Editing WAMU (section)

==History==
WAMU began as an AM [[carrier-current]] student radio station, signing on July 28, 1951, on {{frequency|1200|[[kHz]]}},<ref name="Lampe1951">{{cite news|title=WAMU Campus Radio Station|last=Lampe|first=Henry|date=October 4, 1951|work=The American University Eagle|location=Washington, D.C.|volume=26|number=1|page=3|url=https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/?a=d&d=AUE19511004.2.18&e=--1944---1959--en-20-AUE-1-byDA-img-txIN-WAMU--------|access-date=August 24, 2020|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405021057/https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/?a=d&d=AUE19511004.2.18&e=--1944---1959--en-20-AUE-1-byDA-img-txIN-WAMU--------|url-status=live}}</ref> before shifting to {{frequency|590|kHz}} in March 1952<ref>{{cite news|title=WAMU Changes Frequency, Joins Inter-Collegiate B'casting Service|author=<!--no byline-->|date=April 24, 1952|work=The American University Eagle|volume=26|number=17|page=1|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/?a=d&d=AUE19520424.2.5&srpos=18&e=--1944---1959--en-20-AUE-1-byDA-img-txIN-WAMU--------|access-date=August 24, 2020|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405021051/https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/?a=d&d=AUE19520424.2.5&srpos=18&e=--1944---1959--en-20-AUE-1-byDA-img-txIN-WAMU--------|url-status=live}}</ref> and {{frequency|610|kHz}} in November 1952.<ref>{{cite news|title=notice|author=<!--no byline-->|date=November 21, 1952|work=The American University Eagle|volume=II|number=8|page=2|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/?a=d&d=AUE19521121.2.14&srpos=27&e=--1944---1959--en-20-AUE-21-byDA-img-txIN-WAMU--------|access-date=August 24, 2020|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405021047/https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/?a=d&d=AUE19521121.2.14&srpos=27&e=--1944---1959--en-20-AUE-21-byDA-img-txIN-WAMU--------|url-status=live}}</ref> Although carrier-current stations are not granted a license or call sign by the FCC, it used "WAMU" as a familiar form of identification.<ref name="WVAU">{{Cite web|url=https://alika.tripod.com/wvau/wugi.html|title=WVAU &#124;|website=alika.tripod.com|access-date=October 16, 2023|archive-date=April 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406110138/https://alika.tripod.com/wvau/wugi.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The station aired a wide range of student-produced programming including music, news, sports, radio dramas, and debates. The station was heralded as a rebirth of the university's prior radio station, WAMC, which operated on {{frequency|590|kHz}} for about two years starting on January 15, 1947,<ref name="Lampe1951" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Station WAMC, 590 KCS|author=<!--no byline-->|date=January 17, 1947|work=The American University Eagle|volume=3|number=5|page=1|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/?a=d&d=AUE19470117&e=--1944---1959--en-20-AUE-1-byDA-img-txIN-WAMC--------|access-date=August 24, 2020|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405021051/https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/?a=d&d=AUE19470117&e=--1944---1959--en-20-AUE-1-byDA-img-txIN-WAMC--------|url-status=live}}</ref> broadcasting with a 50-watt transmitter as part of a plan to offer a full range of radio and television courses at American University.<ref>{{cite news|title=Station WAMC, 590 KCS|author=<!--no byline-->|work=The American Eagle|location=Washington, D.C.|date=January 17, 1947|volume=3|number=5|page=1|url=https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/?a=d&d=AUE19470117&e=-------en-20-AUE-1-byDA-img-txIN-WAMC---------|access-date=March 24, 2022|archive-date=April 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220403202001/https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/?a=d&d=AUE19470117&e=-------en-20-AUE-1-byDA-img-txIN-WAMC---------|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Radio and Television Courses|author=<!--no byline-->|work=NEA Journal|date=October 1947|volume=56|issue=7|page=538|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_todays-education_1947-10_36_7/page/536/mode/1up|access-date=March 23, 2022|via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> WAMC's operations were sporadic and the station suffered interference from a 50,000-watt station broadcasting from Mexico on the same frequency,<ref>{{cite news|title=Refreshed WAMC to Hit Air Waves|author=<!--no byline-->|work=The American Eagle|location=Washington, D.C.|date=March 19, 1947|volume=1|number=4|page=1|url=https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/?a=d&d=AUE19470319.2.1&srpos=5&e=-------en-20-AUE-1-byDA-img-txIN-WAMC---------|access-date=March 24, 2022|archive-date=April 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220403202001/https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/?a=d&d=AUE19470319.2.1&srpos=5&e=-------en-20-AUE-1-byDA-img-txIN-WAMC---------|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=590 on Your Dial|last=Harvey|first=Carol Jean|work=The American Eagle|location=Washington, D.C.|date=December 3, 1947|volume=22|number=7|page=3|url=https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/?a=d&d=AUE19471203.2.17&e=-------en-20-AUE-1-byDA-img-txIN-WAMC---------|access-date=March 24, 2022|archive-date=March 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324124458/https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/?a=d&d=AUE19471203.2.17&e=-------en-20-AUE-1-byDA-img-txIN-WAMC---------|url-status=live}}</ref> but it finally went off the air after station equipment was stolen in 1950.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=WAMU|last=O'Dell|first=Cary|encyclopedia=The Concise Encyclopedia of American Radio|pages=818–819|editor1-last=Sterling|editor1-first=Christopher H.|editor2-last=O'Dell|editor2-first=Cary|year=2010|publisher=Routledge|location=Milton Park, England|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dmmLAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA818|access-date=March 24, 2022|isbn=9781135176846}}</ref>

