WNUR Phoneathon

WNUR 89.3 FM, ‘Chicago’s Sound Experiment,’ is Northwestern University’s non-commercial, student-run radio station. We have been on the air since 1950, with programming ranging from jazz to experimental rock, house music, talk radio, sports, news, and much more. WNUR has served the counter-cultural communities of Northwestern and Chicago for 71 years, and possesses a storied history with a list of alumni including John Corbett, Will Butler, Derrick Carter, Pierre Bouvard, and Darren Rovell. Over the years, the station has repeatedly been recognized for its role in shaping the college radio landscape. Today, the station broadcasts an HD signal accessible to over 3 million listeners throughout the Chicagoland area.

As an organization, WNUR strives to provide a forum for underrepresented music and ideas by promoting musicians, musical genres, news, public affairs issues, and athletic events often overlooked by major media outlets. Moreover, we aim to provide an inclusive space for people to learn and express themselves by exploring and promoting underrepresented content, and in turn sharing that knowledge with others.

Phoneathon ensures that our station, along with its 400+ students and staff, can continue to be a voice and guiding light for underrepresented tastes, and to be a place where generations of Northwestern students can form friendships lasting a lifetime.

Of course, this year has presented the station, as well as most organizations, with never-before-seen challenges. Louis Hall, the Northwestern building that houses the station, was closed for most of the Spring and Summer of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout this period, student exec members were charged with remotely uploading and scheduling shows, a tedious and time-consuming task due to the station’s outdated scheduling system that was never meant to fully take the place of in-person broadcasting. Thankfully, due to a successful Phoneathon the year before, we were able to implement new software that greatly improved remote broadcasts, as well as software that allowed students without equipment to make their shows at home on computers. 

As a limited number of students and faculty were welcomed back in the Fall, the sound of WNUR has slowly creeped back to its normal sound. Although our passion for the station remains, both student and Community DJs continue to feel the isolation that has prevented us from all being together. We hope that in the past year, hearing WNUR on the airwaves has given our listeners a little bit of peace and hope. Without dedicated support from our community of listeners, we would not be able to provide the diverse, delightful programming that we all love.

At each of our donation levels, we would like to show our thanks with a special gift. Please refer to the descriptions under each tier (Contributor, Donor, Silver, Gold, Diamond, Platinum) for more information. Thank you!

Photos of Merch Premiums