Frequency 107.9 MHz Format College Radio | First air date January 2016 | |
WRML-LP is a low-power college FM radio station licensed to the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey, transmitting on an FM frequency of 107.9 megahertz. It is owned by Atlantic Cape Community College, with staff and alumni running daily operations. Live programming is supported by student volunteers.
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History
The radio station concept for the college began decades prior to its FM launch, when audio transmissions were originally being broadcast via closed circuit only. The station was first used to transmit exclusively to internal areas of the college, including the cafeteria and Student Life Center. Eventually, the station would begin broadcasting as an online only internet stream that was branded as "WACC", (even though these call letters were never officially granted by the Federal Communications Commission).
Atlantic Cape Community College first expressed an interest in offering a new radio station that would be on terrestrial FM, when they requested a low power FM license on December 9, 2014. A construction permit was granted to the college by the Federal Communications Commission on January 14, 2015. Broadcast tests on the FM radio band began as early as August 2015, with a steady test of the audio occurring in January 2016. The stations license to cover was filed on March 29, 2016, with it being granted as a fully licensed radio station on April 4, 2016.
While the original closed circuit audio has been discontinued, the internet stream continues to this day, now serving as a relay of the terrestrial FM signal.
Programming
WRML-LP is on the air 24 hours a day, and broadcasts a variety of shows that are programmed by the student body, in which many of them are enrolled in broadcasting degrees. The station's format, while officially "college", can also be considered freeform. Many of the live shows that are on WRML take advantage of social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter to help with independent promotion, while other programs also have full websites. Program schedules are usually updated and retooled each college semester, with some shows leaving (and new shows taking their places), due to student needs. Whenever there is no live programming by a student on the air, an automated system, Megaseg, transmits a variety of different blocks of programming, from rock and jazz, to jam sessions and popular music.