WUTK-FM

WUTK-FM is a variety formatted non-commercial, non-profit, broadcast radio station licensed to Knoxville, Tennessee and serving Metro Knoxville. WUTK is owned and operated by the University of Tennessee; however, WUTK's daily operations are not funded by the university; instead, they rely on donations from listeners and local businesses.[1] WUTK-FM signed on in February 1982 from studios located in P-103 of Andy Holt Tower with an antenna on the roof generating 128.7 watts. WUTK now broadcasts with over 1000 watts, streams worldwide at WUTKRadio.com [2] and on the Tune In and RadioFX apps.

WUTK-FM
CityKnoxville, Tennessee
Broadcast areaMetro Knoxville
Frequency90.3 FM MHz
Branding"Volunteer Radio — 90.3 The Rock"
Slogan"UT's College of Rock"
Programming
FormatCollege Rock, Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Synthpop, Americana, Funk, Soul, Hip-Hop, Rap
Ownership
OwnerUniversity of Tennessee
History
First air date
1979
Former call signs
WUTK (1982-Present)
Call sign meaning
W University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Technical information
Facility ID69329
ClassA
Power1000Watts
HAAT21 meters (69 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
35°57′9.00″N 83°55′34.00″W
Links
WebcastWUTK Webstream
WebsiteWUTK Online

All music, news 90 and sports shows on WUTK are volunteer or student-produced, hence nicknamed "Volunteer Radio — 90.3 The Rock" with slogans that include "UT's College of Rock" & "Knoxville's Musical Tastemakers". Previous nicknames associated with WUTK are "Album 90", "New Rock 90", "The Last One Left" & "The Torch".

Current Programming

WUTK airs a variety of music, such as modern rock, classic alternatives, Americana, hip-hop, rap, funk, soul, electronic music and works by local artists. Nightly specialty shows usually begin at 7pm on weeknights and throughout the day on weekends to feature a wide variety of musical genres including:

  • Americana (Y'all-ternative)
  • Funk (The Mothership)
  • Soul music (Soul Power)
  • Hip-Hop/Rap (Edutainment Hip-Hop Show and The Gold Standard Hip-Hop Show)
  • Jam Band (Fire On the Mountain)
  • World Music
  • Reggae (Simmer Down)
  • Classic Rock (Kill Ugly Radio)
  • Heavy Metal (The Funeral Directory)
  • Undiscovered (New Revolutions)
  • Obscure (Saturday Morning Cartune Club)
  • EDM (The Midnight Voyage)

WUTK also features content focusing on music from the 1980s (Pour Some 80's on Me), 1990s (Smells Like 90's Rock), music from the Knoxville area (Locals Only), and music from LGBTQ+ artists and allies. Specialty shows publish their playlists on their own social media pages or The Rock's Facebook page.

WUTK's morning show Marble City Radio Company airs weekdays 7-8 am and features student hosts.

WUTK's Rock Solid Sports airs three times weekly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7pm with student hosts discussing college and pro sports.

Knox On Tap is a weekly craft beer show on Tuesdays at 6pm which focuses on the growing and ever-changing craft beer community in Knoxville and the region.

Rocky Top Roundup is a UT current affairs and news program airing Tuesday nights at 7pm.

Awards and Recognition

The station has received numerous awards and honours from various media outlets including Knoxville News Sentinel, Blank Newspaper, Metro Pulse and College Music Journal.[3][4][5]

For 15 years in a row (2005–2020), WUTK has been voted "Knoxville's Best Radio Station" by three different local publications.

In 2020, WUTK's Twitter & Instagram accounts @WUTKTheRock were named "Knoxville's Finest" by the readers of Blank News.

References
  1. "WUTK Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. "WUTK 90.3 FM wins national award". Knoxville. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  4. Hawker, Jon. "Struggling for Sustainability". Atavist Magazine. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  5. "WTBU WINS CMJ "STATION OF THE YEAR" FOR THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR". Boston University College of Communication. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
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