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| Broadcast area | Grand Rapids, Michigan West Michigan |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 88.1MHz |
| Branding | Independent Community Radio for West Michigan |
| Programming | |
| Format | Public:Non-commercialAdult Album Alternative |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Grand Rapids Community Media Center |
| History | |
First air date | 1983 |
Call sign meaning | WYoming Community Education |
| Technical information | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Class | B1 |
| Power | 10,000watts |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | grcmc.org/wyce |
WYCE (88.1 FM) is an Americancommunityradio station,[1] broadcasting anoncommercial,Triple A format. The station's music is programmed by volunteers, drawing from a diverse library of eclectic music, primarilyfolk,rock,blues,worldbeat andjazz music, with some emphasis on local musicians.
It is licensed toWyoming, Michigan, and began broadcasting in 1983 as an FM-based extension to a cable-based radio station that had been operating since 1978 on (then) GE Cablevision in theWyoming andKentwood areas. This station was licensed to Wyoming Community Education (the source of the station's call letters).
In 1987, the Wyoming Board of Education, in response to concerns about the music its students were programming, transferred the license and sold the assets to Grand Rapids Cable Access Center (which operated aPublic-access televisioncable TV channel known as GRTV), which was the forerunner to the Grand Rapids Community Media Center (GRCMC).
For several years, a special committee of the GRCAC board known as the Friends of WYCE provided direction to the station staff and volunteers.
In the mid-1990s, the studios were moved from the community education site in suburban Wyoming, joining other components of the GRCMC as they consolidated in renovated facilities on the second floor of the West Side Library, just west of downtownGrand Rapids.
In the late 1990s the station got a new transmitter and tower, thereby increasing its signal strength and coverage. The tower is located on Woodward Ave SW, just south of 28th Street, in Wyoming, Michigan.
In 2010 the station received clearance from theU.S. Federal Communications Commission to expand its coverage area and power output, and so a new transmitter and antenna were purchased and installed. WYCE serves listeners in much of theWest Michigan area including Grand Rapids, Holland and Muskegon.
WYCE is funded entirely by donations from listeners and local sponsors, and operated by nearly 100 volunteers and a small paid staff. In addition to broadcasting via its FM transmitter, it streams audio over the internet.
WYCE operates 24 hours a day, mostly with musical programming hosted by live presenters. Most shifts feature music from all of the station's standard genres. An early-morning block of programming features a long-standing Spanish-language program featuringMexican music. On Friday mornings, the station hosts a program that focuses on local/regional music called, "Local Spins." The station also features a small number of prerecorded syndicated programs and community-affairs features.
The station sponsors a variety of concerts and other events within the metropolitan Grand Rapids area. These include free concerts at which voluntary donations are solicited to support local charities. Since 2000, WYCE has presented the annualJammie Awards, spotlighting local musicians.
42°54′43″N85°40′59″W / 42.912°N 85.683°W /42.912; -85.683
