WMTS-FM
 | |
| City | Murfreesboro, Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Middle Tennessee, USA |
| Branding | 88.3 WMTS |
| Slogan | Noise You Can Trust |
| Frequency | 88.3 MHz |
| First air date | 1996 |
| Format | College radio |
| ERP | 680 watts |
| HAAT | 42 meters |
| Class | A |
| Facility ID | 41998 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 35°50′56.00″N 86°21′11.00″W / 35.8488889°N 86.3530556°W |
| Callsign meaning | We're Middle Tennessee State University |
| Former callsigns | WAKF (1995-1995), WNAR [We Need A Radio] (1992) |
| Owner | Middle Tennessee State University |
| Sister stations | WMOT |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | wmts.org |
WMTS-FM (88.3 FM) is a student-run college radio station licensed to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA. The station is currently owned by Middle Tennessee State University.[1][2] It is the fourth attempt by students to organize a student-run radio station at MTSU. While the larger, professional station WMOT employed students, others felt unrepresented. A student group led by Reza Baktar worked to achieve enough interest and authorization from the Student Government Association. WMTS went on-air in March 1992 on cable TV channel 38, the Housing and Residential Life Channel, from 8 PM to Midnight.
The station's name was originally 'WNAR', for "We Need A Radio", or "We Need A Reza". The signal then moved to MTSU Channel 8 on the local cable system during the Fall of 1992. During this time, WMTS worked to obtain FCC approval for an FM license and a construction permit. With help from WMOT, namely the donation of tower space and a transmitter, WMTS finally hit the FM band on 88.3 MHz in the Summer of 1995. The old call sign "WNAR" was changed to "WMTS" that Fall: 810 WMTS (now WAPB) in Murfreesboro donated the call letters. They felt the WMTS call sign better fit MTSU's station.
In August 1995, WMTS began normal operation at 200 Watts. Since equipment and money was scarce, it broadcast in monaural. During the 1996 Christmas Break, WMTS went stereo with processing which increased potential signal coverage and enabled it to sound like other FM stations in the area. It also began broadcasting constantly with a mix of automation and live personalities. WMTS now broadcasts at 680 Watts.
WMTS started out as a small group wanting to create a voice for the students of MTSU. It is continuing that mission and holds general interest meetings every semester for students desiring to participate. Students are encouraged to review new albums for the station (checking both content and explicit lyrics which cannot be aired), attend concerts and record sales, host shows, etc.
WMTS now also broadcast on WMOT's HD3 Subchannel.
Founding Fathers
Reza Baktar
James Dibble
Doug Jones
References
- ↑ "WMTS-FM Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ↑ "WMTS-FM Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
External links
- 88.3 WMTS
- Query the FCC's FM station database for WMTS
- Radio-Locator information on WMTS
- Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for WMTS