View source for WUMB-FM

{{Short description|Public radio station in Boston}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| logo               = File:WUMB919.png
| format             = [[Americana (music)|Americana]]; [[American folk music|roots]]; [[blues]]; [[Folk music|folk]]
| power              =
| class              = A
| former_callsigns   =
| former_frequencies =
| owner              = [[University of Massachusetts Boston]]
| licensee           = [[University of Massachusetts]]
| name               = WUMB-FM
| city               = [[Boston|Boston, Massachusetts]]
| country            = US
| area               = [[Greater Boston]]
| branding           = WUMB Radio
| frequency          = {{Frequency|91.9|[[MHz]]}} {{HD Radio}}
| translator         = {{Radio Relay|105.3 MHz|W287DE|[[Orleans, Massachusetts|Orleans]]}} (rebroadcasts WFPB)
| repeater           = [[#Repeater stations|(see table below)]]
| airdate            = {{Start date|1982|09|19}}<ref name=by1999>{{cite book|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999|year=1999|pages=D–208–14|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1999/D-Radio-AL-NE-BC-YB-1999..pdf|access-date=January 16, 2012}}</ref>
| language           =
| erp                = 160 watts
| haat               = {{Convert|189|m|ft|sp=us}}
| facility_id        = 66578
| licensing_authority = [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
| coordinates        = {{coord|42|14|49.4|N|71|2|54.2|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark|name=WUMB-FM|display=inline,title}}
| callsign_meaning   = University of Massachusetts Boston
| affiliations       = [[American Public Media]]
| sister_stations    =
| webcast            = {{listenlive|http://player.streamguys.com/wumb/sgplayer/player.php}}
| website            = {{URL|http://www.wumb.org/}}
}}

'''WUMB-FM''' (91.9 [[FM broadcasting|FM]]) in [[Boston, Massachusetts]], is the radio station of the [[University of Massachusetts Boston]]. It broadcasts a mix of [[Americana (music)|Americana]], [[blues]], [[American folk music|roots]], and [[Folk music|folk]] hosted by its staff weekdays. On weekends the station concentrates on traditional folk, [[Celtic music|Celtic]], blues, and [[world music]] including syndicated programs.<ref>[http://wumb.org/about/overview.php WUMB website] history and overview page</ref><ref>[http://www.wumb.org/programs/programdescriptions.php?SortPrograms=4 WUMB website] program description page</ref>  Overnight programming starting at midnight and usually through 5{{nbsp}}am is a repeat of a portion of the previous day's programming; an announcement of this fact is made at midnight. The station has received many awards for its folk music programming.<ref>[http://www.wumb.org/about/awards.php Contact Us]</ref>

==Programming==
WUMB-FM operates as a noncommercial [[public broadcasting|public radio]]–style station which carries some [[National Public Radio|NPR]] programming. HD Radio technology allows WUMB to transmit a high-quality digital signal.<ref>[http://wumb.org/hdradio/ HD radio page]. wumb.org.</ref> 
Due to the crowded state of the noncommercial end of the FM dial in New England, WUMB operates at a modest 160 watts, effectively limiting its coverage area to Boston itself and its innermost suburbs.  To widen its signal, it operates a network of eight repeater stations across eastern Massachusetts and southern [[New Hampshire]]. WUMB-FM can also be heard on the Internet at both low bit rate for those with dial up connection and in stereo for those with broadband service.

Since 1998, WUMB has sponsored a live music festival, called the Boston Folk Festival through 2009, but renamed to WUMB Music Fest in 2010 and 2011.  The first festival was held at scattered sites in Boston's Back Bay.  Since then, it has taken place on the University of Massachusetts-Boston campus.   The event is currently{{when|date=May 2021}} in hiatus, however WUMB does continue to participate in music festivals around New England like the Lowell Summer Music Series and the New Bedford Folk Festival.<ref>[http://www.bostonfolkfestival.org/ WUMB Music Fest]</ref>

Until 2013, WUMB broadcast with 660 watts, with a [[height above average terrain]] of 63 meters; after the station lost its then–transmitter site, the station moved to a new site and began broadcasting with its present 160-watt facility.

