CCP Anniversary Series: Spotlight on WESU 88.1FM

WesUSaleIf you have ever been to Broad Street Books (and I sincerely hope you have), then you have probably noticed the sign for WESU 88.1FM. But how much do you know about Wesleyan’s radio station? The quirky history behind this Wesleyan and Middletown community collaboration, and its current impact are the subject of this week’s anniversary post!

WESU was born in 1939, after two young men living in Clark Hall got the idea to hook up a small transmitter to a phonograph. In its early days, the broadcast was limited to Clark, however as the popularity of the station grew, so did its reach. More than 70 years later, much about WESU 88.1 FM has changed. It now is located above Broad Street Books at . WESU has grown exponentially, from only being able to broadcast through Clark Hall in 1939, to having recently begun broadcasting at 6,000 watts and a potential audience of one million listeners!

WESU has many opportunities for involvement, beginning of course with tuning in to the station. They broadcast 24/7 and a full list of stations can be found here. You can also join WESU, connect to their blog for more information. Finally, you can support their events, such as the WESU Record Sale this Saturday.

So we hope you now know more about your friendly neighborhood radio station. Don’t hesitate to tune in!

Jelisa Adair

I am the Civic Engagement Fellow for 2013-2014. While a student at Wesleyan I double majored in Psychology and Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and completed a joint thesis during my senior year. I am interested in issues of social justice, mental health, media, and global welfare. 

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