WEIU (88.9
FM) is a 4,000 watt
effective radiated power
Effective radiated power (ERP), synonymous with equivalent radiated power, is an IEEE standardized definition of directional radio frequency (RF) power, such as that emitted by a radio transmitter. It is the total power in watts that would ...
radio station
Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radi ...
in
Charleston, Illinois
Charleston is a city in, and the county seat of, Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 17,286, as of the 2020 census. The city is home to Eastern Illinois University and has close ties with its neighbor, Mattoon. Both are p ...
. Owned by
Eastern Illinois University
Eastern Illinois University is a public university in Charleston, Illinois. Established in 1895 as the Eastern Illinois State Normal School, a teacher's college offering a two-year degree, Eastern Illinois University gradually expanded into a co ...
, it is a
sister station
In broadcasting, sister stations or sister channels are radio or television stations operated by the same company, either by direct ownership or through a management agreement.
Radio sister stations will often have different formats, and somet ...
to campus television station
WEIU-TV
WEIU-TV, virtual channel 51 (UHF digital channel 30), is a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member television station licensed to Charleston, Illinois, United States. Owned by Eastern Illinois University (EIU), it is a sister station to campus ...
. The two stations share studios on the EIU campus in Charleston. The station licensee,
Eastern Illinois University
Eastern Illinois University is a public university in Charleston, Illinois. Established in 1895 as the Eastern Illinois State Normal School, a teacher's college offering a two-year degree, Eastern Illinois University gradually expanded into a co ...
is authorized by the
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisd ...
. The station first signed on in 1982.
Mission
WEIU is a student-run
campus radio
Campus radio (also known as college radio, university radio or student radio) is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. Programming may be exclusively created or produc ...
station operating under a guise of a regular-formatted hit radio station. Its aim is to give EIU students hands-on experience and responsibilities in the professional world of radio broadcasting, under various conditions that can be experienced in the real world.
History
WEIU signed on in 1982 as a progressive alternative college radio station airing diverse formats. The station signed off at midnight. On September 9, 2004, Hit-Mix was born. The new 24-hour format not only serves students, but the people of Coles County playing the top hits from the 1950s through today. Requests are always taken via phone or email. Hit-mix also streams online at their website. There have been numerous graduates of WEIU that have gone on to work at commercial stations.
External links
Hit Mix 88.9The Odyssey - EIU's Online Podcast Station*
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EIU
EIU
Radio stations established in 1982
EIU
1982 establishments in Illinois