Original materials from WUMB have been contributed to the [[American Archive of Public Broadcasting]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=WUMB in the American Archive of Public Broadcasting|url=https://americanarchive.org/participating-orgs/1441|access-date=2020-07-23|website=americanarchive.org}}</ref>

==Repeater stations==
In addition to the main station, WUMB is relayed by eight repeaters and one translator to widen its broadcast area.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! [[Call signs in North America|Call sign]]
! data-sort-type="number" | [[Frequency]]
! [[City of license]]
! class="unsortable" | First air date
! data-sort-type="number" | [[Nominal power|Power]]<br />(W)
! data-sort-type="number" | [[Effective radiated power|ERP]]<br />(W)
! data-sort-type="number" | [[Height above average terrain|Height]]<br />(m (ft))
! [[List of North American broadcast station classes|Class]]
! data-sort-type="number" | [[Facility ID]]
! class="unsortable" | Coordinates
! class="unsortable" | Call Sign Meaning
! class="unsortable" | Former Call Signs
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| '''WFPB'''{{Efn|group="sta"|WFPB operated as a commercial station from 1970 until its donation to UMass Boston by GramCam Communications in 1998.<ref name=nerw-wkpedonation>{{cite news|last=Fybush|first=Scott|title=WNFT, WNTN Sold|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-980925.html|access-date=January 16, 2012|newspaper=North East RadioWatch|date=September 25, 1998}}</ref>}}
| 1170&nbsp;kHz
| [[Orleans, Massachusetts|Orleans]]
| April 10, 1970<ref name=by1999/>
| 670 (daytime only)
| {{sdash}}
| {{sdash}}
| D
| {{FID|8591}}
| {{coord|41|46|50.4|N|70|0|36.07|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WFPB}}
| derived from WFPB-FM (see below)
| WVLC (1970–1980)<br />WKZE (1980–1983)<br />WVLC (1983–1985)<br />WKPE (1985–1998)
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| '''WBPR'''
| 91.9&nbsp;MHz
| [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]]
| 1994<ref name=by1999/>
| {{sdash}}
| 270
| {{convert|213|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| A
| {{FID|69163}}
| {{coord|42|18|11.3|N|71|53|50.3|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WBPR}}
| "Boston Public Radio"
| 
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| '''WFPB-FM'''
| 91.9&nbsp;MHz
| [[Falmouth, Massachusetts|Falmouth]]
| 1995
| {{sdash}}
| 260 (horizontal)<br />5,200 (vertical)
| {{convert|76.1|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| A
| {{FID|69057}}
| {{coord|41|36|50.3|N|70|35|54.1|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WFPB-FM}}
| "Falmouth Public Broadcasting"
| 
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| '''WNEF'''
| 91.7&nbsp;MHz
| [[Newburyport, Massachusetts|Newburyport]]
| January 13, 2002<ref name=nerw-wnefstart>{{cite news|last=Fybush|first=Scott|title=Is WKNJ Gone For Good?|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-020107.html|access-date=January 16, 2012|newspaper=North East RadioWatch|date=January 7, 2002}}</ref> 
| {{sdash}} 
| 1 (horizontal)<br />1,000 (vertical)
| {{convert|100|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| A
| {{FID|93889}}
| {{coord|42|51|56.3|N|70|56|15.1|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WNEF}}
| "We're New England's Folk"<ref name=nerw-wnefstart/>
| 
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| '''WUMG'''{{Efn|group="sta"|WUMG shares time with [[high school radio]] station [[WAVM]] in [[Maynard, Massachusetts|Maynard]].}}
| 91.7&nbsp;MHz
| [[Stow, Massachusetts|Stow]]
| August 10, 2010
| {{sdash}}
| 500
| {{convert|23.5|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| A
| {{FID|122279}}
| {{coord|42|25|17.3|N|71|27|8.2|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WUMG}}
| disambiguation of WUMB
| 
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| '''WUMT'''
| 91.7&nbsp;MHz
| [[Marshfield, Massachusetts|Marshfield]]
| November 2011
| {{sdash}}
| 1,100
| {{convert|25|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| A
| {{FID|122278}}
| {{coord|42|4|38.3|N|70|42|19.1|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WUMT}}
| disambiguation of WUMB
|  
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| '''WUMV'''
| 88.7&nbsp;MHz
| [[Milford, New Hampshire]]
| July 11, 2012
| {{sdash}}
| 670
| {{convert|12|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| A
| {{FID|174551}}
| {{coord|42|49|58.3|N|71|43|43.2|W|region:US-NH_type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WUMV}}
| disambiguation of WUMB
| 
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| '''WUMZ'''
| 91.5&nbsp;MHz
| [[Gloucester, Massachusetts|Gloucester]]
| March 18, 2019<ref name="bostonradio-wumzstart">{{cite web |title=The Eastern Massachusetts Radio Timeline: the 2010s |url=https://www.bostonradio.org/timeline/timeline-2010s |website=The Archives @ BostonRadio.org |access-date=March 21, 2019 |date=March 18, 2019}}</ref>
| {{sdash}}
| 100 (horizontal)
| {{convert|14|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| A
| {{FID|174558}}
| {{coord|42|36|41.3|N|70|40|2.2|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WUMZ}}
| disambiguation of WUMB
| 
|}
{{RadioTranslators
| callsign = WFPB
| width    =

