13/6/803 Guide to the Staff Memoranda Staff Memoranda

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Guide to the Staff Memoranda 1939/9999 University of Illinois Archives Overview of the Collection Staff Memoranda 1939- 13/6/803 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Division of University Broadcasting 0.20 English University of Illinois Archives
19 Library 1408 W. Gregory Dr. Urbana, IL, URL: http://archives.library.illinois.edu Email: illiarch@illinois.edu Phone: (217) 333-0798 Fax: (217) 333-2868

Other Information:

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Historical Note:

The College of Communications is the supervising administrative unit for the University Broadcasting Division.1 The Division operates radio station WILL AM and FM and television station WILL-TV. Broadcasting activities began in the spring of 1922 when a 400-watt transmitter using the call letters WRM went into operation in the Electrical Engineering Laboratory.2 A gift from Boetius H. Sullivan in 1925 enabled the Illinois experimental radio station to expand its operation, becoming the Roger Sullivan Memorial Radio Station.3 The expanded facilities were placed under the jurisdiction of the Director of Public Information Josef Wright who was appointed the first director of broadcasting.4 In 1928 the station increased to 890 kilocycles. At this time the call letters were officially changed to WILL.5 In 1938 the station's first musical director was appointed.6 The following year the station assumed regular nighttime broadcasting.7 In 1942 WILL was moved to Gregory Hall.8 The bands, the glee clubs and athletic scores had always been the favorite programs which the station aired.9 In 1946 the Athletic Association was allowed to broadcast University athletic events.10 An increased emphasis on news and public affairs resulted in the station's twenty-four hour a day use of the Associated Press beginning in 1948.11 A new transmitter building was constructed for WILL in Robert Allerton Park in 1950.12 The University's television station, the William A. Knight class of 1934 memorial, was a gift from the General Electric Company in 1955.13

The Motion Picture Production Center was organized as a service agency to produce educational films for the people of Illinois. The Center maintained six full-time staff members until July 1, 1974 when it was closed for financial reasons.14

1. