WRMC-FM (91.1
FM) is the full power, student-volunteer-run
radio station
Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radi ...
of
Middlebury College. WRMC broadcasts a variety of content types, including talk, news, and radio drama, although the vast majority of the schedule is music of all genres. Shows are produced largely by student
DJ's, although staff, faculty, and other members of the college and town community contribute content on occasion. Most shows last from one to two hours and generally air once a week. WRMC airs a reduced schedule during the summer, which includes shows produced by each of Middlebury College's summer language schools, broadcast entirely in the language of that school. The station also produces an annual music festival, called
Sepomana.
History
WRMC debuted as a
carrier current station on May 1, 1949 at 1:00 pm with the
call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assign ...
"WMCRS" (Middlebury College Radio Services). This original station was founded by John Bowker, an undergraduate member of the College's class of 1952. Originally broadcasting at 3
watt
The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James ...
s from a chicken coop at 129 Adirondack View, the station played six hours daily of music and interviews on 750 AM. In 1950, WMCRS added the capability to broadcast play-by-play commentary of College hockey and basketball games. For a time, the station broadcast over the College's bell system into dorm rooms and fraternity houses. In 1967, WMCRS expanded to 10 watts and began broadcasting at 91.7 FM. The following year the station first began 24-hour broadcasting, a first for any station in the Champlain Valley. In 1980, with the new
call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assign ...
of "WRMC-FM" and broadcasting at 91.1 MHz, the station increased its power to 100 watts.
Sepomana Music Festival was first held in 1998 thanks to a loophole in the Student Government Association's financing rules. The name was invented and has no additional significance. The first festival was MC'd by an Elvis impersonator and featured a live pig as a mascot. For several years, Sepomana was held in Coltrane Lounge in the Adirondack House, but was relocated to larger spaces in future years due to overwhelming demand.
Location
WRMC is located on the Middlebury College campus in Middlebury, VT - approximately midway between Burlington and Rutland on Route 7. The station's studios are upstairs in Proctor, the dining hall behind Mead Chapel. The transmitter is mounted on the side of the smokestack at the Service Building.
WRMC boasts approximately 150 student DJs during each semester. All members of the College are welcome to participate in the station's General Board meetings, which have historically met in the station lounge weekly at 5:00 pm on Mondays when school is in session. With the assistance of the General Board, the Executive Board is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the station. The Executive Board, which is composed of the General Manager, Program Director, Business Director, Special Productions Director, and two Music Directors, is elected annually. The General Manager serves as the Chief Operator of the station for the President and Trustees of the College, who hold the station's license with the FCC.
Alumni of the radio station include award-winning journalist
Frank Sesno
Frank Sesno is an American journalist, former CNN correspondent, anchor and Washington bureau chief, author, and former director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at The George Washington University. Sesno is also the creator and host o ...
,
Vermont Governor Jim Douglas
James Holley Douglas (born June 21, 1951) is an American politician from the state of Vermont. A Republican, he served the 80th governor of Vermont from 2003 to 2011. On August 27, 2009, Douglas announced that he would not seek re-election fo ...
, writer
Jeff Lindsay, musician
Anaïs Mitchell
Anaïs Mitchell (; born March 26, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and playwright. Mitchell has released eight studio albums, including '' Hadestown'' (2010), ''Young Man in America'' (2012), , NYC Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe, and recording artist Jonathan Tristram.
Concerts
WRMC has brought a plethora of musical acts to the Middlebury campus over the years, including
Rilo Kiley
Rilo Kiley ( ) was an American indie rock band based in Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1998, the band consisted of Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett, Pierre de Reeder, and Dave Rock.
The group released their debut album ''Take-Offs and Landings' ...
,
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo (YLT; Spanish for "I have her") is an American indie rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan (guitars, piano, vocals), Georgia Hubley (drums, piano, vocals), and James M ...
,
Animal Collective,
The Decemberists
The Decemberists are an American indie rock band from Portland, Oregon. The band consists of Colin Meloy (lead vocals, guitar, principal songwriter), Chris Funk (guitar, multi-instrumentalist), Jenny Conlee (piano, keyboards, accordion), Nate ...
