WNAA

WNAA is a non-commercial, student-operated radio station broadcasting from the campus of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, North Carolina. Licensed to the university, it serves the Piedmont Triad region with an urban contemporary format. The station is a key training ground for students in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication and is a significant voice for the local African-American community.

History

The station signed on the air on September 1, 1979, as an initiative of the University of North Carolina system to expand educational media. Its founding was championed by administrators like Albert W. Spruill and faculty within the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Early programming focused on agricultural extension services, jazz, and news relevant to the Greensboro area. Throughout the 1980s, WNAA evolved, increasing its emphasis on R&B, hip hop music, and community affairs, reflecting the cultural shifts within the Civil Rights Movement and the rise of HBCU influence. Key figures in its development included station managers like James B. Stewart and support from the National Association of Broadcasters. The station's studios were originally located in Corbett Hall before moving to their current facility in the Dudley Building in the early 1990s.

Programming

WNAA's schedule is a mix of music, talk, and public affairs programming. Its core music format features urban adult contemporary, neo soul, and gospel music, with specialty shows dedicated to classic hip hop, funk, and southern soul. Notable long-running programs include *The Quiet Storm* evening show and the *Sunday Morning Inspiration* gospel block. The station produces several local public affairs shows, such as *Community Focus*, which covers issues in High Point and Winston-Salem, and *Aggie Talk*, highlighting events at North Carolina A&T. WNAA also carries select National Public Radio programs like News Now and maintains partnerships with organizations like the NAACP and the Urban League.

Technical specifications

The station broadcasts on 90.1 MHz FM with an effective radiated power of 3,000 watts. Its transmitter is located near the university campus, utilizing a directional antenna with a height above average terrain of 38 meters. This gives it a coverage area encompassing much of Guilford County and parts of surrounding Forsyth, Rockingham, and Alamance counties. WNAA holds a Class A FM license from the Federal Communications Commission. The station also streams online via its website and is available on mobile apps, extending its reach to alumni of North Carolina A&T worldwide.

Notable alumni

Many WNAA student volunteers and staff have pursued successful careers in media and related fields. Notable alumni include television host B. D. Wong (who participated during a campus event), ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith (who spoke at university forums), and CNN news anchor Fredricka Whitfield. Other distinguished former staff work for major outlets like CBS News, The Washington Post, and iHeartMedia. The station's training program is closely affiliated with the university's Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, whose graduates have also found success at institutions like The New York Times and NBCUniversal.

Category:Radio stations in North Carolina Category:North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Category:Urban contemporary radio stations in the United States Category:1979 establishments in North Carolina Category:Radio stations established in 1979