WAER

WAER (88.3 FM) is a radio station in Syracuse, New York. It is located on the campus of Syracuse University, and is an auxiliary service of the school.[2] The station features a jazz music and National Public Radio format, with a news, Syracuse Orange play-by-play, and music staff providing programming around the clock.

WAER
CitySyracuse, New York
Broadcast areaCentral New York
Frequency88.3 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingWAER 88.3 FM
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatJazz/News/Sports
SubchannelsHD2: Jazz 88
HD3: Alt 88
AffiliationsNPR
Ownership
OwnerSyracuse University[1]
WERW
History
First air date
April 1, 1947 (1947-04-01)
Call sign meaning
W Alpha Epsilon Rho
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID64354
ClassB
ERP50,000 watts
HAAT84 meters
Transmitter coordinates
43.0339°N 76.1311°W / 43.0339; -76.1311
Links
Public license information
Profile
LMS
WebcastListen Live
Websitewaer.org

It is best known for its sports staff, which has produced the likes of Bob Costas, Mike Tirico, and many others. Lou Reed also hosted a free-format show on WAER during his time at Syracuse University; this free-format radio tradition at Syracuse is carried on by WERW. Other alums include Ted Koppel, Jerry Stiller and Dick Clark. The station is managed by full-time professional staff and employs as many as 50 students each semester.[3][4][5]

History

The station began FM broadcasts as WJIV-FM on April 13, 1947, mainly as a practical workshop for SU radio students.[6][7] After three months, an license renewal from the FCC allowed the students to change the call sign letters to WAER (W Alpha Epsilon Rho), referring to the radio honorary society.[8][9][10] The studios, financial supported by General Electric, were located at Radio House, a set of prefabricated houses near the steps to Mount Olympus.[8] It broadcast at 88.1 MHz and irregular broadcasts included classical music, student activities, as well as official university events.[11][12][13] In 1951, WAER had a regular broadcast license and became Syracuse University's permanent radio station.

Up until 1983, WAER was student-run, but in a controversial decision in 1983, SU took over WAER and hired full-time professionals to run operations and train students.[6]

Former logo

In 2017, a full length documentary titled "The Miracle Microphone: The Impossible History and History Makers of WAER Radio" chronicled the 70-year history of WAER.[8] The documentary was researched and produced by Scott MacFarlane and Keith Kobland and won New York state AP Press Association award in 2019.[14][15][16]

Currently a component of the auxiliary services department, the station will become part of the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications effective July 1, 2020. It will continue to be housed at 795 Ostrom Ave.[10]

Programming

The station programming includes jazz music,[17][18] NPR programming, news,[19] Syracuse Orange play-by-play,[20] and special reporting projects.[21][22]

Sports

The WAER sports staff is made up entirely of students.[23] It provides daily sports updates as well as play-by-play for Syracuse University football, men's basketball, and men's lacrosse. A pregame show begins 30 minutes before each broadcast (Countdown to Kickoff, Tipoff, or Faceoff) with a halftime segment (Orange at the Half) and a postgame wrap-up (The Double Overtime). The Double Overtime, airs after every football, basketball, and lacrosse game.[24]

Music
The WAER/88.3fm transmitter, atop Day Hall

The music department is organized by Eric Cohen, multiple-time winner of National Jazz Programmer of the Year.[17] Cohen is one of the most well-respected and influential jazz DJs of the modern radio era (1970–present).[18] Larry Hoyt is the longtime voice of Common Threads on WAER. Larry blends smooth vocals with whimsical folk melodies. Cora Thomas is the office supervisor and first lady of gospel music in Central New York, as she maintains a Sunday morning show on WAER airing from 6-8AM.

Partnership with WERW

Since February 2010, WAER has partnered with Syracuse University's WERW 1570. WERW is a student-run, free-format station, which returned to the air in 2017 after six years of only being available through iTunes radio.[25] The partnership has resulted in a weekly, 3-hour show, called Real College Radio on WAER, which is hosted by alternating reps of a select cohort of WERW DJs. The genre is adult album alternative (AAA), and each DJ brings their own new flavor to the WAER offerings.

