WFYI-FM (90.1

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...

) is a

public radio Public broadcasting (or public service broadcasting) is radio, television, and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service with a commitment to avoiding political and commercial influence. Public broadcasters receive ...

station in

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

. It is operated by

Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Broadcasting Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Media, Inc. (MIPM) is a non-profit organization in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, that operates television station WFYI and radio station WFYI-FM, which are member stations of the Public Broadcasting Ser ...

, a public broadcasting community licensee which also operates the area's

Public Broadcasting Service The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia Arlington County, or simply Arlington, is a County (United States), county in the ...

(PBS) member station, WFYI Public Television via on-air digital channels 20.1, 20.2 and 20.3. WFYI-FM is a member of

National Public Radio National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...

(NPR) and carries news and information programming, plus weekly shows featuring the

Indianapolis Symphony The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO) is a major American orchestra based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The largest performing arts organization in Indiana, the orchestra was founded in 1930 and is based at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in downtow ...

the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, ''Harmonia'', and the possible return of ''Classics by Request'', ''Evening Concert'', and ''Opera Hour''. The studios and offices for WFYI-TV-FM are off North Meridian Street in Indianapolis. The

transmitter In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter (often abbreviated as XMTR or TX in technical documents) is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna (radio), antenna with the purpose of sig ...

is on Township Line Road, also in Indianapolis. WFYI-FM has an

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 ha ...

(ERP) of 10,000

watt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of Power (physics), power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantification (science), quantify the rate of Work ...

s. It broadcasts in the

HD Radio HD Radio (HDR) is a trademark for in-band on-channel (IBOC) digital radio broadcast technology. HD radio generally simulcast, simulcasts an existing analog radio station in digital format with less noise and with additional text information. HD R ...

hybrid format. Its HD2 subchannel is known as "The Point", playing

Adult Album Alternative Adult album alternative (also triple-A, AAA, or adult alternative) is a radio format. See pages 9 and 10Mills, Joshua. "A New Radio Music Format: Rock for Prosperous Adults" New York Times, Feb 28 1994, p. 2. ProQuest. Web. Accessed September 4, ...

and

World Music "World music" is an English phrase for styles of music from non-English speaking countries, including quasi-traditional, Cross-cultural communication, intercultural, and traditional music. World music's broad nature and elasticity as a musical ...

. Most of WFYI-FM's programming is also simulcast on WNDY in Crawfordsville and WISU in

Terre Haute Terre Haute ( ) is a city in Vigo County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 58,389 and its metropolitan area had a population of 168,716. Located along the Wabash River about e ...

History

The station

signed on A sign-on (or start-up in Commonwealth countries except Canada) is the beginning of operations for a radio broadcasting, radio or television station, generally at the start of each day. It is the opposite of a sign-off (or closedown in Commonw ...

for the first time on October 14, 1954, as WIAN, operated by the

Indianapolis Public Schools Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) is the largest school district in Indianapolis, and the second largest school district in the state of Indiana as of 2021, behind Fort Wayne Community Schools. The district's headquarters are in the John Mort ...

, with the license held by the Board of School Commissioners. At first, it was powered at only 120 watts. The station offered classroom instruction and some student programming. In the 1960s, the station increased its power to the current 10,000 watts. After years of operating at low power and limited hours, it expanded its hours and programming through a partnership with The Fine Arts Society of Indianapolis in which the Society broadcast

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...

, apart from some hours devoted to educational programming. This gave WIAN enough hours to become a charter member of

NPR National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...

in 1971. IPS sold the station to Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Broadcasting in 1988, and on March 15, 1988, it changed its

call sign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally as ...

to WFYI-FM. Over time, the amount of classical music was decreased as the station added more news and informational programming. WFYI is the home base of the health news service Side Effects Public Media.

IRIS

WFYI 90.1 FM Public Radio carries services for the print-impaired via the Internet and a

subcarrier A subcarrier is a sideband of a radio frequency carrier wave, which is modulated to send additional information. Examples include the provision of colour in a black and white television system or the provision of stereo in a monophonic radio bro ...

( SCA) broadcast signal. It is known as the Indiana Reading and Information Services (IRIS). It was previously named Central Indiana Radio Reading, Inc. (CIRRI).

References

External links

WFYI official website
* {{coord, 39.900, N, 86.200, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title FYI NPR member stations Mass media in Indianapolis Radio stations established in 1954 1954 establishments in Indiana