Suyrprised no one posted the fact that WMPH 91.7 bit the dust in June, due to budget cuts with the school district. What were they doing programming wise? And what religious outfit will try to grab that one?
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WMPH
- Thread starter DaveWilliams
- Start date
They were doing a dance music format. No idea what's going to happen with the frequency though.
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DX
Guest
The Brandywine school district's termination of Clint Dantinne was a pretty good indication the curtain was falling on WMPH.
That leaves the low-wattage radio station at McKean High School (88.1) as the only remaining high school station in the state of Delaware.
Ironically, the nation's most powerful high school station ALSO happens to be located on the Delmarva peninsula, Kent County High School's WKHS 90.5, from Worton, Maryland, near Chestertown (It simulcasts WXPN programming nights, weekends, and summer time.)
However, lest we forget, WMPH was silent for at least a year or two without losing its license. (Unless this time, the district goes out of its way to return the license!)
If WMPH remains silent, you can bet that West Chester University's WCUR 91.7 will seek FCC permission to go from directional to non-directional status (assuming budget-cuts haven't limited its options, too!). WCUR was one of the few low-power, non-commercial, directional F.M.'s in the country, "protecting" WMPH. For many years, West Chester U. struggled to get a station on-the-air, and the lack of open channels was one of the reasons.
Even during comparatively good financial times, Delaware school districts never seemed to have very much interest in high school radio, in stark contrast to public-school systems in some big metropolitan areas of the country.
Then, when Temple University's WRTI; the University of Pennsylvania's WXPN; and religious broadcasters went after translators even beyond the boundaries of Pennsylvania, that served to block high schools from going on-the-air even if they wanted to.
Smaller colleges too: It's amazing how colleges from Delaware State University to Delaware Tech's various campuses to Washington College in Chestertown never went on-the-air!
All this has been a loss for any young person in Delmarva who dreamed of a career in broadcasting.
In some cases, radio lost to television, but again, high school television in the Delaware area is comparatively primitive, largely limited to broadcasting the announcements at the start of the day "in school".
When cable TV companies worked out operating agreements, no attempt was made to give school districts 24/7 dedicated cable channels (although a City of Wilmington spokesman said recently the city explored that option, and found no takers among the school districts!). So here too, Delaware students - public and private - are denied the opportunities offered elsewhere.
That leaves the low-wattage radio station at McKean High School (88.1) as the only remaining high school station in the state of Delaware.
Ironically, the nation's most powerful high school station ALSO happens to be located on the Delmarva peninsula, Kent County High School's WKHS 90.5, from Worton, Maryland, near Chestertown (It simulcasts WXPN programming nights, weekends, and summer time.)
However, lest we forget, WMPH was silent for at least a year or two without losing its license. (Unless this time, the district goes out of its way to return the license!)
If WMPH remains silent, you can bet that West Chester University's WCUR 91.7 will seek FCC permission to go from directional to non-directional status (assuming budget-cuts haven't limited its options, too!). WCUR was one of the few low-power, non-commercial, directional F.M.'s in the country, "protecting" WMPH. For many years, West Chester U. struggled to get a station on-the-air, and the lack of open channels was one of the reasons.
Even during comparatively good financial times, Delaware school districts never seemed to have very much interest in high school radio, in stark contrast to public-school systems in some big metropolitan areas of the country.
Then, when Temple University's WRTI; the University of Pennsylvania's WXPN; and religious broadcasters went after translators even beyond the boundaries of Pennsylvania, that served to block high schools from going on-the-air even if they wanted to.
Smaller colleges too: It's amazing how colleges from Delaware State University to Delaware Tech's various campuses to Washington College in Chestertown never went on-the-air!
All this has been a loss for any young person in Delmarva who dreamed of a career in broadcasting.
In some cases, radio lost to television, but again, high school television in the Delaware area is comparatively primitive, largely limited to broadcasting the announcements at the start of the day "in school".
When cable TV companies worked out operating agreements, no attempt was made to give school districts 24/7 dedicated cable channels (although a City of Wilmington spokesman said recently the city explored that option, and found no takers among the school districts!). So here too, Delaware students - public and private - are denied the opportunities offered elsewhere.
It's hard to get too excited about high school TV. It's not like we have a TV station in Delaware, so those folks will simply go elsewhere to ply their trade and we the people won't get any real benefit. The only school I knew that had a high school closed circuit TV station was Sallies ( that was back in 1969, had a friend who went there and was involved with it - don't know if they still have it).
