The History of the Experimental Pennsylvania Network

WXPN first signed on air in 1945 as a carrier current station, located at 730 on the AM dial. This low-powered station served the University of Pennsylvania campus and its surroundings. In 1957, WXPN was granted a full license as a 10-watt college radio station and made its debut at 88.9 FM.  Throughout the 1960s, WXPN was a student activity of the University and in the 1970s the station morphed into a community radio station with a mix of students and citizens hosting a patchwork of musical programming.

With guidance from the University in the 1980s, WXPN transformed itself into a self-sustaining department of the University, relying primarily on financial support from its listeners, businesses and various broadcasting grants. With this independence, WXPN began hiring a professional on-air and administrative staff. In 1990, WXPN increased its power and moved t0 88.5 FM on the Philadelphia radio dial.

The mission of The XPN Files is to highlight and preserve some of the historical moments of the past 70+ years of WXPN, which wouldn’t be possible had it not been for the continued support from generations of listeners who, as XPN Members, continue to make the future of WXPN a reality.