WEXP

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WEXP is a Philadelphia college radio station with a Freeform format. It airs live on 1600 AM in Philadelphia and online.

History

After operating fairly successfully (despite a weak signal) throughout the 70s, WEXP suffered what would arguably be its biggest setback in 1980. On September 15th, a student installed a transmitter to WEXP’s existing antenna on top of the Union building. The student did so “without consultation” and “exceeded FCC capabilities”, according to federal documents dated in October. As a result of this setup, WEXP could be heard throughout the east coast. Listeners requested songs from as far away as Albany, NY, and the station could be heard as far south as Miami, FL.

Federal officials in Washington did not press any charges, which could have ranged from a $10,000 fine and/or imprisonment for a year. However, the incident forced the university to shut down the radio station entirely, and led to an apparent distrust of the student organization for many years.

WEXP was revived during the 1980s. The station featured mostly heavy metal music. This was in sharp contrast to previous formats, which included easy listening, adult contemporary, album-oriented rock, and Freeform. After collapsing again in 1988, the station returned on 530 AM in 1989. “EXPress 530”, as the station was referred to, was again just a carrier current AM signal. In February of 1988, the university had the opportunity to purchase WPWT 91.7 FM, and operate at an initial expense of $100,000. Many students, and most notably professors from the communication department, pushed for support of the project. The University Budget Committee, however, rejected the plan that would have given WEXP an FCC-regulated FM station with an annual operating expense of $50,000. Had the university allocated the funds to purchase the station in the late 80s, it could probably be sold today for over a million dollars. It was yet another major setback for WEXP.

In 1997, WEXP began simulcasting over La Salle 56 cable television, but the relationship between the two campus stations was short-lived. In 2000, a proposal to turn WEXP into a low-power FM station also failed. The station was forced to abandon AM radio in favor of broadcasting worldwide on the internet beginning in the fall of 2002. The shift in focus re-energized the station by recruiting more members and boosting listenership both on campus and across the country.

In 2004, WEXP began its first offering of official WEXP sponsored concerts with a WEXP radio program titled [Red Fades to Black] launching a charity concert for a DJs ill cousin and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. (It should be noted that prior to this WEXP launched previous live broadcasts of bands performing for private in studio audiences.) This concert featured rock, metal, and hardcore but helped launch an increased effort in WEXP live events which led to multiple concerts for various causes called WEXPfests. The WEXPfests covered a variety of genres and continue currently. It is planned for these WEXPfests to be broadcast worldwide while live.

WEXP now broadcasts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year via the internet, and has over 80 members.

Its sports coverage is widely considered as the most extensive of any college radio station in the United States. WEXP airs nearly 100 live sports broadcasts every year for six Explorer teams, in four sports (soccer, American football, basketball, and baseball).

After being relegated to internet radio since the fall of 2003, WEXP returned to the terrestrial airwaves at 1600AM in the summer of 2006. A carrier current broadcast still takes place on 530AM in the La Salle Apartments (LA) and Teresa Court (TC) dormatories on campus.

Awards

Executive Board

The following is a list of the WEXP Executive Board, and advisor, for 2006-2007 [WEXP Executive Board Listing from Official WEXP Website] .

Faculty Advisor: Dawn Fraser, General Manager: Adam Bagni, Programming Director: Mike Petty, Business Director: Anthony Bonagura, Music Director: Mike Stringer & Sam Fran Scavuzzo, Promotions Director: Mike Viso, Personnel Director: Matt Neder

Executive Board Support Positions (non-voting)

Director of Sports Programming: Andrew Neumann, Studio Manager: Sarah Katz, Training Manager: Mike Davis, Executive Assistant to the General Manager: Mike Rodden

References