WAMU 88.5 : About

About WAMU 88.5, Mission and Vision

July 29, 2011

WAMU 88.5 is the leading public radio station for NPR news and information in the greater Washington D.C. area. It is member-supported, professionally-staffed, and licensed to American University. Since 1961, WAMU 88.5 has provided programming to an audience of listeners that now totals 787,000* listeners on-air and online.

The station's 24-hour format blends a unique mixture of news, public affairs talk programming, and traditional American music. Home to a team of award-winning local reporters and acclaimed talk radio hosts, such as Diane Rehm and Kojo Nnamdi, WAMU 88.5 offers comprehensive coverage of local, national and international events. During the week, WAMU 88.5 focuses on news and information with The Diane Rehm Show, The Kojo Nnamdi Show and programming from NPR, PRI, APM, and the BBC. Weekends offer listeners a variety of news, entertainment and traditional American music with internationally recognized hosts Rob Bamberger and Ed Walker.

Deeply committed to the D.C. metro area, WAMU 88.5 produces regular and special programming that reflects the unique environment of the D.C. Metro area. Every week, Metro Connection celebrates the diversity of the local area with unique features and interviews, while citizen commentaries and programs like Youth Voices periodically engage members of the community in the ongoing public dialogue. The WAMU Community Council, a citizens' advisory panel, sponsors forums to find ways that radio can shed light on difficult problems and complicated issues.

* 2013 Arbitron, Inc., All rights reserved, Winter Survey 2013, Metro 6+ AQH Persons, Washington, DC Metro, Mon-Sun 6am-Mid

Our Mission

WAMU will remain the standard for lifelong learning through civil discourse, in-depth news and compelling entertainment that foster an engaged and connected local, national and global community.

Our Vision

To be the most respected and trusted voice in the world of traditional and emerging media, recognized for our commitment to serving Community, neighborhood and global, with balanced, enlightening, inspiring and entertaining programs of the highest possible quality.

Arts & Culture

NPR

In 'Egghead,' A New Shel: Burnham Takes On Silverstein

Bo Burnham got his start in comedy on the internet, rather than in clubs. He found fame on YouTube and parlayed millions of views into a thriving career. Now, he's turned to the printed page with Egghead: or, You Can't Survive On Ideas Alone, a collection of comedic poetry modeled on Shel Silverstein.

Food

NPR

School Pulls All-Beef Burgers From Menu, Citing Complaints

Students in a Virginia school system are now eating hamburgers with additives in them, after officials heeded their complaints about the appearance and taste of all-beef burgers it had been serving. The burgers that are now being served include a reported 26 ingredients.

Politics

NPR

GOP's History Of Resistance To Social Welfare Programs

A partial shutdown of the federal government is now in its seventh day. At the heart of the impasse is a political battle. For the government to re-open, Republicans are insisting on big changes to President Obama's signature health care law. This is not the first time there's been GOP resistance to a new social welfare program that was advocated and signed into law by a Democratic president.

Technology

NPR

Wanted: A New Generation of High-Tech Aviation Workers

Millions of U.S. factory jobs have been lost in the past decade. Now, in North Carolina, high school students are being encouraged to think about taking manufacturing jobs. But this isn't the furniture-making or textile labor of generations past — it's a new kind of highly technical work in aviation.