About Us
Mission
Arts and culture contribute to a quality of life that keeps a community vibrant and economically alive. WICN Public Radio is committed to this ideal through the presentation of authentic, independent music, on the radio and in the concert halls, preserving America's living art forms of Jazz and Folk music for generations to enjoy.
History
WICN Public Radio, Inc. has been a vibrant presence in the cultural life of Central Massachusetts for the past thirty-five years. WICN originated in the Greater Worcester college community. It began in 1969 as Worcester's Inter-Collegiate Network, joining The College of the Holy Cross and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) with other local colleges. WICN became a member of National Public Radio in 1980, and was accredited by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in 1987.
Voice of the Arts
WICN's presentation of the American musical art forms of jazz and folk is unique in the industry. WICN offers true alternatives to the canned playlists of media giants playing the same limited selection of music. The most engaging and exciting jazz and folk music heard worldwide comes from WICN. It is New England's Jazz & Folk Station - the "Voice of the Arts" in Central New England.
At WICN, we promote and preserve the best in music with a strong focus on jazz, that distinctly American art form. Our programs engage, inspire, inform and entertain.
We make jazz accessible, offering a wide range from Sarah Vaughan to Diana Krall and Count Basie to Spyro Gyra. Our thoughtful selection and comprehensive on-air presentation of jazz and other music - including folk, blues, acoustic, and new age - allow our listeners to develop their palate. Add our hosts - passionate individuals who know and love the music they play - and you have compelling radio - all commercial free!
Our public affairs programming highlights artists, authors, business leaders, and stories of regional and national interest and complement our diverse musical offerings. Through our affiliation with National Public Radio, WICN also presents top-quality national newscasts.
Promoting America's Music
Complementing our radio broadcasts, WICN presents more than 30 concerts every year, many produced in collaboration with other organizations. This is in addition to 60+ live broadcasts - an average of two events per week! Nearly half of these concerts are free to the public. They bring world-class performers and performances to Central New England and showcase local artists.
WICN produces the Brown Bag Concerts, a series of 15 free lunchtime concerts, in partnership with Mechanics Hall, that showcases local and national artists. These concerts are also broadcast live on the air and online. Other concert series we present include Jazz at Sunset, a seventeen-year old outdoor summer evening series in collaboration with the EcoTarium; the Mass Jazz Festival, in collaboration with Music Worcester; and the Spotlight on Legends Series.
Our recent investment in remote broadcast technology allows us to broadcast live performances by the region's important folk artists from Worcester's Café Fantastique and the world's leading jazz artists from Scullers in Boston, New England's premiere jazz club.
Growing, Loyal Audience
WICN broadcasts commercial-free programming 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 90.5 FM, to an audience of over 40,000. Our listening area encompasses the heart of New England: Central Massachusetts, including the MetroWest area to the Pioneer Valley; Northern Rhode Island and Connecticut; and parts of Southern New Hampshire. Webcasting, initiated in 2000, brings WICN's programs to a worldwide audience.
