WNIU FM/ WNIJ FM

Northern Illinois University began airing radio programs in 1947. At that time, the University had no broadcasting facilities but used those at WLBK, the DeKalb radio station. Seven years later, in December 1952, Swen Parson Library opened with a room set aside for a broadcasting booth. A radio club had been formed two years earlier and equipment was eventually purchased to set up a radio station. In 1954 the University began to broadcast from the campus under the call letters WNIC-FM. The station boosted its power in 1964 and changed its frequency from 91.1 to 89.1 megacycles. Originally, the radio station was part of the University’s Regional Services Division until 1967 when it was reassigned to the Communications Services Division. In 1968 it received permission to change its call letters to WNIU-FM and its frequency to 89.5 megacycles. WNIU-FM became a charter member of National Public Radio in 1971. In 1973 WNIU was made part of the Information and Public Affairs Department of Northern Illinois University under the Office of the President. The station went public in 1977 and a Public Advisory Committee consisting of eleven "community consultants" was formed. NIRIS (Northern Illinois Radio Information Service) began broadcasting programming for the blind in 1979. An auxiliary station built in Rockford in 1990 enabled WNIU's news reporting to relocate. In December 1990, WNIU and NIRIS joined WKDI [a NIU student operated radio station] at the new Broadcast Center at 801 North 1st Street in DeKalb. The move out of the overcrowded Kishwaukee Hall allowed for a change in structural format, and WNIJ-FM [at 90.5 megacycles] was added in 1991. The addition of WNIJ allowed WNIU to concentrate solely on classical music and simulcasts, while WNIJ provided news and entertainment programming, as well as jazz music in the evening, and NIRIS continued with programming for the blind. Together, the three stations make up Northern Public Radio which reports to the Office of the Vice President for Development and University Relations. In 1998 WNIU and WNIJ “swapped” frequencies” with WNIU moving to 90.5 and WNIJ to 89.5 FM.

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