.[1]

WSUC-FM
Frequency90.5 MHz
Branding90.5 WSUC The Dragon
Programming
FormatVariety
AffiliationsWRVO
Ownership
OwnerState University of New York at Cortland
History
First air date
November 29, 1976 (1976-11-29)
Former call signs
WCSU-AM
Call sign meaning
State University of New York at Cortland
Technical information
Facility ID63111
ClassA
ERP210 watts
HAAT−18 m (−59 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
42°35′48″N 76°11′23″W
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websiteweb.cortland.edu/wsuc/

History

WSUC-FM went on the air officially on November 29, 1976. Prior to becoming WSUC-FM, the university radio station broadcast in AM with the call sign WCSU. The station had expected to retain the WCSU call sign but the FCC's FM license application required 5 potential call sign choices.[2][3]

The 5 choices given on the application were WCSU, WMLF (Station Manager Michael Flaster's initials), WCJL (Corey Leibow, the Program Director's initials), WRTC (the Chief Engineer, Dick Crozier's initials), and as a joke, WSUC. It turned out the first 4 had already been assigned so the station was assigned WSUC for its FM license.[2][3]

Shortly after the negative exposure garnered by record fines levied against the station by the F.C.C. in 1993, the station underwent a major restructure and overhaul. Following the FCC fine, an inspection of the broadcast studios found the station to be in a state of disrepair and neglect. Crozier was soon ousted as Chief Engineer. Tim Backer, current Director of Engineering for Galaxy Communications, was brought into oversee redesign and repairs to the station's broadcasting infrastructure as well both broadcast and production studios. Repairs and upgrades to the station were completed in 1994.

FCC Notice of Apparent Liability

On January 7, 1993, the radio station was fined $23,750 by the FCC for a June 21, 1992, mid-afternoon broadcast which included the uncensored version of the lead single "Yo-Da-Lin in the Valley" from the Kid Rock album Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast and the explicit lyrics version of "I'm Not Your Puppet" from the Hi-C album Skanless.[4][5][6][7]

At the time, this was the largest fine the FCC had ever levied against a non-commercial radio station for a violation of the commission's "obscenity, indecency, and profanity" regulations.

The university appealed the $23,750 fine stating that the fine was excessive and that due to a lack of a playlist and with no identifying announcements on the recording submitted to the FCC, SUNY was unable to ascertain if the alleged broadcast had actually aired on WSUC.[4]

SUNY also argued that it had been discovered shortly after the alleged broadcast that the student DJ who was logged on the transmitter at the date and time of the alleged broadcast had also stolen station equipment and forged purchase orders.[4]

According to a certified arrest report provided to the FCC, the student was criminally convicted, sentenced and later officially banned from the SUNY Cortland campus on threat of criminal trespass.[4]

On July 28, 1998, the FCC fine was reduced to $4,200.[4][5][6][7]

References
  1. "WSUC Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved February 2, 2009.
  2. Peter D. Koryzno (2007). "A Love of Music Unites 40 Years" (PDF). SUNY Cortland Columns. Retrieved February 2, 2009.
  3. "WSUC-FM The Dragon History". Retrieved February 2, 2009.
  4. "In the Matter of State University of New York, Licensee of Radio Station WSUC(FM), Cortland, NY, Notice of Apparent Liability". August 6, 1998. Retrieved February 2, 2009.
  5. "Industry Guidance On the Commission's Case Law Interpreting 18 U.S.C. § 1464 and Enforcement Policies Regarding Broadcast Indecency". January 6, 2001. Retrieved February 2, 2009. WSUC-FM, Cortland, NY "I'm Not Your Puppet" Rap Song
  6. "Explicit rap song finally leads to FCC fine". Winter 1998-99 Report - College Censorship. Student Press Law Center. XX (1): 29. 1999. Archived from the original on October 4, 2007. Retrieved February 2, 2009. College radio station accused of violation gets $19,000 reduction of original penalty
  7. Grow, Kory (June 2, 2005). "Gov't Crackdown On Radio". College Media Journal. Archived from the original on August 7, 2007. Retrieved February 2, 2009.
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