Nite Owl is the time we set aside in WMBR's schedule to allow our newest DJs to try out the airwaves, and occasionally some of our more experienced staff play things that don't fit into the format of their own show.

For the new announcers:

You need to have all of these ready before the start of Nite Owl:

1. Complete playlist for 1 hour
2. Songs pulled and ready
3. At least 5 breaks during each hour, including a promo and a PSA
4. Tape or blank CDR to record show on

The syllabus lists the topics covered in Nite Owl. As for the format, you can pick any type of music or topic you want, but we'd like to encourage you to pick something unusual and not covered by the commercial radio stations.

You can see some of our ideas and suggestions on what to do when you're on Nite Owl. And for some other ideas, you can also check out some of the shows that WMBR has to offer.

If you sign up for a time, you're expected to be at the station promptly, 15 minutes before your scheduled air time. If you can't make it, please let me know as soon as possible at .

If you find out at the last minute that you can't make the show, call the station (253-8810)!

Click here to see the current schedule for Nite Owl.

Nite Owl has a long and rich history, going back almost to the beginning of the radio station itself. Station members from the earliest days of WMBR (back then, WTBS) recall that it was started around 1960, making it the longest-running program on the WMBR lineup. In its heyday, it was an all-request show, run entirely by MIT students, and targeted mainly to the MIT community. It was widely considered to be the most prestigious show on WMBR, and many aspiring DJ's hoped to be lucky enough one day to be able to join the show and field requests. Its zaniness has inspired countless DJ's at the station and has since become a standard part of the WMBR culture. Among its other novelties, Nite Owl featured the "Integral of the Week" and the "Waveform of the Week" (which could be observed using an oscilloscope tuned to the WMBR carrier wave).

Since then, Nite Owl has undergone several changes and has evolved along with the rest of the station, but still proudly remains on the air. Now no longer an all-request show, it still serves WMBR and its community by offering a chance for aspiring new DJ's to try their hand at announcing on the air and experimenting with new show ideas. It remains the queen of the station lineup: no longer the pinnacle of the programming schedule, but certainly as a venerable show that still commands the respect of the WMBR staff and inspires the next generation of DJ's at the station. And in a nod to the rich and proud traditions of Nite Owl and WMBR, you may still occasionally get to hear the "Integral of the Week."

For more information, contact Ken, the Nite Owl Coordinator, at .

Return to WMBR's home page