WEMU celebrates new office in Halle Library

WEMU, NPR's jazz and blues radio station, has officially relocated to the Halle Library after a long tenure in King Hall. 

On Feb. 12, 2026, WEMU staff and Eastern Michigan University President James Smith cut the ribbon in front of WEMU's new office, located on the ground floor of the Halle Library across from the computer lab.

According to Smith, the change comes as a much-needed upgrade, with all new improvements to the individual office spaces, physical media library and equipment. 

"This is an incredibly proud moment for Eastern Michigan University," Smith said.

With the support of the Board of Regents, EMU funded the change in location. 

"Being a community-engaged university is making outreach to the community, and that's exactly what WEMU does all day and every day," Smith said. "I believe that the excellence you've heard in the past will be even greater." 

The new broadcast location, now called "The Timko Broadcast Center," is named after Art Timko, who served as the executive director emeritus of the broadcast center. His work with WEMU spanned over 42 years, after first joining the station as a student employee in 1967.

The recognition came after a resolution from the Board of Regents, which formally renamed the station and emphasized its unwavering commitment to community service, journalistic focus on Washtenaw County, and dedication to the preservation of roots, jazz and blues. 

Board of Regents Chairperson Nate Ford spoke on the motivation behind the change in WEMU's location, as well as the decision to name the new station after Timko. 

"This moment is not simply about a building. It's about a legacy, about peoplewhose vision, leadership and commitment have shaped WEMU into the cultural institution it is today," Ford said. "Nobody embodies that legacy more fully than Art Timko."

Ford expressed the deep impact that WEMU has made across its 61 years on air throughout Southeast Michigan, with Timko serving as one of three general managers throughout.

"The Detroit Jazz Festival broadcast, the Depot Town broadcast and the Frog Island Festivals. All of the attempts we made to connect audiences with performers, and perform a community service that wasn't being provided," Timko said. "Just amazing." 

Alongside the change in location, the move also came with the task of relocating over 175,000 pieces of physical media owned by the station, made up of vinyl records and CDs.

Marc Taras, a music broadcaster at WEMU for 29 years, now works as the station's staff librarian, sorting through all of the physical media that comes through the station. According to Taras, having physical versions of songs and albums helps the station offer listeners a more well-rounded experience.

"Having the hard copy allows us to deepen the story," Taras said.

When preparing songs for play, broadcasters can use the physical copies to tell those tuning in more information about not just the artist or group but also about all of those who took part in a track or album's creation. 

According to Mat Hopson, The Morning Edition producer, much of the equipment used by WEMU in King Hall dated back to the early 1980s. Now, the new equipment has been almost entirely digitized, allowing for those working at the station to have more flexibility.

WEMU specializes in roots, jazz and blues and features National Public Radio classics like "All Things Considered," which reports on daily news updates. 

To listen to WEMU's live broadcast and to find more information on the station's various programs, visit the station's website at wemu.org.