WNYT | |
City: | Old Westbury, New York |
Airdate: | 1964 |
Format: | Freeform |
Owner: | New York Institute of Technology |
Webcast: | Listen Live Listen Live (mobile) |
WNYT was the college radio station for the New York Institute of Technology. It was closed down at the end of the Spring 2023 semester after the Communication Arts program was discontinued.
Located on the Old Westbury campus of New York Institute of Technology, WNYT Radio was formed in 1964 as a student organization, where it began and still is a completely student-run station. WNYT also operated as a separate closed-circuit station at the college's New York City campus when it was located at 888 7th avenue in Manhattan in the early to mid-1970s. It was entirely student operated and featured a rock format.
With the lack of available frequency allocations in the area, WNYT has gone through an array of changes through the years in its broadcasting mediums — carrier current, closed circuit, the background music for Cablevision’s on-screen program guide, and most recently, Internet streaming audio. In addition changes have occurred in the programming formats WNYT has relied upon, from all rock music to its current open format.
WNYT Radio has served as a springboard for a wide array of talent and air personalities, with its members going on to become prominent members the New York media market. In addition, it has acted as a voice of the NYIT campus since it was established in the 1960s. It is one of the few college radio stations on Long Island, or the greater metropolitan area, that is entirely run by its students. From its air personalities, to the programming, all aspects of the station are overseen by the students of NYIT.
WNYT Radio programming has been successful; many shows, including the political talk show Elephant Bangs Donkey, Entenmann's and M 80s, Sound System, The Verk and Santro Show, The Dream team and The Extreme Metal Show, have brought a large amount of interest and praise from record labels and bands in the Long Island area.
Starting in 2012, WNYT Radio began broadcasting NYIT Bears sports on their station, a move that brings a larger audience.
At the end of the Spring 2023 semester, NYIT discontinued it's Communication Arts program and closed down WNYT and they held a Sunset Gala at The DeSeversky Mansion to celebrate the program, the station and the people.