News 2017: End of an era at WUMD-FM, but WUMD.R0CKS ready to roll Monday

UMass Dartmouth’s radio station to celebrate 42 years of broadcasting, and begin anew as online station

WUMD, the UMass Dartmouth radio station that has been broadcasting an eclectic mix of music and public affairs programming for 42 years, will sign off its 89.3FM signal at noon Monday. The station will begin a new chapter in its broadcasting life, going totally online at WUMD.ROCKS at 12:01 p.m.

Starting at 8 a.m. Monday, the “current DJs and some surprise guests will pay tribute to our beloved listening community, the music and the people of WUSM/WSMU/WUMD,” said WUMD Station Manager Jen Mulcare-Sullivan. A live video feed from the studio will be available at WUMD.ROCKS and on WUMD’s Facebook page.

Mulcare-Sullivan said nearly all of the current programming that listeners have enjoyed in recent years will be available online, including: Show Tunes in the Afternoon, State of the Queer Nation, Broadband Noise, Not Just Twinkies and HoHos, Braziliance, Jazz Flight, Citibeat, Roots Radical Connection, Music for Sunday, Celtic Stew , Blitzkrieg, and Rock N Roll High School.

In the fall, when students return, WUMD also plans to air the following:

Tech Talk, a show developed in collaboration with the university’s First Robotics team, the SouthCoast Corsairs; a new sports show; and Torch Radio, a collaboration with the student newspaper.

The WUMD move to an entirely online format follows UMass Dartmouth reaching an agreement to transfer its FM license to Rhode Island Public Radio in return for $1.5 million in cash, $617,000 in underwriting on RIPR, and academic and community engagement initiatives. Most of the proceeds will be used to support need-based financial aid for students.

The university has committed to invest $25,000 in modernization of radio station equipment.