Posts Categorized: News

WMPG working to qualify for a CPB Community Service Grant again

You may have noticed that we no longer have CPB underwriting announcements read after some of our programs. This is due to WMPG no longer receiving this funding. For more than 20 years WMPG has received this funding but last year we lost the funding due to no longer meeting their qualifications. Radio stations like ours need to meet certain criteria to be funded including the number of listeners as measured by a ratings agency,…

cpb logo

USM President shares her playlist on WMPG’s USM, Music & ME

University of Southern Maine (USM) President Dr Jacqueline Edmondson dropped in to WMPG to be a guest on USM, Music & ME on Wednesday. Dr Edmondson is a music fan who has authored many books, including two on musicians Gerry Garcia and John Lennon.  We were unsure what musical choices to expect. Here is what she shared with us: DAYS LIKE THIS by Van Morrison“I picked the song ‘Days Like This’ for a number of reasons. Most importantly, this song…

Jackie
Jackie

Meet USM student Leola-Christine

Leola-Christina is a freshman who just began her studies here at USM this January! Wait til you hear more about her interests and goals, please listen to our audio interview with her.

leola

Meet Dr. Idella Glenn

We had a chance to speak with Dr. Glenn who is USM’s Vice President of Equality, Inclusion and Community Impact

community of color

Meet USM student Shannon Craig

WMPG will introduce you to students, faculty and staff that are making a difference here at USM. We present an audio interview with USM student who is a Media Studies major and does work-study at WMPG. Listen in and learn more about Shannon Craig.

shannon

Meet USM student Yasmin Idow

WMPG will introduce you to students, faculty and staff that are making a difference here at USM. We present an audio interview with Yasmin Idow, please enjoy and meet this wonderful young person.

yasmin

WMPG’s annual Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Cajun Cookin’ Contest winner – Sodexo!

WMPG’s annual Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras and the Cajun Cookin’ Contest. On Tuesday February 21st in the USM Abromson building on the Portland campus, WMPG presented our 27th annual Mardi Gras Cajun Cookin’ Contest! The room was filled with amazing food, music and people as we celebrated Mardi Gras! After taking a break due to the pandemic, it was exiting to be celebrating again with our USM community along with people from all parts of…

Mardi Gras Party
Mardi Gras Party Fat Tuesday

Valentine’s Day dedications

USM students Emma and Jordan went around campus and recorded some Valentine’s dedications!

heart

Dave Wade interviews Delfeayo Marsalis

If anybody knows about Mardi Gras, it’s trombonist and bandleader Delfeayo Marsalis , who will be Dave’s special guest on Juke Jive N’ Jazz this afternoon, (Feb.15th) New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, is alive and happening, and Delfeayo will be here to tell you about it and his brand new album, “Uptown on Mardi Gras Day” Marsalis talks about race, Mardi Gras, film scores and more.. Tune in at 1 PM, Wednesday, for Delfeayo Marsalis and some great New…

Delfeayo_Marsalis
Delfeayo_Marsalis_photo

 Leroy Jones- A Man and His Trumpet – free screening

Our Jazz at the Movies team are back with another free screening.  “Leroy Jones- A Man and His Trumpet” celebrating New Orleans shining heritage as the Birthplace of Jazz. The screening is at the Portland Conservatory of Music, on Saturday, February 18th, 7 PM. Tix are FREE but reservations recommended:   https://www.eventbrite.com/…/wmpg-jazz-at-the-movies-a…

Leroy Jones Story
Leroy Jones Story

Black History Month at WMPG with daily audio features

Our University of Southern Maine (USM) students and DJ’s are honoring Black History Month at WMPG. This year’s theme is Black Resistance. You will hear specially curated playlists from DJ’s.  Our students are producing audio which will highlight achievements and contributions, including pre-colonial history plus profiles of contemporary figures recognizing people from politics, education, pop culture, sports and other areas. Shows honoring Black History Month (this list will be updated) Lagniappe (Mon 10am) Mind Fuzz…

black history month

WMPG schedule refresh

Beginning Tuesday January 17th, you will hear new shows alongside your favorites – some have moved into different times and days. Why are we mixing things up? WMPG is turning 50 this year, and we wanted to return to our roots, offering radio that is surprising, eclectic, and truly local. We are radio made by community and University of Southern Maine members.  Thanks for being the world’s best listeners!  Take a peek at our new schedule.

WMPG Schedule refresh
WMPG Schedule refresh

WMPG offers MLK day Special programming – Monday January 16th

Monday January 16th is Dr. Martin Luther King Day. WMPG will offer special programming to honor Reverend King’s work on civil rights and equity. Tune in from 10am-noon to hear volunteer Michael Cuttings extensive collection of music and speeches. At 1:30-3pm, USM student Shannon Craig will present his take on civil rights and the ongoing struggle. Then at 4pm, we will play King’s complete speech from 1957 titled “Birth of a New Nation.”

WMPG MPK Day Programming

WMPG Year in Review 2022

WMPG Wrapped 2022 by Caroline Davis (USM Theatre Student and Work Study) As 2022 comes to a close, we here at WMPG would like to thank our volunteers, business supporters, listeners, and the community of the University of Southern Maine (USM) for their support. It’s been a very successful year for us, and we could not have achieved everything we have without your support. We’ve been very lucky to have had such a successful year for fundraising here at WMPG….

WMPG back on-air – thanks CMP crews!

Thanks to the hard working CMP crews WMPG power is back on at the transmitter site! Missed a couple of your favorite shows yesterday, just check out our archives where they are available on-demand. Hope you are all warm and safe.

Thanks CMP - power has returned to WMPG transmitter!

Celebrate Community Change Makers

During this fundraising drive, we want to celebrate Mainers who are doing great things in the community FRIEND-RAISING Who are the change-makers in Southern Maine?  Join WMPG to celebrate, and to connect to, Mainers who are transforming our world. Do you know someone who works tirelessly for the benefit of our community? We want to recognize them by sharing their story. Let’s give them their time in the sun! WMPG invites you to partner with…

Community Change Makers

USM’s Osher School of Music- concert

WMPG featured a live remote broadcast of the Dr. Alfred and D. Suzi Osher school of Music’s Joyous Sounds for a Festive Season. The concert took place on Tuesday November 29th at the Cathedral of St Luke in Portland. Directed by Dr. Nicolas Dosman and featuring the Osher School of Music Choral Union singers listen to the concert

Music Commentary

Hi my name is Jon McKenney with the latest version of Beyond The Hook . A hook is: a musical or lyrical passage, or a riff, that is repeated and designed to catch the ears of listeners and reel them in, and this song has a world class hook. I chose today’s song because it is a perfect example of what a hook is. I guarantee that once I tell you what it is you’ll say, “OMG of…

Fall Fundraiser (Begathon) – Oct 18-24

UPDATE:  THANKS SO MUCH – WE HIT OUR GOAL OF $60,000! Thank you for donating during our fall fundraising.  Mail is still trickling in from the post office so we don’t have a final figure yet but we are currently sitting at $63,000!  Big shout out to all of you donors including our sustaining donors. Hip hip hooray! (repeat 3 times) WMPG’s Fall fundraiser takes place from Tuesday, Oct 18 through Monday 24th. The WMPG…

Tip Your DJ

Music Commentary

Hi my name is Jon McKenney and welcome to the first installment of “ Beyond The Hook .” A hook, sometimes called a riff, is a repeatable phrase or melody that draws you in and hooks you. I am an English major, and I am working as an intern, here at WMPG, that requires a writing component and my first assignment is to hit the ground running and produce a colucast or a (column /podcast). The beauty of…