,
Ratatat
Ratatat ( ) is a Brooklyn-based electronic rock duo consisting of Mike Stroud (guitar, melodica, synthesizers, percussion) and producer Evan Mast (bass, synthesizers, percussion).
History
Beginnings and first album, ''Ratatat'' (2001–2005 ...
,
Versus,
Mates of State
Mates of State are an American indie pop duo, active since 1997. The group is the husband-and-wife team of Kori Gardner (born June 16, 1974) (vocals, organ, synthesizer, piano, electric piano, and occasional guitar and drums) and Jason Hammel ...
,
Smog,
Tenacious D
Tenacious D is an American comedy rock duo formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. It was founded by actors Jack Black and Kyle Gass, who were members of The Actors' Gang theater company at the time. The duo's name is derived from "ten ...
,
The National,
Clearlake,
Josh Ritter
Josh Ritter (born October 21, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and author who performs and records with the Royal City Band. Ritter is known for his distinctive Americana style and narrative lyrics. In 2006, he was named one of ...
,
Future Islands
Future Islands is an American synth-pop band based in Baltimore, Maryland, comprising Gerrit Welmers (keyboards and programming), William Cashion (bass, acoustic and electric guitars), Samuel T. Herring (lyrics and vocals), and Michael Lowry (p ...
,
the Death Set
The Death Set (also typeset as TheDeathSet or The DeathSet) is an experimental music band with roots in punk rock, sometimes referred to as art punk. The band formed in 2005 in Sydney. Six months after its inception, the band moved to the Unit ...
,
Tobacco
Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
,
the Bran Flakes,
the French Kicks
French Kicks are an American indie rock group from New York City, United States. Their sound is a mix of garage rock, post-punk, and modded pop.
History
Three of the original four band members, bassist Jamie Krents, vocalist/drummer Nick Stumpf, ...
,
The Ruby Suns
The Ruby Suns are an indie pop group from New Zealand. They formed in 2004 when Californian Ryan McPhun moved to Auckland and started playing in several bands such as The Brunettes, The Tokey Tones, and The Reduction Agents.
Biography
The Rub ...
,
Menomena
Menomena is an indie rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States, made up of Justin Harris and Danny Seim. Both members of the band share singing duties and frequently swap instruments while recording. In concert, Seim plays drums, while Ha ...
,
The Capstan Shafts,
The French Kicks
French Kicks are an American indie rock group from New York City, United States. Their sound is a mix of garage rock, post-punk, and modded pop.
History
Three of the original four band members, bassist Jamie Krents, vocalist/drummer Nick Stumpf, ...
,
Enon,
The Books
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
,
Dan Deacon
Daniel Deacon (born August 28, 1981) is an American composer and electronic musician based in Baltimore, Maryland.
Deacon is renowned for his live shows, where large-scale audience participation and interaction is often a major element of the pe ...
,
Andrew Bird
Andrew Wegman Bird (born July 11, 1973) is an American indie rock multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Since 1996, he has released 16 studio albums, as well as several live albums and EPs, spanning various genres including swing music ...
,
Regina Spektor
Regina Ilyinichna Spektor (russian: Регинa Ильинична Спектор, ; born February 18, 1980) is a Russian–born American singer, songwriter, and pianist.
After self-releasing her first three records and gaining popularity in ...
,
Das Racist
Das Racist was an American alternative hip hop group based in Brooklyn, composed of MCs Heems and Kool A.D. and hype man Ashok Kondabolu (a.k.a. Dapwell or Dap). Known for their use of humor, academic references, foreign allusions, and unconven ...
,
Palms Out Sounds,
Marcus Price
Marcus Raymond Price (born March 3, 1972) is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Jacksonville Jaguars, San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys. He played c ...
,
Boody B, and E-603 among others.
References
External links
*
WRMC 91.1 FM BlogMiddlebury Radio Theater of Thrills and Suspense*
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Middlebury College
RMC-FM
RMC-FM
Radio stations established in 1949
1949 establishments in Vermont