Alumni

See also

References
  1. "FM Broadcast Station License Facility ID: 64354" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  2. "About Us". www.waer.org. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  3. Korey, Eileen (January 15, 2019). "Engaging the Public Media Audience, Serving the Community While Preparing Students for Careers in News and Sports Journalism". SU News. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  4. "Frahm-Hingtgen Named Content and Operations Manager for WAER". SU News. January 14, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  5. Student Opportunities (PDF) (Media notes). WAER 88.3 FM. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  6. "WAER Collection An inventory of the collection at the Syracuse University Archives". library.syr.edu. SU Libraries. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  7. "Syracuse's Infant FM Radio Industry Rapidly Growing into Lusty Giant". The Post-Standard. Syracuse, New York. December 7, 1947. p. 69. Retrieved October 24, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Serving as a practical workshop for Syracuse university radio students, FM Station WAER is a non-commercial station located on the campus of Syracuse university and is managed by Larry Myers. Broadcasting on an assigned frequency of 88.1. mc, WAER has a power output of two and a half watts, which not only covers the campus, but a radius of about three miles.
  8. Speach, Amy (Fall 2017). "The WAER Connection" (PDF). Syracuse University Magazine. Vol. 34 no. 3. Syracuse University. pp. 46–47. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  9. "It began in 1932 for TV-Radio at SU". The Post-Standard. Syracuse, New York. May 31, 1974. p. 6. Retrieved November 24, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. The following year [after 1946], the campus radio station, WAER, was founded
  10. Loughlin, Wendy S. (January 25, 2021). "WAER Will Transition to the Newhouse School This Summer". SU News. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  11. "Radio Station Offering Good Music Listed". The Post-Standard. Syracuse, New York. April 9, 1955. p. 4. Retrieved October 24, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. The exception, of course, is our own Syracuse University FM station. WAER. at 88.1 on the dial. They give us much of the music of the great masters...
  12. "Selection of 'Sauciest' Co-ed Settles SU Saucer Question". The Post-Standard. Syracuse, New York. July 12, 1947. p. 2. Retrieved October 24, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Sponsered by WAER this two hour program...
  13. "400 SU Graduates will Get Degrees at the Chapel Today". The Post-Standard. Syracuse, New York. September 6, 1947. p. 6. Retrieved October 24, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Dr. O'Geran stated Cermonies will be broadcast over the campus experimental FM station WAER.
  14. Niles, Lydia (March 4, 2018). "Syracuse University alum produces documentary on 70-year history of WAER". The Daily Orange. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  15. "NYSAPA broadcast, newspaper award winners announced". AP NEWS. June 2, 2019. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  16. Scott MacFarlane and Keith Kobland (2017). The Miracle Microphone (video). Syracuse University. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  17. Baker, Chris (June 18, 2014). "Changes coming at WAER: More news, less jazz". The Post-Standard. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  18. Kobland, Keith (June 18, 2014). "WAER Changes Format to News All Day, Jazz All Night". SU News. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  19. Intaglietta, Mary Kate (November 18, 2020). "Student Reporters Played Critical Role in WAER 88.3 FM's Election Coverage". SU News. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  20. "WAER News, Sports & Online Efforts Draw 10 Syracuse Press Awards". SU News. May 9, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  21. "WAER 88.3 FM Launches 'City Limits: Winds of Change'". SU News. October 23, 2020. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  22. "About". City Limits. WAER. September 23, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  23. Intaglietta, Mary Kate (January 26, 2021). "WAER 88.3 FM Welcomes New Sports Director". SU News. Retrieved January 27, 2021. As sports director, May will be responsible for leading a team of students in the tradition of providing high-quality sports broadcasts and coverage to...
  24. Macri, Josh (November 9, 2008). "Double Overtime Recap - Rutgers 35 Syracuse 17". The Post-Standard. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  25. Herbert, Geoff (February 10, 2017). "Syracuse radio station returning to airwaves for first time in 6 years". The Post-Standard. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  26. Herbert, Geoff (September 13, 2017). "Marv Albert returns to Syracuse for WAER Hall of Fame, new radio doc". The Post-Standard. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  27. "Ed Levine, Marv Albert Among New WAER Hall of Famers". Insideradio.com. September 14, 2017. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  28. Bush, Greta (September 27, 2018). "WAER Inducts Len Berman '68, G'70 and Steve Kroft '71 into Hall of Fame". SU News. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  29. Niedt, Bob; Post-St, The; ard (April 19, 2012). "Dick Clark, who died Wednesday, had solid connections to SU, Central New York radio and television". syracuse. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  30. Tobin, Dave (June 5, 2013). "Newhouse School to name new studio after America's DJ, Dick Clark". The Post-Standard. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  31. "Bob Costas '74 to Be Enshrined in WAER Hall of Fame". SU News. September 16, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  32. September 21; 2015. "Syracuse Radio Station WAER To Induct NBC's Bob Costas Into HOF". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. Retrieved March 11, 2020.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  33. "Ian Eagle Inducted into WAER Hall of Fame". American Sportscasters Association. August 19, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  34. "'60 Minutes' journalist speaks at SU graduation". The Ithaca Journal. AP. May 13, 1996. p. 12. Retrieved January 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
  35. "Syracuse University to receive Ted Koppel Collection". SU News. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  36. Herbert, Geoff (May 25, 2012). "Syracuse University alumnus Ted Koppel is WAER Hall of Fame's first inductee". The Post-Standard. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  37. Lee, Joe (August 26, 2014). "McDonough '84 Roth '87 Newest Hall of Fame Inductees". www.waer.org. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  38. "Andrew Musser - Obituary". www.legacy.com. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  39. Segelbaum, Dylan; van Rheenan, Erik (November 4, 2013). "Excursions on a Wobbly Rail: Alumna remembers Lou Reed's time at WAER". The Daily Orange. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  40. Kobland, Keith (October 21, 2016). "Dick Stockton '60 Recognizes WAER and Newhouse School During NFL Broadcast". SU News. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  41. Kobland, Keith (February 24, 2014). "Mike Tirico '88 Enshrined on WAER-FM Wall of Fame". SU News. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  42. Lee, Joe (March 3, 2014). "Mike Tirico WAER Hall of Fame Induction". www.waer.org. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  43. "ESPN's Mike Tirico to be inducted into Syracuse University's WAER Radio Hall of Fame". ESPN Front Row. February 28, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
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