WAMU 88.5-FM, the leading public radio station in the D.C. area with nearly 800,000 listeners each week, reached another milestone Oct. 23 when it celebrated its 50th year on the air.
WAMU, which is licensed to AU, is a member of the National Public Radio network.
In addition to offering local, national and international news coverage, WAMU is home to acclaimed talk shows such as “The Kojo Nnamdi Show” and the internationally syndicated “Diane Rehm Show.”
“The history and heritage of WAMU is extraordinary; it’s impressive,” said Rebecca Sheir, the host of WAMU’s local program “Metro Connection.” “WAMU was a pioneer in radio long before I even knew what radio was.”
WAMU’s History
Before it evolved into the broadcast powerhouse it is today, WAMU started out as a simple idea.
On April 7, 1954, several AU students and alumni formed a committee to bring an educational FM radio station to AU, according to WAMU’s website.
Seven years later, on October 23, 1961, WAMU was born. The station debuted on the air from AU’s campus using a modest 4,000-watt transmitter and had no paid employees until two years after its inception. Even after 6 years on the air, WAMU had no news staff, according to its website.
Despite its humble beginnings, 1973 proved to be a noteworthy year in the station’s history when it became the first public radio station to broadcast 24 hours a day. That was also the year Diane Rehm came on board.
“When I started out, it was such a small operation,” Rehm said. “I was doing the program totally alone.”
WAMU Today
Now, 38 years later, Rehm has a full staff and hosts her own award-winning and critically acclaimed call-in radio show, which reaches an audience of 2 million each week across the globe.
“Being able to reach people around the world who know and rely on the program, who call in … from all around the world, that’s exciting,” Rehm said. “To know that there’s a listening audience that really benefits from hearing the program each day.”
Sheir believes WAMU stands out from other national public radio stations in its dedication to provide listeners with in-depth coverage of the news and topics that are relevant to their community.
“I take a lot of pride in that [local component],” Sheir said. “That we are committed to serving the country, of course, but Washingtonians especially.”
When asked about WAMU’s relationship with AU, Rehm was full of praise.
“American University has always valued this station,” she said. “As we have grown, the University relies on this station to make sure that its own stature has grown right along with it.”
AU President Neil Kerwin said the station is a valuable service to the Washington region, the nation and the world.
“WAMU is one of the best examples of American University’s commitment to the multiple audiences in our D.C. community and beyond,” Kerwin said. “Through its 50 years, WAMU has perfected the model of American journalism at its finest and of what a public radio station should be.”
And despite a tough economy, WAMU employees envision more growth in their station’s future. The station has added more reporters and revamped its website with more multimedia, said Tara Boyle, managing producer of "Metro Connection."
WAMU is also looking to push the boundaries with its programming, Boyle said. Last year, the “Kojo Nnamdi Show” flew to Haiti after a devastating earthquake shook the country and aired a series of live broadcasts from Port-au-Prince.
“It was challenging, logistically,” Boyle said, laughing at her own understatement.
Rehm said she was impressed by how far the radio station has progressed over 50 years.
“I’m just so proud to be a part of this organization that has grown and has demonstrated its ability to meet the challenges of a new media environment,” Rehm said.
She expressed optimism about WAMU’s role in the years to come.
“We have grown, and moved, and reshaped ourselves. Who knows what our future is going to be?” she said. “All I know is the station continues to grow and to be a very tall beacon in this city and, indeed, in this country.”
lnam@theeagleonline.com
