WCWM records Guide to the WCWM records UA 7.043

Guide to the WCWM records UA 7.043


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Special Collections Research Center

William & Mary Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
400 Landrum Dr
Williamsburg, Virginia
Business Number: 757-221-3090
spcoll@wm.edu
URL: https://libraries.wm.edu/libraries-spaces/special-collections

Jordan Ecker.

Repository
Special Collections Research Center
Identification
UA 7.043
Title
WCWM records 1938-2024 1970-2008
Quantity
9.21 Linear Feet, 10 Hollinger boxes
Creator
WCWM (Williamsburg, Va.)
Language
English

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Use:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Conditions Governing Access:

The collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Custodial History:

The records include those created by WCWM as well as material given to the radio station by former student DJs and staff. A portion of the collection was formerly part of the University Archives Publications Collection. Some of the audio recordings are copies created by Rebecca Suerdieck for Anne Gessler when Gessler was researching the history of WCWM. Suerdieck was affiliated with WCWM around 1986-1989.

Preferred Citation:

WCWM Records, Special Collections Research Center, Early Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Acquisition Information:

A portion of this collection was formerly part of the University Archives Publications Collection and was received in various transfers and gifts prior to 2007. An accession was received in 2006; Accession 2007.003 was transferred on May 15 and 16, 2007, by Anne Gessler of WCWM; Acc. 2008.096 was transferred on 9/1/2008 by WCWM; Acc. 2008.097 was transferred on 9/4/2008 via Dan Siepmann of WCWM.

Processing Information:

This collection was processed by Jordan Ecker in January-March 2008.

Historical Note:

WCWM is the student-run (and only) radio station at the College of William and Mary. It broadcasts through southeastern Virginia on 90.9FM and through the world online. The station has a noncommercial educational license and broadcasts music of all styles and in a variety of show formats.

Scope and Contents

The WCWM collection includes copies of the station publication, station logs maintained by DJs, news clippings about the station, playlists, correspondence, photographs, magazines and related material. Recordings include shows, the presidential debate between Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter held at the College of William and Mary in 1976, station promos by performers, related broadcasts, and public service announcements from the 1980s to 2008. WCWM is the student-run radio station at the College of William and Mary. It broadcasts in southeastern Virginia on 90.9FM.

Arrangement of Materials:

The collection is organized into four series: Series 1: Administration, 1938-2007; Series 2: Correspondence, 1970-2007; Series 3: Publicity, 1970-2007; Series 4: Audio Recordings, circa 1970-2007.

Related Material

Current information about WCWM, including issues of Vinyl Tap, is available at http://www.wm.edu/so/wcwm/. See also the University Archives Audiovisual Collection (UA 58); University Archives Poster Collection (UA 12); Student Assembly Records (UA 7.028); Williamsburg Documentary Project Collection (UA 351).

Information about related materials is available at http://guides.swem.wm.edu/wm

Separated Material

A CD of Vinyl Tap was separated from Series 3 and was transferred to Series 4, Box 10 on 3/3/2009.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Physical Characteristics or Technical Requirements:

Audio recordings may require equipment not readily available for playback. Consult a staff member for details.

Container List

id23099
Series 1: Administration
1938-2007
Scope and Contents

WCWM's administration series includes all of the records for running the station, including budgets, Federal Communication Commission documents, radio operator licenses, and station logs. The highlights from the series are radio show transcripts from 1938-1942, the top 40 playlists (Super Hits and Fickle Forty) dating from the 1960s and 1970s, and the examinations, dating from the 1970s and 1980s, prospective student DJs had to pass in order to get on the air.

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id23100
Series 2: Correspondence
1970-2007
Scope and Contents

The WCWM correspondence encompasses all of the administrative correspondence for running the station. Of note in the series are a thank you letter from the Governor of Texas in 1980, and two letters, dated 1981, from concerned citizens who did not want WCWM's original frequency, 88.7, to interfere with the local public radio station.

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id23101
Series 3: Publicity
1970-2008
Scope and Contents

This series encompasses all of the flyers and publications that WCWM created, as well as all of the newspaper articles about the station. Included in this collection are the two major WCWM publications, Metacycles in the 1970s, and Submission from 1989 through 2006. These magazines provided the campus with music news, record reviews, and band interviews. Submission magazine was reincarnated as Vinyl Tap in 2006, which is available via the library catalog. Along with those publications, this series also includes program guides, dating from the 1980s-1990s, that informed the campus about various semesters' radio programming.

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id23102
Series 4: Audio Recordings
circa 1970-2008
Scope and Contents

These recordings are a compilation of various WCWM radio shows, public service announcements, DJ trainings, and music. Of note in this series are a reel to reel tape of WCWM coverage of the 1976 presidential election, public service announcements from the late 1980s and early 1990s, and a compact disc recording WCWM's participation in a 1975 psychology experiment.

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Series 5: Accession 2025.007 Poster
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Accession 2025.013 Magazines
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