WVKR 91.3 FM

WVKR-FM is a non-commercial college radio station owned and operated by Vassar College, broadcasting at 91.3 MHz with 3,700 watts effective radiated power from a tower in Milton, New York. The station transmits a directional signal oriented to the south, and its programming is also available via online streaming. The station's origins trace to Vassar College's transition to coeducation in 1969, when plans for a campus radio outlet were initiated. Rather than pursuing a low-power license, the college secured a full-power license after the tower site of WEOK-FM was donated to Vassar following the construction of a new tower at Illinois Mountain in Marlboro. WVKR began test broadcasts from that tower in December 1971, with full operations commencing in March 1972 after tower upgrades were completed. A formal FM broadcast license was granted in 1975. Throughout its history, WVKR has been primarily student-run, supplemented by a core group of community volunteers. The station's programming philosophy centers on broad musical and cultural diversity, with genres encompassing blues, jazz, hip-hop, vintage rock, polka, world music, classical, Cajun and Zydeco, indie rock, and spoken-word programming covering social, political, and activist topics. The station has featured both local artists from the Hudson Valley region and national and international performers. During the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, WVKR maintained continuous broadcasts by transitioning some shows to remote recording formats.