WTSU started broadcasting on March 1, 1977, as the state's third public radio station (the callsign stands for the university's name then, "Troy State University,"[5] a part of the Alabama higher education system), and the first south of Birmingham. The station was assigned the call sign "WTSU" by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).[6] WTSU originally broadcast at 90.1 MHz with a power of 50,000 watts; by 1981, it moved to its present frequency of 89.9, doubling its wattage to 100,000. Programming from the start was a blend of news and classical music, combined with an automated block of "beautiful music" between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Troy University Public Radio discontinued the easy-listening daytime format in 1993.
^"Troy names director of radio, television". Montgomery Advertiser. Montgomery, AL. June 27, 2008. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved December 5, 2011. As director, Johnson oversees the operation of the University's three National Public Radio affiliates, WTSU-FM 89.9, Montgomery/Troy, WRWA-FM 88.7, Dothan and WTJB-FM 91.7, Phenix City/Columbus.