WUTS No Longer on the Air
by Bailey Basham, Messenger Staff Writer
As of December 2019, the radio station WUTS is no longer licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This means for its listeners, WUTS is no longer on air at 91.3 FM—the station will stream exclusively online.
Issues arose late last year around the station’s compliance with the public file, which is required by the FCC to be kept at all pubic stations. With the possibility of upwards of $100,000 in fines, the University made the decision to relinquish the license.
WUTS, which has been on the air since the spring of 1972, broadcasts a combination of alternative and classic rock, jazz, blues and classical music, as well as more than 38 different radio shows created and hosted by students.
There are no plans to change any of the current programming, according to Laurie Saxton, director of news and public relations with the University.
“WUTS currently is operated by six student staff and approximately 50 DJs and streams music 24 hours a day with scheduled programming approximately 12 hours each day,” according to a statement from the university. Saxton said the statement was written collaboratively with input from two WUTS staff members.
The change in licensure comes amid an industry shift to online streaming. According to a 2019 report by MusicWatch, a company dedicated to marketing research and industry analysis for music and entertainment, 86 percent of teens listen to music using streaming services.
“WUTS has been both broadcasting and streaming for several years, and its audience is moving more and more to streaming. Recent surveys show that...less than half [of those surveyed] report listening to any music on broadcast radio.”
According to the University’s statement, the decision to relinquish the broadcast license was made after seeking both technical and legal expertise.
“Managing compliance with FCC regulations requires ongoing time and expertise that few current student organizations would be able to achieve. Noncompliance brings the risk of both financial and reputational consequences.”
The WUTS broadcast license no longer appears on the FCC website listing active broadcast stations, but listeners can still tune into the broadcasts by streaming online.
“[The University will] continue to support the student radio station with streamed programming... and the students and their faculty advisors will continue to share a love for music and enjoy the out-of-classroom experience together,” according to the statement.
Saxton added that though the format of WUTS will change, all programming would remain the same.
“WUTS programming has changed over the years as student interests and priorities change, but the current students’ experience and programming will not change solely because of the move to streaming-only,” she said.
WUTS broadcasts can be heard by visiting