Country Music on WFDU 89.1 HD2

[Barry]

Fairleigh Dickinson University's HD2 station has apparently recently switched from vintage jazz to an eclectic Country music based format.
The music mix includes mostly classic Country, along with occasional programs playing other genres.
Good to hear a college station offering something different.

WFDU HD2 Playlist

 

[wadio]

Looks like a nice broad playlist. When I clicked on the stream they were playing "Christmas In Your Arms!" A little out of season but I'll keep checking it out.

 

[Barry]

Does anyone know why WFDU and WNYU agreed to share the same frequency, around 50 years ago?
Frequency sharing between local stations was not unusual in the distant past, but I believe this is the only such arrangement which still exists in this area.

 

[TheBigA]

Does anyone know why WFDU and WNYU agreed to share the same frequency, around 50 years ago?
Frequency sharing between local stations was not unusual in the distant past, but I believe this is the only such arrangement which still exists in this area.

At this point, it's the only option for either of them. No other frequencies available.

As you said, back then it was fairly common, mainly because neither could staff a full time station. By the 70s, the FCC frowned on part-time radio stations that would sign off and on during the day. Several NJ high schools did it back in the 10-watt fm days.

 

[Ex-RadioTV]

The 89.1 WFDU and WNYU time share agreement goes back over 50 years.There’s a history page on WFDU’s website:
Everything you always wanted to know about WFDU

 

[Barry]

The history cited in the above post is quite interesting. The dispute between the two schools became rather complicated.
It's also noteworthy that they agreed FDU could have the lion's share of weekly broadcast time on 89.1.

 

[Gregg.]

The history cited in the above post is quite interesting. The dispute between the two schools became rather complicated.
It's also noteworthy that they agreed FDU could have the lion's share of weekly broadcast time on 89.1.

FDU got the lion's share because it accepted mornings, early afternoons, overnights and weekends. WNYU got weekday late afternoons and evenings, thought to be prime time for a college radio station.

The frequency had been reserved for the United Nations but the UN never used it. Both schools jumped through all the hoops to get the frequency. In the end, they thought it was better to share it than for one to get it 24/7 and one to be frozen out.

50 years ago, 1330 was a share-time frequency: WEVD (owned by the Jewish Forward newspaper) and WPOW (a Christian talk and teaching station). And 1380 was also shared time: WBNX (a Spanish-language station) and WAWZ in Zarephath NJ (a Christian non-commercial station).