| call1    = W287DE
| freq1    = 105.3
| fid1     = 200242
| watts1   = 250
| class1   = D
| city1    = Orleans, Massachusetts
| coord1   = {{coord|41|46|46.4|N|70|0|33.9|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark_scale:2000|name=W287DE}}
| notes1   =  
}}

Notes:
{{Notelist|group="sta"}}

In addition to its primary repeaters, starting in 2007 [[WPNI]] (1430 AM) in [[Amherst, Massachusetts|Amherst]] temporarily repeated WUMB by arrangement with [[WFCR]] while [[Pamal Broadcasting]] sought a buyer for the station;<ref name=uma-wumbonwpni>{{cite news|title=WUMB's folk programs to be broadcast on WPNI|url=http://www.umass.edu/loop/talkingpoints/articles/50197.php|access-date=January 16, 2012|newspaper=In the Loop|publisher=[[University of Massachusetts Amherst]]|date=April 5, 2007}}</ref> this ended when Pamal shut WPNI down on November 30, 2013.<ref name=fcc-wpnioff>{{cite web|title=Notification of Suspension of Operations / Request for Silent STA|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1605227&Service=AM&Form_id=910&Facility_id=25907|website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=July 1, 2014|date=December 3, 2013}}</ref> [[WHRB]] (95.3 FM) in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]]<ref name=nerw-wumbonwhrb>{{cite news|last=Fybush|first=Scott D|title=New England Radio Watcher: Etc.|url=http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.broadcasting/msg/d7af56ac7ffe65b5?hl=en|access-date=January 16, 2012|newspaper=rec.radio.broadcasting|publisher=[[Google Groups]]|date=August 17, 1994}}</ref> and [[WLYN]] (1360 AM) in [[Lynn, Massachusetts|Lynn]]<ref name=nerw-wumbonwlyn>{{cite news|last=Fybush|first=Scott|title=North East RadioWatch|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-021008.html|access-date=January 16, 2012|date=October 8, 2002}}</ref> have also offered temporary WUMB simulcasts in the past during transitions to either new studios or new ownership.

==References==
{{Reflist|35em}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.wumb.org/}}
* [http://wumb.org/cgi-bin/playlist1.pl Artist - Song now playing]
* [http://openarchives.umb.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15774coll8/id/305/rec/223 WUMB-FM records, 1969-2012], University Archives and Special Collections, Joseph P. Healey Library, [[University of Massachusetts Boston]]
{{FM station data|66578|WUMB-FM}}

{{Clear}}
{{Boston Radio}}
{{NPR Massachusetts}}
{{Daytime-only radio stations in Massachusetts}}
{{University of Massachusetts Boston}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Radio stations in Boston|UMB-FM]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1982]]
[[Category:NPR member stations]]
[[Category:1982 establishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:University of Massachusetts Boston]]