I've lived in Delaware all my life, and Mt. Pleasant and McKean were the only two high schools in NCC to have a station (well after I graduated from high school), other than the U of D. Most of the jocks on today's U of D's WVUD, I believe, aren't students as it was back in the late 1960's early 70's when the U of D's station was a carrier current AM 640 WHEN, which is where I received my first real on air experience, so I'd question how valuable even WVUD is for aspiring radio jocks and journalists today, other than their sports coverage that I believe is performed by students. I had practiced for years in my bedroom as a jock spinning records and writing and reading the news while in high school as back then no high school had a radio station in Delaware ( I even took a typing class in 8th grade so I would be able to type copy someday). I listened to many radio stations, mimicked the styles I liked and developed my own style in time. I guess not many kids today would go to all that trouble since no one can actually hear you. You don't get the status of being popular in school as you would with a high school station where you can play all the cool tunes, etc, but I learned a great deal which did help me land my first real radio gig on Armed Forces Radio in Alaska. My time at WHEN taught me how to used real radio equipment, vue meters, etc, and I did learn the correct way to write news copy and do live on air reports during the campus strike that happened in the spring of 1970.
I've lived in Delaware all my life, and Mt. Pleasant and McKean were the only two high schools in NCC to have a station (well after I graduated from high school), other than the U of D. Most of the jocks on today's U of D's WVUD, I believe, aren't students as it was back in the late 1960's early 70's when the U of D's station was a carrier current AM 640 WHEN, which is where I received my first real on air experience, so I'd question how valuable even WVUD is for aspiring radio jocks and journalists today, other than their sports coverage that I believe is performed by students. I had practiced for years in my bedroom as a jock spinning records and writing and reading the news while in high school as back then no high school had a radio station in Delaware ( I even took a typing class in 8th grade so I would be able to type copy someday). I listened to many radio stations, mimicked the styles I liked and developed my own style in time. I guess not many kids today would go to all that trouble since no one can actually hear you. You don't get the status of being popular in school as you would with a high school station where you can play all the cool tunes, etc, but I learned a great deal which did help me land my first real radio gig on Armed Forces Radio in Alaska. My time at WHEN taught me how to used real radio equipment, vue meters, etc, and I did learn the correct way to write news copy and do live on air reports during the campus strike that happened in the spring of 1970.
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Guest
WVUD - as I understand it - gives first priority to students to fill jock slots. Alumni and members of the community fill in the gaps.
The students have a lot of latitude with regard to themes, music selection, etc. It is definitely free-form radio, with all the inherent pluses and minuses.
Some professors at UD actually have assigned students to prepare and anchor news on WVUD for several shifts - and WVUD has accomodated.
Plus: Students get a "feel" for being on-the-air, where friends and others can listen. A very few students eventually go on to "join" WVUD. Minus: All this makes WVUD's airsound particularly choppy.
And, of course, neither a free-form, "anything goes" format nor a Monday-through-Friday airshift prepares a student for commercial broadcasting today, assuming that's even a goal.
More journalistically-inclined students are more likely to end up at The REVIEW, the U.D. student newspaper and/or the University's Office of Public Information.
As to your television remarks, Sallies still has a TV program, and Saint Mark's has been working mightily to upgrade its TV curriculum, to go far beyond reading announcements.
Still~ If a high school / college student wanted to gain proficiency at jocking, anchoring, reporting, etc. on a rigorous basis, the opportunities in the state of Delaware are comparatively sparse compared to some other places.
The students have a lot of latitude with regard to themes, music selection, etc. It is definitely free-form radio, with all the inherent pluses and minuses.
Some professors at UD actually have assigned students to prepare and anchor news on WVUD for several shifts - and WVUD has accomodated.
Plus: Students get a "feel" for being on-the-air, where friends and others can listen. A very few students eventually go on to "join" WVUD. Minus: All this makes WVUD's airsound particularly choppy.
And, of course, neither a free-form, "anything goes" format nor a Monday-through-Friday airshift prepares a student for commercial broadcasting today, assuming that's even a goal.
More journalistically-inclined students are more likely to end up at The REVIEW, the U.D. student newspaper and/or the University's Office of Public Information.
As to your television remarks, Sallies still has a TV program, and Saint Mark's has been working mightily to upgrade its TV curriculum, to go far beyond reading announcements.
Still~ If a high school / college student wanted to gain proficiency at jocking, anchoring, reporting, etc. on a rigorous basis, the opportunities in the state of Delaware are comparatively sparse compared to some other places.
D
DX
Guest
CORRECTION: In my previous post, I should've said the LACK of anything approaching a Monday--through--Friday airshift fails to prepare students...
Very interesting discussion....motivated me enough to register for an account.... A few bits of info from someone close to the situations mentioned.
Re: WMHS- McKean has a new Station Manager aboard this year and is working on a revamp of their product. They remain on the air, and sound pretty good
Re: WMPH- Although WMPH is dark now, they ARE coming back this school year. Studios are being modernized (a bit) and I would expect the want ad for a new Station Manager to post soon.
