Go east of downtown Memphis, and you’ll find Shelby Farms Park. Right next to the park is the transmitter for a Class C2 noncommercial serving the market with a 24/7 jazz format.
It’s a service provided by a university that, like several others in recent years, decided to sell its radio station.
In this case, however, jazz will live on, thanks to a partnership between the university and a local institution.
Introducing the Crosstown Radio Partnership, which has been designated as the new licensee of WUMR-FM 91.7 in Memphis.
CRP is a new nonprofit entity formed as a collaboration between the University of Memphis, WUMR’s licensee; Memphis Fourth Estate, the nonprofit publisher
of The Daily Memphian; and Crosstown Redevelopment Cooperative Association Inc., a
Memphis nonprofit that facilitated redevelopment of a 1.5 million square foot former Sears,
Roebuck & Co. distribution Center that had been abandoned for 20 years “using arts and culture as a catalyst for change.”
The resulting space is now known as Crosstown Concourse, and upon closing of WUMR’s transfer from the university to the CRP, the station will move its studios and offices to the Crosstown Concourse site, which boasts more than 3,000 daily visitors.
“CRP is excited to build upon WUMR’s service to Memphis by expanding on the station’s existing jazz programming,” the partnership says. With CRP, WUMR-FM will continue to feature on-air talent from University of Memphis students while adding news programming from The Daily Memphian and the ability to broadcast concerts and other events from venues located at Crosstown Concourse.
There is no funds being exchanged, and the transaction is pursuant to a contribution agreement signed by the university and the CRP. This sees the university making a general $100,000 annual contribution to the CRP.
The handing off of WUMR was approved by the University of Memphis Board of Trustees on Dec. 4, 2019.
“It was on the Memphis airwaves that artists from Elvis, B.B. King and Big Star to the BarKays, Wendy Moten and Yo Gotti connected with large groups of local fans,” said Pat Mitchell-Worley, executive director of Stax Music Academy and board member of the new radio partnership. “Radio in Memphis has always been about community. With diverse listener-powered programming, the new WUMR will continue the tradition of serving savvy music lovers from local curators exploring how artists and songs relate to one another. Expect legacy and new art from diverse genres. Expect to celebrate Memphis sounds alongside independent international music moving the world.”
