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COVID-19 Station Operations Update

As the effects of COVID-19 resonate across our campus, community, and Commonwealth, WRFL continues its mission delivering an alternative source of music, news, and culture to the University of Kentucky, Lexington, and beyond. To support social distancing efforts and to keep our DJs safe at this time, station leadership decided on March 23 to move to a schedule of pre-produced programs. For the first time in WRFL’s 32 year history, we’ve asked all our DJ’s to stay home, create programs remotely, and send them to the leadership team for airtime.

“We’re not automated, though,” expressed station Programming Director Camille Harn. “All but one of our shows (Democracy Now!) has been curated and crafted by a RFLian—not a computer.”

Listeners can expect a few small changes to what they’re hearing on 88.1FM (streaming at wrfl.fm). Moving from an all-live DJ model to pre-produced shows impacts the station’s regular Spring schedule lineup. While many regular shows- Old School Hip Hop, The World Beat, and The Percy Trout Hour– are still on the air, WRFL’s student leadership and DJ staff work diligently to get the full schedule back online while training DJs on the new system.

WRFL’s flagship interview programs— Campus Voices, Trivial Thursday’s, and Philosophy Bakes Bread— have also begun to return in prerecorded or remote fashion.

WRFL’s News Team hopes to add more coverage, bringing the voices and concerns of UK students and staff, local business owners, area nonprofits, and many others to the airwaves to express views on the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on their lives.

The station shares the impact of event cancellations around the country, as artists, fans, venues, labels, and listeners struggle with these changes. Station leadership continues to work with artist partners to deliver new independent music to our listeners, while developing new ways for Lexington musicians to be heard on the air and around the world at wrfl.fm.

“Now the message is: What can we do for you?” says station Promotions Director Aileen Tierney. “We want to help our listeners and our community, now more than ever.”

If you’re a band or venue: Contact promotions@wrfl.fm for help promoting Facebook live events or any other live-streaming performances. Also, you may fill out this form to place virtual resources/live-streams on our Around Town page.

If you’re a local business: Contact development@wrfl.fm with updates regarding operations and hours, which will be posted on our website at wrfl.fm.

If you’re a campus or community friend: Contact promotions@wrfl.fm so we might help spread the word about local initiatives, nonprofit operations, and any information that could benefit the UK and Lexington community.

For all other questions, comments, and concerns, please email contact@wrfl.fm.

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