LISTEN TO EMMY AWARD WINNING WRITER & PRODUCER BILL ODENKIRK ALONG WITH CREATOR/PRODUCER SARAH EDWARDS ON WEFT
Wednesday morning on WEFT, the creators of the play "We Interrupt This Program" stopped by the radio station to talk about their Show & Tell Productions presentation this coming weekend at The Virginia Theatre. This premiere performance tells the tale of a small, midwestern radio station as it prepares to rebroadcast the classic Orson Welles radio play "The War of the Worlds" - but is interrupted by an ACTUAL alien spaceship spotted above an Illinois cornfield! Limited tickets are still available through The Virginia Theater. TICKETS
LISTEN HERE
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY RADIO STATION: CHAMPAIGN-URBANA'S WEFT 90.1 FM
This Fall, WEFT is celebrating the 45th anniversary of the station's very first broadcast on 90.1 FM - which happened on September 25, 1981.
45 years later, WEFT continues to connect, inform, challenge, entertain, and inspire the communities of East Central Illinois.
WEFT amplifies unique music and broadcasts important local programming that gives a voice to issues, people, and organizations that matter.
We invite you to help write the next chapter of WEFT's story by making a donation that will help strengthen YOUR community radio station: WEFT!
PLEASE DONATE TODAY
In the words of Jimmy Cliff: "You Can Get It If You Really Want!" It was the very first record played on 90.1 FM four and a half decades ago. Thank you for "getting" WEFT, for supporting independent community radio, and for keeping the voice of East Central Illinois alive!.
As always, we thank you for helping to preserve the music, memories, and community spirit that truly makes WEFT one of a kind!
45 YEARS & COUNTING
WEFT Community Radio is your independent, commercial-free radio station - powered by volunteers and sustained by listeners just like you.
Since that historic first broadcast on 90.1 FM (which took place on Friday, September 25, 1981) WEFT has been committed to free speech, diversity, and local voices. We bring you original shows, independent news, local issues, unparalleled music, and community voices you won’t hear anywhere else.
Friday, October 16th - Broken Record Music Club's free pop up concert inside WEFT's Great Hall from 8:00 until 10:00 p.m. with headliner Miley Cypress Hill.
Saturday, October 17th - Urbana's Market at the Square in the parking lot outside Lincoln Square Mall from 8:00 a.m. until noon.
Saturday, October 17th - CU Pride Fest in Downtown Urbana. Look for the WEFT table as we join Uniting Pride for the annual CU Pride Fest Fair from 1:00 until 5:00 p.m.
Listen Live
WEFT's streaming partner is Broadcast Tool & Die. Click here if you want to listen to our stream online https://weft.broadcasttool.stream/stream.
While we continue to stream through our website at weft.org, you can also listen from your mobile device through the WEFT App. Our app is available through the Apple Store and the Google Play Store. It's a whole new way to WEFT!
You can download the free WEFT App for iPhone https://apps.apple.com/us/app/weft-fm/id6723680095
For Android devices, down the free WEFT App from Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.publicmediaapps.weft
Recently played on WEFT
Support WEFT 90.1 FM
You can use our Online Donation form to make a one-time or recurring donation to WEFT. Click on the Blue Donate Now button.
All year long WEFT guides you on a journey through independent music and public affairs programming. The volunteer hosts that curate and select WEFT's programs are community members - your friends and neighbors.
Thanks again for donating and supporting community radio here in East Central Illinois!
Donate by Mail
Print & fill out our printable donation form and include it with your check. Make checks payable to WEFT, and mail them to:
WEFT
P.O. Box 1223
Champaign, IL 61824
Vehicle Donation
Donating your car, truck, van, SUV, boat, motorcycle, ATV, RV, trailer or airplane has never been easier! Visit the Vehicle Donation portion of our Support page for more info.
You can give CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Services) a call at 1-855-500-RIDE or go through their online donation process and designate WEFT as the non-profit beneficiary.
It Takes A Community
WEFT Community Radio is your independent, commercial-free radio station - powered by volunteers and sustained by listeners just like you.
Since 1981, WEFT has been committed to free speech, diversity, and local voices. We bring you original shows, independent news, local issues, unparalleled music, and local voices you won’t hear anywhere else.
Louder, Static-Free FM Radio Signal
Recent upgrades have improved our broadcasting quality, so you can enjoy WEFT with crystal-clear sound wherever you tune in - here in East Central Illinois on 90.1 FM or anywhere in the world with the WEFT App!
Support Community Radio
Your support keeps WEFT strong. Every gift helps us maintain equipment, train volunteers, host community events, and share new stories from around the area.
Here are a few ways that you can help support WEFT:
+ Donate year round as every dollar fuels free radio. Just click the “Donate Now” button
+ Volunteer - share your time, skills, and passion
+ Spread the word - invite friends and neighbors to tune in
+ Consider including WEFT in your IRA mandatory distribution, your will, or as a one-time major gift
Click on the blue DONATE NOW button, or download and fill out the donation form then mail it to WEFT with your check or money order.
Print & fill out our printable donation form and include it with your check. Make checks payable to WEFT, and mail them to:
WEFT
P.O. Box 1223
Champaign, IL 61824
To learn more about volunteer opportunities, email: stationmanager@weft.org.
WEFT History and Info
The very first WEFT broadcast on 90.1 FM happened on Friday, September 25, 1981
You can read a short version of WEFT's history here
Interestingly back in 1937 the upstairs of WEFT's building 113 1/2 and Dave Monk's building 115 1/2 were a gambling establishment, the Turf Club aka Klemick's. Thanks to the Urbana Free Library Archives, here's a story about Champaign's Gambling Hotspots, the Turf Club was part of North Market Street's Gamblers Row
Joe Lex, was one of WEFT's Founders (and partly repsonsible for some of those vinyl records we have stored up in our attic). He recently dug up this little bit of WEFT History. Here's an early vision of what our Programming would be, Joe Lex - WEFT's 1981 Programming Vision
WEFT Video from the 90's Clips of many WEFTies who helped make WEFT what it is today. How many do you recognize?
Listen Live
Listen to WEFT's live broadcast in your browser, also via the WEFT App, or online services like TuneIn to take WEFT anywhere on your smartphone or use your preferred streaming player on your computer.
Listen On Demand
Two Week Music Show Archives
Thanks to our partners at Spinitron many of our music shows will once again be archived
Go to our Spinitron Calendar page and click on any of the green colored shows. You'll be able to start an in-browser player.
Copyright restrictions require us to start all playbacks at the beginning of each show, and you can't jump forward or back. If you want to listen to part of the 2nd hour of the show, you have to wait till the player gets there.
Look for the in-browser player - click on the triangle to start playback.
Because of copyright restrictions music shows can only remain online for two weeks. They also can't be downloaded or podcast.
Antenna Video
In the spring of 2020 WEFT completed a project our volunteers had worked on for a couple years. Order a new antenna and get it installed on a new, taller tower. This video documents some of the project
Thanks to Mark Niswander for the video
You can view this and other WEFT related videos on our Youtube Page