DePauw University’s WGRE Celebrates 75 Years On the Air

GREENCASTLE, Ind.–The campus radio station 91.5 WGRE at DePauw University is celebrating its 75th birthday today.

The station first signed on the air April 29, 1949 as the nation’s first FCC-licensed 10 watt educational radio station. Since that time, WGRE has been the radio voice of DePauw students.

“Well tonight, we knock the last slab off the shipping crates, polish up our new equipment and present you with our new baby, a radio station of our very own. WGRE will be your call letters for the finest in radio entertainment,” said the initial 1949 announcement on the air.

WGRE is operated by students and managed by a student board of directors with the guidance of a faculty advisor.

“Indeed, college radio remains an important force in the media landscape as a place for students to learn about media, explore careers, and entertain both their classmates and local communities. WGRE-FM broadcasts content of interest to the DePauw community, of course, but also covers news and sports of Greencastle and the Putnam County area,” said WGRE Faculty Advisor Jeff McCall.

Josh Nally is a DePauw senior. He is WGRE’s current station manager.

“Most of our funding comes from the university. We are not a commercial radio station. We don’t have to do advertisements that we don’t want to do,” said Nally.

A lot has changed in radio over the course of 75 years. Now web content and social media have to be used to promote radio content and stay relevant. Nally says they have a team that does that.

“We have 14 student directors. Three of those directors are in charge of our promotions. They run our social media pages which includes TikTok, Twitter (X), Facebook, and whatever else may pop up tomorrow,” said Nally.

A celebration is from 5-7 pm with an outdoor concert and food for attendees. Festivities will be held in Bowman Park on the DePauw campus.

Nally says he hears from DePauw alumni about WGRE.

“Whenever DePauw alumni come to town, they stop by WGRE just to tell us how much WGRE meant to them,” said Nally.

The radio station has historically been the largest student organization on campus.

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