WQSU

Infobox Radio Station
name = WQSU
frequency = 88.9 MHZ
city = Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania
area = Sunbury-Selinsgrove-Lewisburg, PA
format = Campus Radio
owner = Susquehanna University
branding = "WQSU - The Pulse"
slogan = "Provocative College Radio"
website = [http://www.susqu.edu/orgs/wqsu-fm/main.htm Official website] |

WQSU (89.9 FM) is a college radio station licensed to serve Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. The station is owned and operated by Susquehanna University.

INTRODUCTION
88.9 WQSU-FM, "The Pulse", the radio voice of Susquehanna University, is operated by the staff,students and faculty of S.U. as well as community volunteers. Developed as aneducational facility, the station is run under the supervision of the Department ofCommunications.Located at 88.9 megahertz, the 12,000-watt stereo station can be heard at a 70-mile radius from its home in Selinsgrove, PA. WQSU serves approximately one-third of the state of Pennsylvania with avariety of music, news, information, public affairs and sports programming 365 days ayear. At 12,000 watts, WQSU is the third most powerful college radio station in the state of PA.The operation of WQSU-FM serves two separate and distinct purposes. The firstis mandated by the Federal Communications Commission, and that is to serve the publicinterest. The second is to serve Susquehanna University in its educational mission bytraining students in various forms of broadcasting principles and operations, and to serveas a media outlet for Susquehanna University.

SCHEDULE
The station operates on two different schedules: The regular schedule, which runsduring the school year, operates from 9 A.M. until 2 A.M. During school breaks,including the summer, the station operates from noon until 2 A.M.When the station is not programming live from its studios, the station rebroadcastsWVIA-FM programs, including some National Public Radio, or uses theautomation system. Included with WVIA’s classical format are a variety of popularshows, such as Morning Edition, A Prairie Home Companion and Car Talk.

Programming Mondays-Fridays consist of the station's format of modern and alternative rock. Throughout the week there are specialty shows of many other genres including classic rock. Saturday programming consists of country and bluegrass. Sundays have a variety of specialty programming including blues, techno, Susquehanna University's church service, classical, and the Grateful Dead. WQSU also airs a wide variety of news and sports coverage.

History of WQSU-FM

THE HISTORY OF WQSU-FMWQSU-FM began as a university club known as the Susquehanna RadioAssociation. In September 1967, the Federal Communications Commission grantedSusquehanna University authorization for WQSU-FM to begin broadcasting with tenwattsof power. Through the efforts of the late Dr. Clyde Spitzner and others, theequipment necessary for broadcasting was donated or purchased and installed. As aresult, WQSU-FM went “on-the-air,” serving a limited area in the Selinsgrove vicinity.In 1968, WQSU was reorganized and put under the direction of the SusquehannaUniversity Department of Communications and Theatre Arts.Shortly after beginning broadcast operations, WQSU-FM filed an application fora power increase with the FCC. A long series of delays then followed which kept theFCC from approving the application. Consequently, after seven years, the FCC approveda power increase to 5600 watts, which went into effect on March 26 1975.In October of 1978, the Department of Health, Education and Welfare gaveWQSU a grant that allowed it to become a stereo station and equip itself with new, stateof-the-art equipment.WQSU increased its power to its present 12,000 watts in January 1963, after theFCC approved another power increase.On March 15 1985, WQSU moved its facilities from 530 University Avenue toits present location in the Degenstien Campus Center. In 1988, the station upgraded itsproduction facilities to include a multi-track production room, and in 1992 the stationupgraded to 8-track multi-track. In 1994, the station upgraded its on-air and productionfacilities to include digital audio tapes (DATs). In 1999, the station moved its audioformat to Sony’s mini-disc format.In 2005, the station made significant technology improvements. The mini-discformat was discontinued and computerized systems were implemented. Computers hold the station’s music archive for the deejays to play audio on the air. Alsoin 2005, the automation system project was completed. The automation system runs thestation when DJ staff is not available. Finally, in 2005, WQSU began streaming online inpartnership with Evenlink.In 2008, the WQSU studios in the Degenstein Campus Center at Susquehanna were renovated.

External links

* [http://www.susqu.edu/orgs/wqsu-fm/main.htm WQSU official website]
* [http://www.susqu.edu Susquehanna University's Website]
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