Re: WKHS- KHS is one of the largest high school stations in the country, but not the largest. There was at least one bigger station in Tennessee and one in Texas. KHS used to be heard rather strongly in Newark, but a change in the placement of the antenna bays at the last upgrade has weakened them a little here (but strengthened them in the Aberdeen to Baltimore stretch)
Re: WVUD- One poster has it correct. WVUD does give priority to student members since they largely fund the station. Due to the block format (whether it should have that or not is a matter for another debate), some students choose to host shows on the internet only (soon to be HD2) Basement station. Also, certain departments (like sports) seem to be more popular than others. Non student volunteers are at WVUD as guests of the students and serve a valuable purpose, but students always get first preference. The news department at WVUD is entirely student with one exception and does work in conjunction with the Comm Dept at UD. Student membership at WVUD and the amount of student run shows has risen in each of the past four years and if this year's interest meetings are any indication, it will rise again. Keep in mind that at least at WVUD, for each student you hear on the air, there is probably another working in a non-air department (production, promotions, tech, etc..) thereby strengthening the training aspect of the station.
Re: WMHS- McKean has a new Station Manager aboard this year and is working on a revamp of their product. They remain on the air, and sound pretty good
Re: WMPH- Although WMPH is dark now, they ARE coming back this school year. Studios are being modernized (a bit) and I would expect the want ad for a new Station Manager to post soon.
Re: WKHS- KHS is one of the largest high school stations in the country, but not the largest. There was at least one bigger station in Tennessee and one in Texas. KHS used to be heard rather strongly in Newark, but a change in the placement of the antenna bays at the last upgrade has weakened them a little here (but strengthened them in the Aberdeen to Baltimore stretch)
Re: WVUD- One poster has it correct. WVUD does give priority to student members since they largely fund the station. Due to the block format (whether it should have that or not is a matter for another debate), some students choose to host shows on the internet only (soon to be HD2) Basement station. Also, certain departments (like sports) seem to be more popular than others. Non student volunteers are at WVUD as guests of the students and serve a valuable purpose, but students always get first preference. The news department at WVUD is entirely student with one exception and does work in conjunction with the Comm Dept at UD. Student membership at WVUD and the amount of student run shows has risen in each of the past four years and if this year's interest meetings are any indication, it will rise again. Keep in mind that at least at WVUD, for each student you hear on the air, there is probably another working in a non-air department (production, promotions, tech, etc..) thereby strengthening the training aspect of the station.
D
DX
Guest
Great to hear that WMPH isn't silent -- forever.
Actually, some years ago, probably most of the nation's high school stations had very limited schedules during the summer session, or signed-off, for the summer.
And yes, WVUD presents an eclectic mix of personalities, music, features, and sports. Always worth checking out when within the range of the station.
And, at least WKHS used to brag that they were the most powerful high school station in the country, no matter their fairly low tower height!
Actually, some years ago, probably most of the nation's high school stations had very limited schedules during the summer session, or signed-off, for the summer.
And yes, WVUD presents an eclectic mix of personalities, music, features, and sports. Always worth checking out when within the range of the station.
And, at least WKHS used to brag that they were the most powerful high school station in the country, no matter their fairly low tower height!
The KHS tower is just under 200 ft (just short enough to not re lamp) but the signal goes forever
because of the flat terrain. It's well known within KHS that
they aren't the biggest....not sure who would say they were or
why.
The XPN deal with KHS came about to provide 24/7 coverage
after WSCL Salisbury threatened to challenge license
because of the flat terrain. It's well known within KHS that
they aren't the biggest....not sure who would say they were or
why.
The XPN deal with KHS came about to provide 24/7 coverage
after WSCL Salisbury threatened to challenge license
I too am glad to hear that the Brandywine School District is doing all that it can to keep WMPH on the air. Sadly, the FM radio stations at Haverford High School in Delaware County and Sanford School in Hockessin are now dark. Lots of great radio pros came out of Mount Pleasant High School; Leigh Jacobs, Stephen Streiker, Ann Cates, Linda Turnauer, David Mackenzie, Guy VanderLek, and Mike Rossi, to name just a few. Do good, be well and happy.
WZZE at Sanford School went dark in the 80's, was only on the air a few years. The license remained active on the FCC books for about 5 years when it was picked up and moved to Glen Mills School where it still operates today.
When WKHS signed on the air in March 1974 it was the most powerful high school, student operated station in the nation. A could of years later some other stations went on the air and pasted them by. The station operated with a Hor. antenna until it was replaced last year. i was one of the first students at the station, and went on to work for a number of stations over the years. I also was the Station Manager/Broadcast Instructor in the mid 80's.
They also produced some local talent. Mitch Hill built the station, and later went to WAMS, WFIL, WLS, and WSTW. Jim Stoddard also was on air, and later went to WAMS, WNBC, and WJBR and Betsy Chapin had a stint at WAMS and later at WSTW as morning co-host and promotions coordinator. Do good, be well and happy.
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