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<p><b>WIDR</b> is a <a href="/pages/w/106995162670480">freeform</a> <a href="/pages/w/111626382195837">FM</a> <a href="/pages/w/109894695706605">radio station</a> that broadcasts from the <a href="/pages/w/109484829070492">Western Michigan University</a> in <a href="/pages/w/107740462581860">Kalamazoo, Michigan</a>. WIDR, a student-run radio station <a href="/pages/w/223635914342715">licensed</a> to Western Michigan University, broadcasts at 89.1 FM with 100 <a href="/pages/w/107590312604028">watt</a>s of <a href="/pages/w/113131382034463">power</a>. The station is entirely student-run, employing six part-time staff members. Staff members must be students at Western Michigan University, enrolled at least part-time. Even though the station is student-run, a number of community volunteers hold on-air positions as well.</p><h2>History</h2><p>The station originally began broadcasting in 1952, as a <a href="/pages/w/510907618926593">carrier current</a> station. The station was started by a small group of students including Jack Clifford, who later went on to found the <a href="/pages/w/109611049064579">Food Network</a>. The station broadcast through the pipes of Western Michigan University; specifically throughout the dormitories. Thus, they picked as their <a href="/pages/w/114955738516172">call letters</a> W.I.D.R., or <b>W</b>estern <b>I</b>nter-<b>D</b>ormitory <b>R</b>adio.</p><p>For the first 23 years, WIDR broadcast as an <a href="/pages/w/112458272099009">AM</a> station at 750 <a href="/pages/w/108776145819423">kHz</a>. In 1975, the student-staff filed paperwork with the <a href="/pages/w/104008902969103">Federal Communications Commission</a> (FCC) to become an <a href="/pages/w/111626382195837">FM</a> station. They were given a frequency of 89.1 <a href="/pages/w/594647850596066">MHz</a>, and allowed to broadcast at a power of 100 <a href="/pages/w/107590312604028">watt</a>s. WIDR is classified by the FCC as a non-commercial, educational station.</p>