Description

* WDET 101.9 FM began broadcasting to the metropolitan Detroit community in 1949 as a station owned by the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. The UAW (UAW-CIO as it was then known) operated the radio station for four years, airing public service programming to its union membership and to the general public. The UAW was not an educational institution and was therefore ineligible for an "educational reserved" radio frequency.
* WDET was given to Wayne State University in 1952 by the UAW to continue the station's tradition of public service programming. Over the decades, WDET has been recognized with countless awards for its music programming and news reporting.
* WDET's highly desirable dial position (101.9) is the legacy of its union beginnings and makes for the unusual situation of a commercial radio frequency being used for a public station.
* WDET-FM is licensed to Wayne State University by the Federal Communications Commission. Application renewal is made every eight years. The station is subject to the rules and regulations set forth by the FCC but is wholly owned by Wayne State. WDET's offices are located at 4600 Cass Avenue in Detroit, Michigan.