Today there are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of radio stations competing for listeners. One of these radio stations is North Central College's radio station. NCC's radio station is the WONC 89.1 FM. Often times, smaller college radio stations or other non-profit radio stations have trouble competing with some of the bigger stations out there. This is not the case with the WONC. The WONC's high tech equipment and great programming allow it to compete with any station out there. .
The WONC is located on the corner of Chicago Street and Brainard Street. It has moved there from its humble beginnings of an empty classroom in Old Main. The WONC is run by students, and has a staff of about 90 students who compete for jobs and air time. These students work for no pay; however they can choose to earn credit for working for the station. The students can also choose to either work on the air or behind the scenes. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes that often times people may not think about when they are listening to the radio. Because of the large number of students working for the station, it is sometimes very competitive when trying to get assignments. The WONC's programming and up to date equipment make it a great place for student who are interested in the radio industry to learn more about the industry.
The WONC is a non-profit radio station which really doesn't differ much from any other radio station. One thing that differs is that they have to do something called underwriting. Basically this means that they get their money from businesses and individuals. They do this by having students call businesses and individuals to get money to fund the radio station. Since they are a non-profit station they also must follow some FCC guidelines; FCC being the Federal Communications Commission. They can not air statements that call to action or mention prices. Besides that, the WONC is really no different from any other radio station.