The Station
WTSR-FM is a trend-setting 1500-watt non-commercial radio station serving Mercer and Bucks County. We broadcast the best and the latest in new music from independent and local artists, over 20 genres of specialty music, hourly local news, and college sports from our studios at The College of New Jersey.
WTSR provides its broadcast community with over 25 hours of public service programming each week, through 30 minutes, Sports Countdown, and FM in the AM. Our Sports Department broadcasts the TCNJ sporting event with both pre and post game coverage and interviews. So what are you waiting for? Turn your radio on and listen!
Call Sign & Logo
Trenton State College was comissioned WTSR back in 1966. Originally, the call sign letters stood for Trenton State Radio. When the school changed its name to The College of New Jersey in June of 1996, the acronym was changed to stand for The College of New Jersey Student Radio.
Power & Broadcast Area
WTSR broadcasts at 1500 radiated watts from its studios on The College of New Jersey campus. Our broadcast radius extends into the Trenton-Philadelphia metro area for approximately 25 miles from the campus, and contains almost 800,000 potential listeners.
Audiences
Although the exact number of listeners can never be determined. WTSR's average weekly listenership cume is between 50,000 and 100,000 listeners. Our listeners range from 15-25 for our Dayside Programming, and mature to 23-40 for our evening and weekend specialty shows. Listeners are usually high school and college students living in Trenton, NJ and Bucks County, PA.
Hours of Operation
WTSR broadcasts from 6am-3am, seven days a week, during the school year. During the summer months, WTSR broadcasts from Noon-Midnight, seven days a week. Unlike most non-commercial stations, WTSR is on the air for all major holidays.
Open Your Mind™
Open Your Mind is WTSR's on-air slogan and a registered trademark of the station. The station uses the slogan to describe its unique programming philosophy -- asking listeners to "open their minds" to entertainment not usually found on the commercial radio band.
Format
WTSR strives to serve its listeners through a dynamic block program format featuring the newest College Alternative Music from 8am until 5pm and Specialty Shows spotlighting over fifteen musical genres from 6pm until midnight. Weekends consist of more Specialty Genres from our community volunteers. The WTSR Music Department reports College Alternative, New World, RPM, and Loud Rock Music.
News & Sports
By combining a student-run news staff with a unique computerized new satellite information system, WTSR reports on both local and world issues. The station has been a United Press International affiliate for over 20 years. A WTSR News Update airs hourly during the broadcast day. The Sports Department broadcasts almost all TCNJ men and women's sporting events.
Station Staff
WTSR is a completely student run radio station. A TCNJ Faculty Member from the Communications Department helps to advise the Board of Directors. The Board is comprised of Full-Time Students who sit a minimum of 3 office hours per week. Positions of Station Manager, Operations Manager and Program Director are elected positions who, in turn, appoint people for the remaining spots on the Board. Term of Service is one academic year, beginning at the beginning of May and ending at the end of April. Community volunteers comprise a sizable portion of the staff as well. They are either Part-Time or Non-students who help to contribute to WTSR on many aspects including being on-air DJ's.
On Air DJ's
Anybody can be a DJ at WTSR. First you must contact the Program Director to declare your interest, by either calling 609.771.3200 or by e-mailing You will be contacted and we will set up the training program. After sitting in for about 15 hours with another DJ and completing all necessary training tasks, the DJ Test must be passed. Upon completion of all requirments, you will be licensed as a WTSR DJ and be allowed to host a Time Slot or Engineer live events.
Submitting Music
If you are in a band, work for a music label, or want to contribute to WTSR's Music Vault please contact the Music Director at 609.771.2420 or by email at We are always looking to make new contacts and the help bring new music first.
History
WTSR-FM Radio was licensed in 1966 by the FCC at 89.7 megahertz as the Radio System of Trenton State College in Ewing, New Jersey. The license was granted to the College's Board of Trustees for a 10 watt station serving the college campus community. In 1972, when the Trustees were granted an increase in power by the FCC to broadcast at 1500 watts, WTSR's frequency changed to 91.3 FM. This power increase expanded the broadcast radius to 30 miles, with a potential audience of 750,000 listeners. From 1972 to 1991, the station renewed its license every 4 years, proving its value as a non-commercial community service. In 1991, the license was renewed for seven year periods. The Faculty Advisor, with the aid of the Station Manager, is charged by the Board of Trustees to oversee the renewal process.
The station was originally housed underneath the performance stage in Kendall Hall. In 1976, upon completion of the Brower Student Center, the studios were moved to the Student Center basement. As part of the 1992 renovation of Kendall Hall, new studios were built in the basement to accommodate the growing station, as well as to strengthen its linkage with academic programs. The Kendall Hall basement is the current home of the WTSR studios.
The oversight of the license and general management of the radio station is delegated by the Trustees to the Faculty Adivsor, who ensures that the station complies with FCC rules and regulations. The Executive Council, comprised of the Station Manager, Operations Manager, and Program Director, are elected to oversee the daily operations of the station. All personnel and executive decisions are made by the Executive Council and their appointed Board of Directors.
The Student Activities Fund (SAF) provided WTSR with its annual operating and capital equipment funds from 1966 until 1993. In September 1993, WTSR was redesignated as a department governed by the Office of Academic Affairs. As a result, the station's budget was cut 1/3 and no longer had funding for capital equipment. Additional funding is raised by WTSR's Grants and Funding Department through underwriting sales, promotional events, and vendor sponsorship.
The station constitution sets the purpose of the radio system as "to serve the students, the college and the surround community with educational, informative, and entertaining programs, to provide for the cultural demands of listeners, and to extend opportunities to this interested in the field of radio communications." The station extends opportunities to those students interested in the fields of marketing, public relations, and broadcast journalism.
WTSR strives to serve its listeners through accurate reporting on local issues, announcing and sponsoring community activities, and using its studios as a form for public discussion. Our block program format features the newest College Alternative music from 6am until 6pm, and Specialty Shows spotlighting over fifteen musical genres from 6pm until 3am. The WTSR Music Department reports College Alternative, New World, Urban, Electronic Dance, and Metal to the CMJ, Gavin Magazine, Hits! Magazine, and The Hard Report. WTSR's charting prowess places the station in the select group of CMJ "Core Reporters," as well as gives the station consideration as a "Gavin Station" within the music industry.