About Us
About WAER
WAER Syracuse Public Media is a commercial-free, listener-supported public media organization licensed to Syracuse University and affiliated with the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. As a member station of NPR, WAER serves Central and Northern New York from its state-of-the-art studios and administrative offices located on the Syracuse University campus.
Each semester, up to 50 students contribute to WAER’s vibrant newsroom, reporting on stories and issues that matter to the Central New York community. The station’s sports department is fully student-run, offering hands-on experience in play-by-play broadcasting, studio hosting, engineering, and audio production. WAER has also been the training ground for several distinguished Newhouse alumni including Lakshmi Singh ’94, Beth Mowins G’90, Mike Tirico ’88, and Bob Costas ’74.
WAER is dedicated to bringing you trusted news, music, sports, podcasts, and more.
Contact the team at WAER for listener support, news tips, sponsorship inquiries, and more.
IDEA Initiatives
Activities that support inclusivity, diversity, equity and accessibility are prominent at the Newhouse School and WAER Syracuse Public Media. Support can be found in the curriculum, procedures for hiring and recruitment, co-curricular and extracurricular activities and many more events.
WAER Syracuse Public Media is committed to diversity and inclusion in hiring, makeup of our Community Advisory Board, our programming, outreach and community engagement. WAER values and pledges to seek diverse voices in our news coverage and other programming, as well as seeking inputs and viewpoint from diverse points of view in our decision making. As a program of the Newhouse School and Syracuse University, we further support and participate in the programs and initiatives below.
Curriculum: The Newhouse School offers courses that explore issues of diversity in various media and types of media content, as well as courses that explore concepts of identity, stereotypes, racism, misogyny and other issues.
IDEA Committee: A combined committee of faculty, staff and students supports the school’s efforts to enhance diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility through programming, information gathering and advocacy.
Commitment to diversity in hiring: Search committees work to produce diverse applicant pools for faculty and staff positions through targeted advertising and recruiting.
Leaders in Communications: This monthly speaker series brings media leaders, influencers and newsmakers to the Newhouse School for candid and insightful conversations with students and other guests. With a special emphasis on current trends and challenges, the series helps students keep apace of a quickly changing communications industry and provides them with a connection to the professions they will eventually lead. The series also offers valuable networking and learning opportunities, as guests visit classrooms or student organizations in addition to participating in the public conversation.
Conversation on Race and Entertainment Media: This annual event features figures in the entertainment industry discussing issues of concern to an increasingly diverse industry and audience.
Inclusion at Newhouse: These regular, generally agenda-free open forums allow students—especially those from marginalized identities—to discuss their experiences and find support from peers, faculty and staff.
Newhouse Ambassadors: Students from diverse backgrounds participate in the recruitment of undergraduate students through the Office of Admissions, and establish the Newhouse Office of Recruitment and Diversity as a support space for students.
Multimedia Resource Library: The Newhouse faculty maintains a growing collection of media and communication-related articles, audio and video pieces on issues in diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.
Margins: This group of Newhouse alumni are reaching back to the school to support students of color, LGBTQ+ students and international students. Currently recruiting members, Margins helps current students navigate life at Syracuse University, and connects them with strong career role models.
Support. The Newhouse School has created opportunities for donors to direct their support to a number of funds designed to honor our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Learn more about the Newhouse School’s Forever Orange DEI initiatives.
Syracuse University values diversity, is committed to inclusion and seeks to provide access for all people, including those with disabilities. Learn more about disability and accessibility at Syracuse University.
Public File: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires broadcast stations to make certain documents available online to the public.
WAER’s most recent Local Content and Service Report is filed with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting each year, in compliance with the Communications Act and as part of our Community Service Grant application.
WAER’s most recent audited financial statements are posted below.