Why you should donate
WMBR is noncommercial radio, offering quality programming that can’t be found anywhere else. We are 100% volunteer, with no paid staff. This is rare – even among other noncommercial stations. Our volunteers are MIT students, alumni, staff, and members of the local community.
Your support truly sustains us! While MIT generously provides our space and essential resources, we rely entirely on grassroots donations to cover our expenses and bring you the unique, quality programming you've grown to expect.
In the past year, we began a once-in-a-generation project to renovate our aging studios. Our primary control room was stripped down and rebuilt, replacing decades-old equipment, wiring, acoustic tiling, and furnishings with a modern console powered by a digital audio network that interfaces with both traditional and current audio sources. Our volunteers have also implemented and continued to improve a WMBR mobile app, available for both Apple and Android devices, providing access to our broadcasting from anywhere with Internet connectivity.
Where the money goes
Your contributions have already made a significant impact. Studio renovations, including repaired walls, fresh paint, and new furniture, have revitalized our space. Equipment upgrades, such as new appliances and audio engineering gear, have enhanced our production quality. We've also invested in campus outreach at MIT, growing our community presence and strengthening our ability to recruit new talent.
Our studio overhaul project will continue with the planned replacement of our second control room and announcer booth. The existing mixing console in there was state-of-the-art in the 1980s, but it's now as old as some of the parents of our first-year students, and replacement parts for it are no longer available from any source. In its place will be the same modern console we just installed in our primary control room. This will greatly simplify training for our new staff members and increase reliability. In addition, the rooms themselves will be taken down to the bare walls and refreshed with new soundproofing and fixtures.
To deliver the crystal-clear signal you deserve, we'll continue to invest in state-of-the-art broadcasting technology. Beyond the control room renovation, we plan to upgrade our computer systems and software to empower our DJs’ creative impulses and enhance your listening experience. Your donations also continue to cover essential expenses such as webcasting and licensing fees, music purchases, insurance, and legal costs.
Every dollar you contribute directly shapes the future of our station. You're not just donating; you're investing in a vibrant community hub, supporting local talent, and ensuring diverse voices and programs are heard on the airwaves. We are profoundly grateful for your support, and we couldn’t do it without you. Thank you for being the best listeners a station could ask for!
Premiums
A variety of premiums are available as our way of saying thank you for your support. They are tokens of appreciation for your tax-deductible donation to WMBR. This year we're offering t-shirts, keystraps, posters, field bags, hoodies, work shirts, and a sticker & magnet combo!
Here's a sneak peek at what the premiums look like:
- Sticker & Magnet
- Key Strap
- Screenprinted Poster
- WMBR T-shirt
- Research & Development T-shirt
- Gorilla Got Me T-Shirt
- Field Bag
- Hoodie
- Dickie's Work Shirt