Freeform Is What We Do
By Georgiana Cohen
A semi-random compilation of facts and figures about WMFO
WMFO has come a long way since 1971, when it opened its broadcast with the Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun.” From tradition to tours, it’s all here.
Tradition: Some long-running WMFO shows hosted by community members have become institutions:
“Something About the Women,” airing Saturdays at 11 a.m., claims to be the longest-running women’s music radio show in the U.S., “if not the world.” It has been on the air since 1975.
“On the Town with Mikey Dee,” airing Wednesday nights at 9 p.m., has featured local rock acts since 1985. Its founder, “Mikey Dee” Linick, passed away from a stroke in 2003, but the show lives on.
PJ Gray has been spinning the best “deep raw funk and soul” music on “Galactic Fractures” since 1999.
Innovation: In spring 2009, WMFO upgraded to a professional-quality digital audio system and installed a central computer for storing music electronically. That fall, the station opened a recording studio and label called On the Side Records, to provide recording services to Tufts student groups and music acts.
Variety: True to its freeform roots, WMFO is currently home to a range of music and talk shows, including the Sunday morning gospel show “Sound of Praise”; traditional and contemporary Celtic music on “Celtic Dawn/Between the Worlds”; a talk and music show called “Socialist Alternative Radio” and a classic-rock program that promises one thing: no Journey.
Open House: On December 3 at 5 p.m., WMFO will host a community open house at its Curtis Hall studios to commemorate its 40 years on the air. There will be studio tours, meet-and-greets with current and alumni staff and, of course, a live DJ. You can find more information on the WMFO Facebook page.
Take the Tour: Earlier this fall, WMFO staff created a video tour of the station. No doubt this is the way it is every day.