Throughout the late 1950s, students and faculty involved with WAMU-AM pushed to create an FM station that could reach beyond campus and serve Washington, D.C., as a whole.<ref>{{cite news|title=Grown-Up Radio: WAMU at 20|date=October 18, 1981|last=Harrington|first=Richard|newspaper=The Washington Post|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/style/1981/10/18/grown-up-radio-wamu-at-20/e7df36cc-534f-48da-b352-b0a8be61e86e/|access-date=August 24, 2020}}</ref> In late 1960, the university received a non-commercial FM broadcasting license, and WAMU made its first FM broadcast on October 23, 1961, on {{frequency|88.5|[[MHz]]}} using a 4,000-watt second-hand transmitter acquired from [[WGBH (FM)|WGBH]] in Boston.<ref>{{Cite news|title=A New Program On the Campus: Students Air Their Studies|last=Donihi|first=Rosemary|date=October 22, 1961|work=The Washington Post and Times-Herald|id = {{ProQuest|141459407}}}}</ref><ref name=History>{{cite web |title=WAMU 88.5 History |url=http://wamu.org/about/history |access-date=September 26, 2014 |archive-date=October 26, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026224134/http://wamu.org/about/history |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Lornell2020">{{cite book|last=Lornell|first=Kip|title=Capital Bluegrass: Hillbilly Music Meets in Washington|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=evjCDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA152|access-date=August 10, 2020|year=2020|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford, England|isbn=978-0-19-986311-2|pages=152–154}}</ref> Although it was not strictly necessary as the AM carrier-current station's call sign was not official, the FM station took the suffixed call sign "WAMU-FM" to differentiate itself. The station dropped the -FM suffix in 1981.<ref name="FCCHistoryCard" />

WAMU-FM station was established as an "education station" operated by the university, not as a student-run station.<ref>{{cite news|title={{sic|CC|Discusses|nolink=y}} Eagle Policy WAMU-FM|author=<!--no byline-->|work=The American University Eagle|location=Washington, D.C.|date=November 2, 1960|volume=35|number=9|page=1|url=https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=AUE19601102.2.3&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN-WAMU--------|access-date=August 12, 2020|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405021048/https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=AUE19601102.2.3&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN-WAMU--------|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite this about 75 AU students, many of whom also worked at the carrier-current station, produced local programming for WAMU-FM.<ref>{{cite news|title=FM Station Dedicated; Cultural Programs Begun|author=<!--no byline-->|work=The AU Reporter|location=Washington, D.C.|volume=10|number=3|page=1|date=October 1961|hdl=1961/auislandora:75482}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=WAMU Goes FM Oct. 23; AM Continues On Campus|author=<!--no byline-->|work=The American University Eagle|location=Washington, D.C.|date=September 20, 1961|volume=36|number=1|page=3|url=https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=AUE19610920.2.17&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN-WAMU--------|access-date=August 12, 2020|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405021049/https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=AUE19610920.2.17&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN-WAMU--------|url-status=live}}</ref> In its first year of operation, WAMU simulcast the same programming, which included educational programs, dramas, and classical music, on AM and FM for three hours each evening.<ref>{{cite news|title=WAMU Starts Broadcasts; To Present Music, News|last=Rogers|first=Dan|work=The American University Eagle|date=October 4, 1961|volume=36|number=3|page=4|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=AUE19611004.2.33&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN-WAMU--------|access-date=August 12, 2020|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405021048/https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=AUE19611004.2.33&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN-WAMU--------|url-status=live}}</ref>

From its inception as a student-run station, WAMU provided public affairs and educational programming. With the launch of its FM service in 1961, WAMU joined the nascent [[National Educational Radio Network]], a predecessor to NPR. In 1971, the station was a founding member of [[National Public Radio]].<ref name="History"/><ref name="Lornell2020" />

