WWUH

Infobox Radio Station


name = WWUH
city = West Hartford, Connecticut
airdate = July 15, 1968
frequency = 91.3 (MHz)
area = Hartford
format = Alternative
owner = University of Hartford
erp = 440 watts
haat = 239 meters
branding =
slogan = "Public Alternative Radio."
class = A
webcast =
website = [http://ww.wwuh.org/ www.wwuh.org]
callsign_meaning = West Hartford, CT (City of License) and University of Hartford (Licensee)
sister_stations = WWEB, WAPJ, WDJW (all three are simulcasts of WWUH)

WWUH is a non-commercial radio station licensed to the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Connecticut, USA. The station was started on July 15, 1968 and has a Public Alternative Radio format.

WWUH operates on 91.3 MHz from a tower site in Avon, Connecticut but their programming is also rebroadcast on WWEB 89.9 Wallingford, CT; WAPJ 89.9 and 105.1 in Torrington, Connecticut, and WDJW 89.7 in Somers, Connecticut. In addition, WWUH was the first station in the state of Connecticut to webcast on a regular basis via its web site. WWUH has an extensive music library consisting of close to 100,000 LPs and CDs. WWUH broadcasts via the web at http://www.wwuh.org/real.htm.

WWUH offers a wide variety of alternative programming including music, spoken word and news programming all produced by students and community volunteers. Operated as a community service of the University of Hartford, WWUH first signed on the air in 1968 using the motto "Public Alternative Radio."

WWUH has been voted "Best College Station" in the Hartford Advocate's annual Readers Poll more than any other station and has won numerous awards for its public affairs programming.

There is an on-going Station History Committee attempting to write a comprehensive history of WWUH. Contributions are welcome from listeners, current and former staff, etc. Former WWUH volunteers should check out the Yahoo Group "wwuhalumni", membership in which is open to any former staffer.http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wwuhalumni.

History

On July 15, 1968, Western Union delivered a very important telegram to the station's offices on the third floor of the Gengras Student Union building. The telegram, from the Federal Communications Commission, authorized Program Test Authority for WWUH, giving the University of Hartford permission to turn on their new radio station.

The students who had worked so hard for three years wasted no time. At 4:05 PM that afternoon, after a short ceremony, they threw a switch and WWUH went on the air for the first time as The Voice of the University of Hartford. Family and friends of the people who had worked so hard to put the station together, who were tuned to 91.3 at that exact time, heard “The Star Spangled Banner” followed by “WWUH, West Hartford” spoken by Clark Smidt. WWUH was born!

From day one, the station was committed to providing the greater Hartford area with professionally produced alternative programming that was not available on the commercial stations. The 1,800-watt signal was one of the strongest of any college station in New England, and WWUH made its debut as the first educational station in the seven-state region to broadcast in stereo. At sign-on, the station counted 701 albums in its collection.

The first daily schedule ran from 4 PM to 1 AM. Even with this abbreviated schedule, listeners started to take notice. Students produced news and public affairs programs with an emphasis placed on alternative news and progressive issues of concern to the immediate area were produced and aired. Many considered the community affairs programs provocative and even controversial, but people liked what they heard, and the University was very happy about the positive response they were getting about their new station. Early programming consisted of classical, folk and jazz music, with two newscasts a day. Progressive rock also appeared on the schedule, occupying the “graveyard shift,” which ran from midnight to 3 AM each night. It was called “The Gothic Blimp Works,” a program name that is still used today. WWUH's broadcast of progressive rock music preceded the start of WHCN, which calls itself "Hartford’s First Rock Station." The histories of WWUH and WHCN intertwine often, starting with the fact that many WWUH rock music programmers were responsible for changing WHCN's format from classical music to rock music.

The WWUH transmitter, affectionately known as “Mother,” was located in Room 330 of GSU, and the antenna sat atop a 90-foot tower also located at Gengras. The station started out broadcasting 100% of the time in stereo at a time when many of the "major" commercial station were still mono. The first transmitter was the RCA BTF-1, donated by WTIC where its 1,000 watts were fed in to a 3 bay Collins antenna. Even with the power of 1,800 watts, the antenna was so low compared to the surrounding terrain that the station covered only about a five-mile radius.

WWUH was dedicated on November 20, 1968 to the memory of Louis K. Roth whose encouragement and generosity, and that of his family, helped make possible the creation, expansion and continued operation of WWUH. It was named "The Louis K. Roth Memorial Station" in a ceremony presided over by University Chancellor Woodruff. The plaque commemorating the dedication hung outside the air studio in the Gengras Student Union building for 21 years. In 1989, the plaque was temporarily removed for cleaning and then remounted outside the new air studio in the Gray Center.

Louis K. Roth

Born in 1896, Mr. Roth was educated at New York University and Columbia University. He began his career in 1924 as an independent distributor of radios. In 1935 he joined Radio Corporation, Victor Division as production manager of their electronic division. In 1944, he set up, with two partners, Radio and Appliance Distributors in Hartford. This firm eventually became one of the largest radio wholesalers in Connecticut. Mr. Roth was involved in many civic and community organizations. In addition to being a trustee of the Connecticut Opera Association, Mr. Roth was a trustee of the Julius Hart Musical Foundation here at the University of Hartford. He also served on various university committees and served on the Board of Regents of the University of Hartford from 1961 to 1967. [Portions of this biography are from a publication entitled “Hartford Jews 1659 – 1970 by Rabbi Morris Silverman, c 1970, courtesy of The Connecticut Historical Society.]

The Hartford Times, in a May 1967 editorial said:“In the brief span of 23 years Louis K. Roth made an indelible mark on the civic, cultural and business life of this community. He was a man of diverse interests, unbounded energy and willingness to give uncounted hours to non-business activities in which he had a special interest.

“The list of the social and civic agencies with which he was identified in lengthy. They range from those formed to help needy persons to societies of a musical or other artistic or cultural nature.

“Mr. Roth took his community responsibilities seriously. He was generous with his money, time and counsel whenever the call came for assistance. Hartford will recall Louis Roth with the warmest recollection as a civic-minded citizen of the highest quality.”

Public Affairs Programs, Locally Produced

- Mind Matters- Soapbox- Assassination Journal- New Focus- Shortwave Alternative- Gay Spirit- RadioActive http://www.hartfordimc.org/blog

Notable Alumni

Clark Smidt (’69), Owner – WCAP Lowell, MA. -Mike Crispino (’80, Sports Commentator - Josh Lafayette (’99), Account Exec, WCCC AM/FM - Nicole Godburn (’00), Program Director, Beethoven.com -Michael Plen (’78), former VP – Virgin Records -Marty Peshka (’79), Senior Engineer, ESPN -Blake Wilcox ('92), Afternoon Host, The HawkLlaine Hansen ('71), National Public Radio

ee also

WAPJ

WWEB

WDJW

Folk Next Door

Notes

External links

* [http://www.wwuh.org/ WWUH website]
* [http://www.wwuh.org/history/history.htm History of WWUH] [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wwuhalumni]
*FMQ|WWUH
*FML|WWUH
*Coverage