About
Who We Are
WRMC is located at Middlebury College, in Middlebury, Vermont, and is entirely student-run.
We are dedicated to providing a diverse range of alternative programming both locally, to the Champlain Valley, and internationally, to the far-reaching Middlebury College community.
In a time when college radio stations are becoming less prevalent, we strive to demonstrate the value of the truly unique medium that is small college radio.
Where We Are
Meet the Team
Our History
First All-DJ Meeting
WRMC has its first in-person All-DJ Meeting in a year, with over 150 DJs in attendance.
Remote Broadcasting
When the entire Middlebury College student body was sent home due to the pandemic, we had to set up remote broadcasting via Zoom, allowing student DJs to broadcast live to the Champlain Valley, no matter where in the world they were.
New Website
WRMC launches a brand-new website, aiming to straddle the online music world and good old-fashion radio in order to bring its audience the fullest listening experience it can!
Extending Our Reach
On this day, WRMC begins broadcasting at 2900 watts from a newly constructed antenna, located atop the smokestack at Facilities Management. This same year, WRMC launched its website, and with it the availability of online listening.
First Sepomana
WRMC hosts the first Sepomana on campus.
WRMC Goes 100 Watt
In the early 80s, WRMC faced near disaster when the FCC threatened to downgrade all ten watt stations to “secondary status.” Along with 600 other condemned “electronic sandboxes”, as the ten watters were then deemed, WRMC was suddenly in danger of losing its license. In a fleeting attempt to save the station, the members of the staff scrambled in the midst of the encroaching FCC deadline to upgrade the wattage. In 1981, WRMC received its 100 watt license, and in 1983 100 watts became a reality.
Summer Broadcasting
WRMC begins broadcasting during the summers for Middlebury’s summer schools and programs.
A New Name
In its early years, WMCRS’s broadcasting range was limited to the confines of the college and it barely even reached all of the dorms. In 1967, however, the real revolution began. The transmitter was moved to the top of Gifford Hall, the power was increased to 10 watts and the station’s name was replaced with the more user-friendly WRMC, broadcasting now on the FM dial, at 91.7.
The Beginning
Founding engineer John Bowker ‘52 and original WRMC president James W. Kitchell ‘51 broadcast for the first time from a small chicken coop located in the backyard of Professor John Bowker’s house. WMCRS (Middlebury College Radio Service) began it’s daily broadcasting of six hours of music and interviews on this day.
WRMC is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission and operates on the assigned frequency of 91.1 MHz with an effective radiated power of 2,900 watts. WRMC is a member of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters and a subscribing member of the Associated Press.
