WNRC (97.5 FM) is a non‑commercial, educational college radio station owned and operated by Nichols College. Known on campus as "The Voice of the Bison," the station operates 24/7 from the campus grounds in Dudley, Massachusetts. It provides a real‑world broadcasting and media management platform for approximately 25 active student DJs and a handful of local community hosts.
Historical Milestones
- Early Era (1950s–1970s): The station's roots go back over 70 years, originally broadcasting from Academy Hall. In 1975, it officially birthed its FM presence as a 15‑watt Class‑D station on a different frequency.
- Alumni Hall Transition (2003): The station moved out of Academy Hall into a newly renovated space in Alumni Hall.
- The Jimmy Gahan Dedication (2004): On February 11, 2004, the campus dedicated the radio studio to James "Jimmy" Gahan IV. Jimmy was a popular student DJ who tragically lost his life in the 2003 Station Nightclub fire while on assignment for WNRC to interview the band Great White.
- The Move to 97.5 FM (2005): The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officially assigned the current WNRC‑LP call signs on September 1, 2005, transitioning the station up the dial to 97.5 FM and upgrading its equipment.
- Fels Student Center & Streaming (2006–Present): WNRC began global internet streaming in 2006. In 2013, the studio relocated to its current high‑visibility home inside the Fels Student Center.
Programming & Format
The station runs an eclectic, free‑form college format, allowing student hosts to customize their programming. Content blocks typically include:
- Music: Rotation of indie rock, hip‑hop, classic rock, electronic, pop, and alternative music.
- Talk & Sports: Campus news, student opinion shows, and live play‑by‑play coverage of Nichols College Bison athletics.
- Automation: Syndicated music blocks and student‑curated playlists run when live student DJs are not on the air.
🌐 How to Listen Online
Because the terrestrial 97.5 FM signal is low‑power and local to Dudley, most listeners tune in digitally:
- Stream directly on the official web portal at WNRC Nichols Webcast.
- Listen via global directories like TuneIn Radio, myTuner Radio, and Radio.net.
