WRUF-FM
 | |
| Broadcast area | Gainesville - Ocala |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 103.7 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Country 103.7, The Gator |
| Programming | |
| Format | Country |
| Subchannels | HD2: WRUF simulcast (ESPN Radio) |
| Affiliations | Compass Media Networks Premiere Networks Westwood One |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | University of Florida |
| WUFT-TV WUFT-FM WRUF-LD WRUF (AM) | |
| History | |
First air date | 1948 |
Call sign meaning | Radio from the University of Florida |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 66575 |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 234 meters (768 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 29°42′34.00″N 82°23′40.00″W / 29.7094444°N 82.3944444°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 1037thegator.com |
WRUF-FM (103.7 MHz) is a radio station broadcasting a country music format in Gainesville, Florida. It is owned by the University of Florida.[2] While the university is a non-profit organization owned by the State of Florida, WRUF-FM and its AM sister station 850 WRUF, are operated as commercial radio stations, in contrast to co-owned NPR member station 89.1 WUFT-FM, a non-commercial outlet. The studios and offices are in Weimer Hall on Stadium Road in Gainesville.
WRUF-FM is a Class C1 FM station. It has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, the maximum for most FM stations. The transmitter tower is off NW 53rd Avenue at Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park.[3]
Programming
[edit]Weekdays on WRUF-FM begin with the nationally syndicated Bobby Bones Show from Nashville in morning drive time. That's followed by midday personality Allie, Tommy Bodean in afternoons, The Big Time with Whitney Allen in evenings and After Midnite with Granger Smith overnight. WRUF-FM is a "new country" style radio station, targeting adults 18–49 years of age, including some of the university's students.
While WRUF 850 AM is a full-time sports radio station, WRUF-FM also simulcasts most big university sporting events, including Florida Gators football, men's basketball and Sunday baseball games. The station's Director of Programming is Rob Harder, the Operations Coordinator is Brett T. Holcomb and the Sports Director is Steve Russell.
History
[edit]Beautiful and Classical Music
[edit]WRUF-FM signed on the air in 1948, among the earliest FM stations in Florida.[4] In its first decades, it largely simulcast the programming on 850 WRUF. The stations were network affiliates of the Mutual Broadcasting System.
In its early years, WRUF-FM was powered at 12,000 watts, a fraction of its current output. From the 1960s to 1981, WRUF-FM played beautiful music and classical music under the moniker "Stereo 104."[5] The one exception was a Saturday-night disco music program from 1979-1980 called "Studio 104."
Top 40 and Album Rock
[edit]By the early 1980s, the easy listening format was beginning to age. WRUF-FM flipped to a Top 40 format from 1981 to 1983. The hit music format was adopted because another local FM station had recently begun playing hits on the FM dial with great success. For many years, WRUF 850 AM had a Top 40 format, so technically, it was an easy switch, though many important powers at the university disfavored putting teen-oriented music on the FM station.
WRUF-FM became an album-oriented rock (AOR) station in 1983. It called itself "Rock 104". The station played songs from the best-selling rock albums of the day. The rock format continued for nearly three decades.
Country music
[edit]On October 11, 2010, the university announced that WRUF-FM would soon switch to a country music format. The "Rock 104" name and format would be moved to an internet-only station.[6] Country music was gaining in listeners and management decided WRUF-FM would take advantage of its popularity.
On October 15, 2010, WRUF-FM made the format change, branded as "Country 103.7, The Gator". (University of Florida sports teams are called the Gators, which is short for alligator, an animal common in local swamps.) The first song played under the new format was "Roll with It" by Easton Corbin.[7]
Past personalities
[edit]- Paul Castronovo, host of the syndicated morning radio program, ‘The Paul & Young Ron Show’, was a former Rock 104 disc jockey, as well as a graduate of the University of Florida.
- Conservative talk radio personality Andrew Wilkow, host of an eponymous show on Sirius Satellite Radio's "Sirius Patriot", is an alumnus of the station, having spent the latter half of his college years at the University of Florida. Unlike his current calling, his work at WRUF was solely as a disk jockey.
- Rich Fields, the former announcer for CBS's The Price Is Right and Gameshow Marathon, was a former WRUF-FM afternoon drive disc jockey and music director, as well as a graduate of the University of Florida. Rich Fields is also a recipient of the Red Barber Award for Broadcasting Excellence.[8]
- Brad Abrell, co-host of the syndicated morning radio program, ‘The Ashley & Brad Show’, was a former Rock 104 disc jockey, as well as a graduate of the University of Florida.[9][10]
References
[edit]- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WRUF-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "WRUF-FM Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/WRUF-FM
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1950 page 111. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-42. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
- ^ Crabbe, Nathan (October 11, 2010). "UF putting country on 103.7 FM, moving rock online". The Gainesville Sun. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
- ^ “Rock 104″ WRUF Becomes Country “103.7 The Gator”
- ^ Rich Fields, official site
- ^ "ASHLEY AND BRAD | G Networks".
- ^ http://www.bradabrell.com Brad Abrell, official site
External links
[edit]- Station History from Central Florida Radio
- Facility details for Facility ID 66575 (WRUF-FM) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WRUF-FM in Nielsen Audio's FM station database