News and Public Media for North Central Florida
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

History of WUFT-FM

WUFT-FM, Florida’s 89.1, is a 100,000-watt public radio station serving 16 counties in north central Florida. Signing on in Sept. 1981, WUFT quickly garnered a reputation as one of the top public radio stations in the country. WUFT-FM broadcasts from studios located in the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications.

The original program format included classical, jazz, folk, and world music; national, state, and local news and public affairs; and special musical performances. The station switched to a news/talk format in 2009 with programming from NPR and Public Radio International and since that time consistently receives high Arbitron ratings in the Gainesville metro area.

WUFT also serves as a training site for University of Florida telecommunication students to polish their craft. UF students produce local and regional news and updates are featured at the top of the hour and during “Morning Edition” and the “All Things Considered.”

In Nov. 1995, in an effort to bring public radio to areas not reached by existing stations, WJUF-FM signed on. WJUF is a 20,000-watt repeater station located in Citrus County, which retransmits the WUFT signal to residents of the Florida Nature Coast area. WJUF-FM 90.1 reaches the residents of Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco counties.

Both stations broadcast three digital streams over the air and online. HD1 features the main news/talk signal; HD 2, Classic 89, features classical music; and HD3, Ritmo Latino, features Spanish language programming and music.

The stations produce broadcast modules that are fed to public radio stations across the country including “Health in a Heartbeat,” “Public Health Minute,” and “Animal Airwaves.”

Over the years, 89.1 and 90.1 have become a vital part of the communities they serve – both by the programming enjoyed by listeners, and by hosting special events throughout the region. For example, every summer WUFT-FM – in partnership with sister station WUFT-TV and the City of Gainesville – presents the Gainesville Independence Day celebration FANFARES & FIREWORKS.

Both stations are an integral part of the culture of North Central Florida, serving communities with quality programming for more than three decades.

Related: How WUFT-FM was born