Radio programming began on SU campus as early as 1931 when WMAC-AM, an educational outlet of WSYR (AM) began operating in Crouse College. On April 13, 1947, an experimental low-powered FM station began broadcast at 88.1 MHz as WJIV-FM, primarily as a practical workshop for SU radio students. After three months, a license renewal from the FCC allowed the students to change the call sign letters to WAER (W Alpha Epsilon Rho), referring to the radio honorary society. The studios, financial supported by General Electric, were located at "Radio House", a set of prefabricated houses near the steps to Mount Olympus, immediately south of Carnegie Library. "GE" provided the setup, valued at 150,000 in 1948, and asked Syracuse university to experiment with this type of transmitter, in hopes of pioneering educational broadcasting by using the low-powered FM transmitters.