In 1967, WAMU-FM began programming bluegrass music which, in its heyday on the main channel, included the ''Lee Michael Demsey Show'' and the ''Ray Davis Show'' and weekends included  ''Stained Glass Bluegrass'' and [[West Virginia Public Broadcasting|West Virginia Public Radio]]'s ''[[Mountain Stage]]''. The station hosted an annual bluegrass concert at [[Fairfax High School (Fairfax, Virginia)|Fairfax High School]], as well as the yearly "Pickin' in the Glen" concert, featuring performers such as [[Alison Krauss]], Tony Rice, the Gibson Brothers, the Lewis Family, Hot Rize, and Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers.<ref name="Lornell2020" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Mission & History |url=http://bluegrasscountry.org/about/history/ |access-date=March 10, 2014 |archive-date=March 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310225329/http://bluegrasscountry.org/about/history/ |url-status=live }}</ref> However, starting in the late 1990s, the station began paring back its on-air bluegrass programming in favor of news/talk programming.<ref name="Lornell2020" /> In summer 2001, the station fully transitioned its weekday programming to all news and public affairs from various providers including [[NPR]], [[Public Radio International|PRI]], [[American Public Media|APM]] and the [[BBC World Service]],<ref name="History"/> and in September 2007 the station removed the last of its bluegrass programming from its main channel, shifting it all to the HD2 subchannel.<ref name="Announcement">{{cite web|title=WAMU HD-channels Programming Change Announcement|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011115101/http://wamu.org/programs/messages/07/09/02.php|archive-date=October 11, 2007|url=http://wamu.org/programs/messages/07/09/02.php|url-status=dead|publisher=WAMU|location=Washington, D.C.|access-date=August 25, 2020}}</ref>

On May 7, 2004, WAMU-FM began digital broadcasting using the [[HD Radio]] standard and launched the Americana-music station ''Bluegrass Country'' on its HD2 subchannel.<ref>{{cite news|title=American University's WAMU(FM) is beta-testing a second digital channel with special authorization from the FCC|last=Stimson|first=Leslie|date=June 1, 2004|work=Radio World|location=Bailey's Crossroads, Virginia|url=https://www.radioworld.com/tech-and-gear/digital-news-wamu-goes-digital-has-second-channel|access-date=August 25, 2020|archive-date=October 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025002545/https://www.radioworld.com/tech-and-gear/digital-news-wamu-goes-digital-has-second-channel|url-status=live}}</ref> The station also operated for several years an HD3 service, WAMU-3, broadcasting a mix of talk and music programming, including simulcast programming from [[Towson University]]'s [[WTMD#Relationship with Washington|WTMD]].<ref name="Announcement" /><ref>{{cite news|title=WAMU Multicasting Gets 'Real' With Planned HD3 Launch, Receiver Giveaways|last=Stimson|first=Leslie|work=Radio World|date=September 4, 2007|location=Alexandria, Virginia|url=https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/wamu-multicasting-gets-real-with-planned-hd3-launch-receiver-giveaways|access-date=August 25, 2020|archive-date=November 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124035650/https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/wamu-multicasting-gets-real-with-planned-hd3-launch-receiver-giveaways|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=For WAMU and its listeners, HD Radio means more slices of pie to go around|first=Caryn G.|last=Mathes|date=September 8, 2009|work=Current|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://current.org/2009/09/for-wamu-and-its-listeners-hd-radio-means-more-slices-of-pie-to-go-around/|access-date=August 18, 2023|archive-date=August 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230818124922/https://current.org/2009/09/for-wamu-and-its-listeners-hd-radio-means-more-slices-of-pie-to-go-around/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Also in 2004, the prominent Washington journalist Ellen Wadley Roper left WAMU a $250,000 [[bequest]], the largest gift in the station's history.<ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=WAMU 88.5 FM Receives $250,000 Bequest; Largest Gift in Station's History |url=http://augcluster.american.edu/AU/media/mediarel.nsf/608575dac58ec4a785256869007c9cba/93ef7810ed02740885256e70005ac41b |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=American University |date=April 8, 2004 |access-date=September 26, 2014 |archive-date=October 27, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027002320/http://augcluster.american.edu/AU/media/mediarel.nsf/608575dac58ec4a785256869007c9cba/93ef7810ed02740885256e70005ac41b |url-status=dead }}</ref>

When fellow public radio station [[WETA (FM)|WETA]] returned to an all-classical music format in 2007, WAMU became [[Washington, D.C.]]'s only full-time public news station, ending two years of competition between the stations for D.C.'s NPR news audience.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Classical WETA's Official Release |url=https://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowldc/classical-wetas-official-release_b5166 |access-date=March 10, 2014 |archive-date=March 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310213913/https://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowldc/classical-wetas-official-release_b5166 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Format Swap Announced for WETA, WGMS Radio|date=January 22, 2007|author=<!--no byline-->|work=DCist|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://dcist.com/story/07/01/22/format-swap-ann/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070401213644/https://dcist.com/archives/2007/01/22/format_swap_ann.php|archive-date=April 1, 2007|access-date=August 25, 2020}}</ref>

