About Us / History
WCCR Purdue Student Radio has been a part of campus life since the early days of college radio. Its origins go back to 1949, when two Cary Quad roommates began illegally broadcasting out of their dorm room. After the FCC shut it down, they spent over a year working with Cary Club to build something official. In 1952, WCCR launched as a legal carrier current station, transmitting through Cary’s electrical wiring from a small student-built studio inside the residence hall.
It didn’t take long for other residence halls to join the trend. By the mid-1950s, stations in Wiley, Meredith, Harrison, and others were on air too. Together they formed the Purdue Radio Network (PRN), a student-run system that broadcast shows across campus on a rotating schedule. WCCR was a big part of that growth and became the first student station in the country to broadcast in stereo. DJs during this time had huge audiences and real name recognition around campus.
Through the 1960s and 70s, the network thrived and became one of the largest student radio systems in the world. But as other universities upgraded to full-power FM stations, Purdue’s administration didn’t follow suit. Combined with changing leadership and aging equipment, the PRN slowly declined. By the late 1980s, after a failed upgrade attempt and the graduation of key members, the network collapsed. Most residence hall stations shut down. WCCR and WILY were the only ones that stayed on the air.
In the early 2000s, WCCR moved into the Cary Northwest basement, upgraded its equipment, and officially transitioned to an internet-only station. The new format allowed the station to keep broadcasting without needing FCC licensing or traditional antenna infrastructure. But it also meant building a new kind of audience, one that tuned in online, both on and off campus.
In 2006, WCCR launched its annual spring concert, Rock the Quad. What started as a modest event grew into a major tradition, giving student musicians and national acts a platform on campus and helping build community through live music.
WCCR has gone through high and low points, periods of strong visibility and community, followed by years of rebuilding. But through it all, the station has remained a platform for creativity, student voices, and independent programming.
Today, WCCR is a fully online, 24/7 student-run radio station. Every show is created and hosted by Purdue students, with programming that includes alternative, hip hop, EDM, talk, and more. With over 70 years of history behind it, WCCR continues to serve as a space for music, experimentation, and connection on campus and beyond.