NIU Today

WNIJ News reporters won four top prizes in the Illinois Associated Press Broadcast News Contest for stories aired in 2017. WNIJ swept the category for “Best Use of Sound” and also was honored in the “Best Light Feature” and “Best Newswriter” categories. Jenna Dooley’s feature headlined “NIU Library Brings World War I Sheet Music To Life,”...

WNIJ 89.5 FM and NIU STEAM are partnering to create “The Sound of Science,” a weekly series explaining important science, technology, engineering and math concepts using sound. The feature will air on WNIJ at 1 p.m. on Fridays, as a lead-in to Science Friday. The first “Sound of Science” episode will air on Friday, April...

WNIJ 89.5 FM is pleased to announce a new season of “Sessions from Studio A,” its locally-produced show dedicated to showcasing regional and touring musicians. The season premieres on Thursday, Aug. 3, and features new episodes every Thursday at 7 p.m. Sessions from Studio A airs on WNIJ (89.5 FM – DeKalb/Rockford, 89.1 FM –...

Two WNIJ reporters have collected a total of three first-place awards in the annual Illinois Associated Press Broadcasters competition for 2016. The awards were presented Saturday, April 22, at the Illinois News Broadcasters Association (INBA) gathering in Urbana. There were 12 award categories in each division, and WNIJ News won three of them in the...

WNIJ 89.5 FM invites all to submit a short poem to the Mother’s Day Poetry Contest. The contest, hosted by Dan Klefstad, will air interviews with the writers of the winning poems every morning at 6:40 and 8:40 beginning Monday, May 8, during the station’s broadcast of Morning Edition. WNIJ invited prize-winning author Susan Azar...

WNIJ News is very proud to announce the launch of a new local news initiative called Friday Forum. Friday Forum is dedicated to showcasing multiple perspectives on critical local, regional and state issues. Beginning this Friday, January 13, WNIJ News reporters will interview members of Congress, Illinois legislators, county officials and municipal officeholders, as well...

WNIJ 89.5 FM is pleased to announce the launch of a new fundraising project called Mission Possible. The objective is to raise $150,000 without interrupting programs. This financial goal is both ambitious and necessary as it is the amount needed to continue to bring the quality programming thousands depend on in northern Illinois. WNIJ is...

A total of 12 participants have completed the inaugural WNIJ News “Public Radio 101” seminar, held during several September evenings at the NIU Broadcast Center. The class included two students from Kishwaukee College, two NIU staff members as well as eight NIU students at various stages of pursuing degrees in the communications field. WNIJ 89.5...

WNIJ 89.5 FM invites all to submit a short story to the Flash Fiction Contest. The contest, hosted by Dan Klefstad, will air interviews with the writers of the winning stories every morning at 6:50 and 8:50 a.m. beginning Monday, Oct. 3, during the station’s broadcast of Morning Edition. Contest entrants must write a 500-word...

WNIJ 89.5 FM is seeking volunteers for the Northern Illinois Radio Information Service (NIRIS). NIRIS is a unique broadcast service which provides current print information to blind and print-impaired citizens in the region. Volunteers are essential to the service and the station is looking for new recruits: NIRIS volunteers contribute their time and talent by...

Beginning Oct. 1, WNIJ 89.5 FM will conduct its Rockford activities from NIU’s regional center at 8500 E. State St. WNIJ is one of two stations managed by Northern Public Radio, part of the Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development at NIU, which currently has studios on the NIU campus in DeKalb and at...

WNIJ-89.5 FM presents local and national programs as part of its continuing effort to bring a variety of quality and relevant radio to northern Illinois. Beginning Monday, Aug. 1, the station will launch a new schedule of programming designed in accordance with its mission to share ideas, encourage thought, give pleasure and create community. Staci...