About wxyc
who we are
WXYC 89.3 FM is the non-commercial, student-run radio station of UNC Chapel Hill, broadcasting at 1100 watts from the student union on campus, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our coverage area encompasses approximately 900 square miles in and around Chapel Hill, Durham, Pittsboro, Apex, and parts of Raleigh.
On November 1994, WXYC became the first radio station in the world to rebroadcast its signal over the Internet.
MISSION
Our mission is to illustrate the relationships to illustrate the relationships between seemingly disparate types of music. We believe that our free-format is the best way to accomplish this mission. Our disc jockeys harness the almighty power of the segue to draw musical linkages across time, culture, and pure sound. For example, you might be humming along to the chorus of your favorite Jay-Z monster, only to hear it followed by the very Bobby “Blue” Bland mega-hit from the ’70s from which the sample was lifted. Or in a more conceptual segue, a cut with a “bedroom vibe” off of jazz trumpeter Dave Douglas’s new disc might successfully follow up a Stevie Wonder slow-jam because they share the same mood. A WXYC segue is a nod to the mutual inspirations that musical creations of dissimilar origins possess. Listen in and see if this author’s conception doesn’t make sense.
–Jason Perlmutter, Former Station Manager
history
On March 17, 1977, WXYC went on the air on with Joni Mitchell’s “You Turn Me on I’m a Radio.”
From its earliest days in the late 70s, WXYC has been a leader in diverse and interesting programming, adopting changing forms of popular music long before they became popular in the mainstream without losing touch with the past.
WXYC prides itself on the commitment to reliability and consistency in good quality programming. WXYC won awards during the 80’s and 90’s, from local and national sources, including Rolling Stone Magazine, the New York Times and the Independent Weekly.
In the early 90s, with the advent of the CD, many more international and independent releases became easily available, as well as re-issues of albums that had been impossible to find on vinyl for decades. This enabled WXYC to broaden its programming even more, and to this day the staff of WXYC is committed to seeking out new and interesting sounds from all over the world and presenting them in a coherent, accessible and interesting way.
STAFF
The station is staffed by approximately 150 UNC students and alumni who perform both on-air DJ shifts and administrative functions. Only current students are hired as DJs, but once hired Djs are permitted to remain on staff indefinitely. The staff is about two-thirds current students and one-third alumni. Once a DJ, always a DJ.
FUNDING
WXYC'S funding is guaranteed by the student government’s constitution and funded by the Student Activity Fee paid each semester by UNC students. Funds are supplemented t-shirt sales and fundraising events. We do not currently accept advertising or underwriting.
Funding is used to pay licensing and copyright fees, to purchase and repair equipment, to expand our music library, to cover administrative costs and for station promotions. All WXYC staff members are volunteers except for the station manager, business manager and our professional part-time engineer, who each receive nominal monthly salaries.
QUESTIONS?