In December 2015, WAMU executives announced that long-time program host [[Diane Rehm]], who began working at WAMU in 1973, would be stepping down from her show following the 2016 Presidential election, representing a major shake-up in WAMU's programming lineup. Rehm, then 79, stated that she wanted a younger voice to take her place at WAMU. Also in 2015, [[Kojo Nnamdi]] lost the local public affairs program ''[[The Kojo Nnamdi Show]]'''s second hour of broadcasting, showing a trend for easier-to-access media for younger consumers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.washingtonian.com/2015/12/16/wamu-diane-rehm-jj-yore-kojo-nnamdi-andi-mcdaniel-changes/|title=WAMU Is Making Big Changes. Here's a Look at Its Plans|last=Beaujon|first=Andrew|work=Washingtonian|date=December 16, 2015|location=Washington, D.C.|access-date=August 25, 2020|archive-date=August 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200817190957/https://www.washingtonian.com/2015/12/16/wamu-diane-rehm-jj-yore-kojo-nnamdi-andi-mcdaniel-changes/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2021, Nnamdi retired his daily program although he continued to host the weekly "The Politics Hour" program with analyst Tom Sherwood.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kojo Nnamdi, long-running Washington radio host, is retiring from daily show after 23 years|last=Farhi|first=Paul|date=January 13, 2021|newspaper=The Washington Post|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/kojo-nnamdi-retires-wamu/2021/01/13/0c8dc576-55b0-11eb-a931-5b162d0d033d_story.html|access-date=April 12, 2021|archive-date=February 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203134436/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/kojo-nnamdi-retires-wamu/2021/01/13/0c8dc576-55b0-11eb-a931-5b162d0d033d_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 2018, it was announced that WAMU, [[KPCC (radio station)|KPCC]] and [[New York Public Radio|WNYC]] had bought the archives of [[Gothamist]], and WAMU would resume the publication of local Washington news site [[DCist]] in Spring 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/nyregion/gothamist-dnainfo-deal-wnyc-publish-again.html|title=Gothamist Will Publish Again in Deal With WNYC|first=Andy|last=Newman|work=The New York Times|date=February 23, 2018|location=New York City, New York|access-date=August 25, 2020|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405032457/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/nyregion/gothamist-dnainfo-deal-wnyc-publish-again.html|url-status=live}}</ref> WAMU relaunched ''DCist'' on June 11, 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schweitzer |first=Ally |url=https://wamu.org/story/18/06/11/dcist-officially-back-ready-breathe-new-life-local-news/ |title=DCist Is Officially Back — And Ready To Breathe New Life Into Local News |publisher=WAMU |location=Washington, D.C. |date=June 11, 2018 |access-date=June 15, 2018 |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405221714/https://wamu.org/story/18/06/11/dcist-officially-back-ready-breathe-new-life-local-news/ |url-status=live }}</ref> WAMU shut down ''DCist'' and laid off all its journalists on February 23, 2024. Initially, WAMU added a [[URL redirection|redirect]] from the ''DCist'' website to the WAMU homepage which blocked access to all ''DCist'' articles.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Izadi |first1=Elahe |last2=Sommer |first2=Will |title=WAMU shuts down local news site DCist, will lay off reporters |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2024/02/23/wamu-layoffs-dcist-shutdown/ |access-date=February 23, 2024 |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |date=February 23, 2024 |archive-date=February 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223170735/https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2024/02/23/wamu-layoffs-dcist-shutdown/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=February 23, 2024 |title=WAMU restructures, shuts down popular news site DCist |url=https://wjla.com/news/local/wamu-restructures-shuts-down-popular-news-site-dcist-audio-radio-digital-news-blog-website-layoffs-new-roles-washington |access-date=February 28, 2024 |website=[[WJLA-TV]] |language=en |archive-date=February 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227194941/https://wjla.com/news/local/wamu-restructures-shuts-down-popular-news-site-dcist-audio-radio-digital-news-blog-website-layoffs-new-roles-washington |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="WAMU on DCist Website Feb 2024">{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Elliot C. |date=February 28, 2024 |title=DCist archive will be available for 1 year, as WAMU seeks long-term home for beloved news site |url=https://wamu.org/story/24/02/28/wamu-restores-access-to-dcist-archives-after-shutting-down-the-local-news-site/ |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=WAMU |language=en}}</ref> However, following public criticism, WAMU restored access to the ''DCist'' website and stated they will continue to make it "available to the public for at least a year as it seeks a long-term home for the archive".<ref name="WAMU on DCist Website Feb 2024" />