WBAU (90.3
FM) was the call sign
of the student-operated radio station located at
Adelphi University
Adelphi University is a private university in Garden City, New York, United States. Adelphi also has centers in Downtown Brooklyn, Hudson Valley, and Suffolk County in addition to a virtual, online campus for remote students. As of 2019, it had ...
in
Garden City, New York
Garden City is a village located in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 23,272 at the time of the 2020 census.
The Incorporated Village of Garden City is primarily located within the Town of Hempstead ...
, east of
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan, serving as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building, the ...
.
History
WBAU was located at 90.3 on the FM dial,
which it shared with
WHPC, owned by
Nassau Community College
Nassau Community College (NCC) is a Public college, public community college in the East Garden City, New York, East Garden City section of Uniondale, New York, Uniondale, Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, on Long Island, New York (state), N ...
. Under the original agreement, WHPC owned the frequency from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm, and WBAU owned it from 5:00 pm until 1:00 am. From 1:00 am until 9:00 am, the two stations switched ownership of the frequency on an "odd–even day" basis, although neither station generally operated between 1:00 and 9:00 am until 1982, when the agreement was amended to allow WBAU to operate daily between 6:30 and 9:00 am. WBAU did take advantage of its time during its annual "Radiothon" fundraiser.
WBAU was originally called WALI, and broadcast entirely through
carrier current
Carrier current transmission, originally called wired wireless, employs guided low-power Radio frequency, radio-frequency signals, which are transmitted along electrical conductors. The transmissions are picked up by receivers that are either conne ...
at 640 on the AM dial. When, in 1971, the school decided to expand broadcast to the FM band, a protest by nearby
WHLI
WHLI (1100 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Hempstead, New York, and serving Long Island. It is owned by Connoisseur Media and has an oldies radio format made up of hits from the 60s And 70s
The station's studios and offices are ...
(based on the call letters sounding so similar) led to the change to WBAU. Under these new call letters, the station began FM broadcasting in July 1972.
Notable alumni and former radio staff
* Andre "
Doctor Dré
André Brown (born December 5, 1963), better known as Doctor Dré, is an American rapper, radio personality and former MTV VJ.
Early life
André Brown was born and raised in Westbury, New York, on Long Island.
Career
In the early 1980s, Doc ...
" Brown, (former ''
Yo! MTV Raps
''Yo! MTV Raps'' is an American two-hour television music video program, which first aired on MTV Europe from 1987 to mid-1990s and on MTV, MTV US from August 1988 to August 1995. The American version of the program (created by Ted Demme and Pe ...
'' host), T-Money (also a former ''Yo! MTV Raps'' host), Rapper G., Easy G Rockwell, and Wildman Steve of
Original Concept
* William "
Flavor Flav
William Jonathan Drayton Jr. (born March 16, 1959), known by his stage name Flavor Flav ( ), is an American rapper and television personality. Known for his catchphrase "Yeah, boyeeeeee!" when performing, he is a founding member alongside Chuck ...
" Drayton Jr. of
Public Enemy
Public Enemy is an American Hip-hop, hip hop group formed in Roosevelt, New York, in 1985 by Chuck D and Flavor Flav. The group rose to prominence for their political messages including subjects such as Racism in the United States, American r ...
*
Gary Dell'Abate
* Carlton "
Chuck D
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour (born August 1, 1960), known professionally as Chuck D, is an American rapper, best known as the leader and frontman of the hip hop group Public Enemy, which he co-founded in 1985 with Flavor Flav. Chuck D is also a me ...
" Ridenhour, Hank
"Shocklee" Boxley, and Keith
"Shocklee" Boxley of Public Enemy
*
Adario Strange
*
Al Trautwig
Alan Trautwig (February 26, 1956 – February 23, 2025) was an American sports commentator who worked with MSG Network, ABC, NBC, NBC Sports Network, and USA Network. He later did pre-game and post-game shows for the New York Knicks and New Yo ...
"Adelphi Hall of Famer Al Trautwig '78 Passes Away," Adelphi University Athletics, Monday, February 24, 2025.
Retrieved February 24, 2025.
* Jonathan M. Wolfert, founder of Jam Creative Productions
JAM Creative Productions, Inc., is an American company that produces radio jingles, promo music for television, and commercial jingles for advertisers. It has made more radio jingles than any other jingle company and has become part of America ...
See also
* WHPC — radio station at 90.3 FM that used to share time with WBAU
References
External links
* ( Guide to reading History Cards)
{{Long Island Radio
Adelphi University
Defunct radio stations in the United States
BAU
Radio stations established in 1972
Mass media in Nassau County, New York
Radio stations disestablished in 1995
1972 establishments in New York (state)
1995 disestablishments in New York (state)
BAU