WYSO to Relocate and Strengthen Signal

Antioch University announced that public radio station, WYSO 91.3, will increase its broadcast signal output from 37,000 to 50,000 watts. This change will provide a higher quality signal with less interference to existing listeners and extend the WYSO signal to more listeners in southwest Ohio.

“We are proud of the listener support and growth WYSO has experienced over the past couple of years,” Antioch University Chancellor Toni Murdock said. “To support this period of growth for WYSO, the University’s Board of Governors allocated a million dollars to strengthen the signal and to provide a newly-renovated state-of-the-art broadcast facility that will provide increased studio space for expanded locally-generated programming.”

The power upgrade will also improve WYSO’s HD signal, which at present simulcasts the FM signal but could be expanded in the future to include additional programming. And in addition to the power increase, the station will move it's broadcast studios to a new, upgraded location in Yellow Springs. WYSO studios have been located since 1995 in the basement of the Sontag Fels building on Livermore Street, on the Antioch College campus. The new location is across the street in the former Kettering Laboratory building, presently owned by the University and occupied by the University's central administrative offices.

The Federal Communications Commission has approved the changes. The power increase will be in effect before the end of 2011. A new transmitter, purchased in part with a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with a match from the University, has been delivered and a new antenna is on order.

The WYSO 91.3 FM signal will be stronger, especially to listeners near the Miami River and the station’s coverage area will expand. The increased coverage area will be primarily in the I-75 corridor, in the southwestern part of WYSO’s current coverage footprint. WYSO serves thirteen counties in southwest Ohio - whole or in part - including Champaign, Clark, Greene, Clinton, Montgomery, Warren, Butler, Preble, Dark, Miami, Fayette Madison and Union counties.

WYSO General Manager Neenah Ellis says “We're pleased that the University is investing in WYSO's future. Our new facilities will allow us to expand our programming capacity significantly. And fifty thousand watts is a big deal. WYSO began with 10 watts in 1958 and we are now the dominant public radio station in the Miami Valley. The increase in the signal strength will expand our listening area, especially to commuters travelling between Dayton and Cincinnati. These are exciting times for WYSO."

WYSO distributes its programming on multiple platforms: FM, HD, on mobile platforms, in podcasts and on-line streaming at www.wyso.org.