WMCN (FM)
Encyclopedia
WMCN is a radio station
broadcasting a variety format. Licensed to St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, the station serves the greater St. Paul area. The station is currently owned by Macalester College and run by students. The station has held the WMCN call sign
since July 30, 1979.
by the Federal Communications Commission
on June 20, 1979. The new station was assigned the call sign "KJAB" by the FCC but this was changed to the current WMCN on July 30, 1979. The station received its broadcast license
from the FCC on April 1, 1980.
is hosted by student disc jockey
s and the station only operates during the school's terms. Students are required to complete training sessions to familiarize themselves with the station's music library
, policies, and broadcast equipment before they are permitted on the air.
WMCN provides Macalester and its surrounding community with music from various genres including rock, Americana, world, jazz, hip-hop, electronic, and classical as well as talk radio
programming. Community activist Dan Richmond described WMCN as "one of the first places to look for new music and ideas".
The station began an overhaul of its facilities in 2006, adding enhanced webcast
capabilities and working towards the complete digitization of its music library. The digitization of nearly 20,000 songs was, after some complications, completed in late 2007 with the station announcing plans to sell off its vast CD library when the project was complete.
", got his start as a hip hop
DJ providing scratches
as part of his older brother Derek's show on WMCN. Brian Bull, now the assistant news director for Wisconsin Public Radio
, got his first job in radio hosting a weekly music program on WMCN. Joanna Stein, a 2006 Macalester graduate and WMCN veteran, joined the staff of National Public Radio's Morning Edition
program. Minneapolis/St. Paul community radio station KFAI
announcer Jennifer Downham, host of Groove Garden since 1994, says she did not "pursue her musical interests until she became a radio DJ" on WMCN. Described as "the Queen Mother of the Twin Cities hip-shagging, funked-up improv music scene", the WMCN show she hosted was her first ever job as an announcer.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
broadcasting a variety format. Licensed to St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, the station serves the greater St. Paul area. The station is currently owned by Macalester College and run by students. The station has held the WMCN call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
since July 30, 1979.
History
This station was granted a final extension to its original construction permitConstruction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
by the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
on June 20, 1979. The new station was assigned the call sign "KJAB" by the FCC but this was changed to the current WMCN on July 30, 1979. The station received its broadcast license
Broadcast license
A broadcast license or broadcast license is a specific type of spectrum license that grants the licensee the privilege to use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum in a given geographical area for broadcasting purposes. The licenses are generally straddled with additional restrictions that...
from the FCC on April 1, 1980.
Programming
Located in the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood, roughly between the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, WMCN is a low power station and has a broadcast radius of roughly 2.5 to 3 miles. The freeform programmingFreeform (radio format)
Freeform, or freeform radio, is a radio station programming format in which the disc jockey is given total control over what music to play, regardless of music genre or commercial interests. Freeform radio stands in contrast to most commercial radio stations, in which DJs have little or no...
is hosted by student disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
s and the station only operates during the school's terms. Students are required to complete training sessions to familiarize themselves with the station's music library
Music library
A music library contains music-related materials for patron use. Collections may also include non-print materials, such as digitized music scores or audio recordings. Use of such materials may be limited to specific patron groups, especially in private academic institutions...
, policies, and broadcast equipment before they are permitted on the air.
WMCN provides Macalester and its surrounding community with music from various genres including rock, Americana, world, jazz, hip-hop, electronic, and classical as well as talk radio
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
programming. Community activist Dan Richmond described WMCN as "one of the first places to look for new music and ideas".
The station began an overhaul of its facilities in 2006, adding enhanced webcast
Webcast
A webcast is a media presentation distributed over the Internet using streaming media technology to distribute a single content source to many simultaneous listeners/viewers. A webcast may either be distributed live or on demand...
capabilities and working towards the complete digitization of its music library. The digitization of nearly 20,000 songs was, after some complications, completed in late 2007 with the station announcing plans to sell off its vast CD library when the project was complete.
Former on-air staff
While most student presenters at college radio stations do not pursue careers in broadcasting, some use the experience as a springboard to larger venues. Gregory Keltgen, now better known as "DJ AbilitiesDJ Abilities
DJ Abilities is a Minnesota-based hip-hop DJ affiliated with Rhymesayers Entertainment. With his emcee partner, the late Eyedea, he formed the group known as Eyedea & Abilities, also known as E&A...
", got his start as a hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
DJ providing scratches
Scratching
Scratching is a DJ or turntablist technique used to produce distinctive sounds by moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable while optionally manipulating the crossfader on a DJ mixer. While scratching is most commonly associated with hip hop music, since the late 1980s, it has been used...
as part of his older brother Derek's show on WMCN. Brian Bull, now the assistant news director for Wisconsin Public Radio
Wisconsin Public Radio
Wisconsin Public Radio is a network of 32 radio stations in the state of Wisconsin. WPR's network is divided into two distinct analog services, the Ideas Network and the NPR News and Classical Network, as well as the "HD2 Classical Service," a digital-only, full-time classical music service.-Ideas...
, got his first job in radio hosting a weekly music program on WMCN. Joanna Stein, a 2006 Macalester graduate and WMCN veteran, joined the staff of National Public Radio's Morning Edition
Morning Edition
Morning Edition is an American radio news program produced and distributed by National Public Radio . It airs weekday mornings and runs for two hours, and many stations repeat one or both hours. The show feeds live from 05:00 to 09:00 ET, with feeds and updates as required until noon...
program. Minneapolis/St. Paul community radio station KFAI
KFAI
KFAI is a community radio station in Minnesota. The station broadcasts a wide variety of music, and also airs programming catering to many of the diverse ethnic groups of the region...
announcer Jennifer Downham, host of Groove Garden since 1994, says she did not "pursue her musical interests until she became a radio DJ" on WMCN. Described as "the Queen Mother of the Twin Cities hip-shagging, funked-up improv music scene", the WMCN show she hosted was her first ever job as an announcer.