WSUC-FM (90.5 FM) is a

college 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 produced ...

station

broadcasting Broadcasting is the data distribution, distribution of sound, audio audiovisual content to dispersed audiences via a electronic medium (communication), mass communications medium, typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), ...

variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

format from the

State University of New York at Cortland The State University of New York at Cortland (SUNY Cortland, C-State, or Cortland State) is a public university in Cortland, New York. It was founded in 1868 and is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. History The State Univ ...

(SUNY Cortland). The station is owned and licensed by the

State University of New York The State University of New York (SUNY ) is a system of Public education, public colleges and universities in the New York (state), State of New York. It is one of the List of largest universities and university networks by enrollment, larges ...

at Cortland in

Cortland, New York Cortland is a city and the county seat of Cortland County, New York, United States. Known as the Crown City, Cortland is in New York's Southern Tier region. As of 2024, the estimated population of Cortland, New York, is 17,196, reflecting a dec ...

, United States.

History

WSUC-FM went on the air officially on November 29, 1976. Prior to becoming WSUC-FM, the university radio station broadcast in AM with the

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 ...

WCSU. The station had expected to retain the WCSU call sign but the FCC's FM license application required 5 potential call sign choices. The five choices given on the application were WCSU, WMLF (Station Manager Michael Flaster's initials), WCJL (Corey Leibow, the Program Director's initials), WRTC (the Chief Engineer, Dick Crozier's initials), and as a joke, WSUC. It turned out the first 4 had already been assigned so the station was assigned WSUC for its FM license. Shortly after the negative exposure garnered by record fines levied against the station by the F.C.C. in 1993, the station underwent a major restructure and overhaul. Following the FCC fine, an inspection of the broadcast studios found the station to be in a state of disrepair and neglect. Crozier was soon ousted as Chief Engineer. Tim Backer, current Director of Engineering for Galaxy Communications, was brought into oversee redesign and repairs to the station's broadcasting infrastructure as well both broadcast and production studios. Repairs and upgrades to the station were completed in 1994.

FCC Notice of Apparent Liability

On January 7, 1993, the radio station was fined $23,750 by the FCC for a June 21, 1992, mid-afternoon broadcast which included the uncensored version of the lead single " Yo-Da-Lin in the Valley" from the

Kid Rock Robert James Ritchie (born January 17, 1971), known professionally as Kid Rock, is an American musician, singer, rapper, and songwriter. After establishing himself in the Music of Detroit#Hip-hop, Detroit hip-hop scene, he broke through into m ...

album

Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast ''Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast'' is the debut studio album by American musician Kid Rock. Released on November 27, 1990 by Jive Records, the album is marked by a straightforward hip hop style, in contrast to the rock-oriented sound of his lat ...

and the explicit lyrics version of "I'm Not Your Puppet" from the Hi-C album Skanless. At the time, this was the largest fine the FCC had ever levied against a non-commercial radio station for a violation of the commission's "obscenity, indecency, and profanity" regulations. The university appealed the $23,750 fine stating that the fine was excessive and that due to a lack of a

playlist A playlist is a list of video or audio files that can be played back on a media player, either sequentially or in a shuffled order. In its most general form, an audio playlist is simply a list of songs that can be played once or in a loop. ...

and with no identifying announcements on the recording submitted to the FCC, SUNY was unable to ascertain if the alleged broadcast had actually aired on WSUC. SUNY also argued that it had been discovered shortly after the alleged broadcast that the student DJ who was logged on the transmitter at the date and time of the alleged broadcast had also stolen station equipment and forged purchase orders. According to a certified arrest report provided to the FCC, the student was criminally convicted, sentenced and later officially banned from the SUNY Cortland campus on threat of criminal trespass. On July 28, 1998, the FCC fine was reduced to $4,200.

References

External links

*
WSUC-FM The Dragon History
* {{NPR New York SUC-FM NPR member stations SUC-FM State University of New York at Cortland Radio stations established in 1976 1976 establishments in New York (state)

History

FCC Notice of Apparent Liability

See also

References

External links