FC Buzz: WPKN FM stays hip

BY STEVE DI COSTANZO

WPKN 89.5-FM is a 10,000-watt noncommercial radio station founded in 1963 as the University of Bridgeport college station, representing the “Purple Knights” UB sports teams and the “Purple Knight Network.” In the mid-1980s the University of Bridgeport informed the station it would need to become self-supporting, but offered to continue providing space for the studios and office at UB.

Steve di Costanzo

In 1989, WPKN became an independent (not UB-funded), nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation. Since then, WPKN has been a listener-supported community radio station at 89.5 FM and streaming live online. Today WPKN serves a potential listenership of 1.5 million people in Connecticut, Long Island and parts of New York. Although a public radio station, WPKN is not affiliated with National Public Radio (NPR); rather, it”™s an affiliate station in the Pacifica Network of community radio stations. Some of the news and cultural broadcasts come directly through this network while the majority of the programming is freeform music, news and public affairs programming, all self-originated at WPKN.

Steve di Costanzo was selected in 2011 to be WPKN”™s fourth-ever general manager. His first initiatives were to clear out more than 40 years of accumulated “stuff” at the station”™s facilities, while making decisions about how to renovate and update the studios. A studio was repurposed as a dedicated performance space with the help of a Newman”™s Own grant and the production room was rebuilt. Computerized systems are still being updated and the next big project will be to modernize the existing FM-broadcast studio.

WPKN is primarily supported through traditional on-air drives but in 2011 the WPKN constitution was amended to allow underwriting, within guidelines that maintain the station”™s commitment to freedom of expression, diversity of programming and the mission to serve and educate the community.

According to di Costanzo, the landscape of “terrestrial radio” has changed and continues to evolve rapidly. “Technology has significantly changed in the past decade. The advent of satellite radio, streaming services, on-demand radio and subscription radio has made us sharpen our game. Today, WPKN is more of an arts and cultural organization than the old notion of a radio station.

WPKN persists in its mission to stand apart from convention and to serve diversity. Its 130 volunteers have created an institution with depth, importance and passion. Its listeners continue to make this possible.

Steve di Costanzo is general manager of WPKN 89.5 FM, member and media partner of the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County.