WZBC

Infobox Radio station
name = WZBC


city = Newton, Massachusetts
area =
slogan =
branding =
frequency = 90.3 MHz
repeater =
airdate =
share =
share as of =
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format = Alternative
power =
erp = 1,000 watts
haat = 67.0 meters
class = A
facility_id = 68240
coordinates = coord|42|20|5.00|N| 71|10|31.00|W|region:US_type:city
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns =
owner = Trustees of Boston College
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast =
website = official|http://www.wzbc.org
affiliations =

WZBC (90.3 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Alternative format. Licensed to Newton, Massachusetts, USA, the station serves the Massachusetts college area. The station is currently owned by Trustees of Boston College. [ cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WZBC |title=WZBC Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division ] [cite web|url=http://www1.arbitron.com/sip/displaySip.do?surveyID=SU08&band=fm&callLetter=WZBC|title=WZBC Station Information Profile|publisher=Arbitron]

While the station is run solely by students, much of the on-air staff is made up of members of the surrounding Boston community.fact|date=August 2008 The station broadcasts alternative and indie rock during the day, and then branches out to more diverse styles (ranging from funk to lounge to Middle Eastern) in the early evening. At night, the station focuses on experimental music, which it calls "No Commercial Potential." WZBC is located in Newton, Massachusetts at the corner of Beacon and Hammond on Boston College's main campus. WZBC also broadcasts sports for the Boston College Eagles, including basketball, football, hockey, baseball, and softball.

History

Originally founded as WVBC, "The Voice of Boston College", the radio station began in 1960 as a carrier-current AM station, broadcasting solely to the university community through the electrical wiring of on-campus buildings and dormitories. After operating in this capacity for 13 years, Trustees of Boston College applied for and was granted a license to operate WZBC (FM), a 17 watt station which aired a wide range of music, from folk to country to rock. With the advent of WZBC (FM), the radio station expanded its listenership and began serving school's neighboring community.

WZBC has seen tremendous growth since its inception in 1974. The station was granted a power increase in 1975, bringing the station's output to 1000 watts, allowing for further expansion of its listenership. Another important change took place in 1979, when the station started broadcasting in stereo. Perhaps the most important change in WZBC history occurred shortly after the switch to stereo, when the station narrowed its rock format to the genre known as modern rock, playing new bands which, for the most part, commercial radio would not touch, often because they were unmarketable. At approximately the same time, WZBC also began broadcasting more experimental music under the moniker "No Commercial Potential".

In addition to the FM station, there is also WVBC-AM [ [http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/svp/st_org/wzbc/AM.html Wzbc - Wvbc Am ] ] —staffed solely by students—which operates on a carrier-current, much like the station's predecessor, WVBC. The signal is pumped directly to the Eagle's Nest cafeteria, and is also broadcast over the BC cable television system. It should be noted that the programming on the AM station is much closer to the mainstream compared to the FM programming.

References

External links

*FM station data|WZBC
* [http://www.zbconline.com/ WZBC fan site]