WICN FM 90.5

A nonprofit public radio station and NPR member, this outlet broadcasts commercial-free programming 24 hours a day to an audience of over 40,000 listeners in central Massachusetts. The station's primary focus is jazz, with additional evening programming dedicated to soul, bluegrass, Americana, folk, blues, and world music, as well as Sunday night public affairs programming. The station traces its origins to 1969, when it was founded as the Worcester Inter-Collegiate Network through a partnership between Worcester Polytechnic Institute and The College of the Holy Cross. It became an NPR member in 1980 and received Corporation for Public Broadcasting accreditation in 1987. Through the year 2000, its studios were housed at a former YWCA on Chatham Street, where a drained swimming pool served as storage for the station's record collection. The transmitter, originally rated at 8,000 watts directional, was located on the WUNI tower at Styles Hill in Boylston. In March 2010 the station completed a technical upgrade to reduce directionality, relocating its antenna to Asnebumskit Hill in Paxton. The station's stated mission centers on the belief that arts and culture contribute to community vitality, with a commitment to presenting authentic, independent music and preserving American art forms — particularly jazz and folk — through both radio broadcasts and live concert events. Regular programming includes the Brian Barlow Concert Series, Brown Bag Concert Series, and a Jazz + Live Concert Series.