WMUU-FM (Unique FM) is a beautiful music station in Greenville, South Carolina which operates on 94.5 FM. WMUU-FM also broadcasts classical and sacred music as well as and other religious and community affairs programming.

[edit] History

Bob Jones University applied for an AM license in May 1948, and WMUU-AM went on the air on September 15th, 1949 at 1260 AM as a venue for sacred and classical music, dramatic readings, and gospel preaching. The call letters stand for "World's Most Unusual University," a now-abandoned promotional slogan of BJU. Bob Jones, Sr. intended the station to operate independently, accepting advertising rather than being supported by the university, but he did not expect the station to make a profit.

The AM station eventually increased its power from 1,000 to 5,000 watts. An FM station was added on August 15, 1960; and in 1965, it became the second stereo station in South Carolina. In 1963, WMUU-FM became the most powerful station in South Carolina, radiating 100,000 watts and increasing its listening radius from fifty to a hundred miles. Bob Jones University also bought WAVO in Atlanta but later sold it in order to focus its efforts on the Greenville station.

In 1976, WMUU AM & FM moved to 920 Wade Hampton Boulevard, and BJU transferred ownership to the Gospel Fellowship Association, its missionary arm. Today the station is an independent corporation, although it maintains a close relationship with BJU, and most of its staff are graduates.

Many faculty members in the university's Fine Arts division participated in the station's early operation. For the first year, Bob Pratt served as a temporary manager. He was succeeded by James Ryerson who was station manager for nearly three decades. Jim Dickson, who had earlier managed WAVO, became manager in 1979, and Paul Wright took his place in 1996.

Late in the 20th century, WMUU-AM carried mostly religious programming although it did some simulcasting with the FM station. In 2008, WMUU sold its AM station at 1260, which became WPJF, a station with a Spanish format. Some of the programming heard on AM 1260 moved to 94.5 FM, airing late nights.

[edit] References

• Barbara Rumminger, "WMUU: Greenville's Unique Radio"

[edit] External links

• WMUU official website
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WMUU
• Radio Locator information on WMUU
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for WMUU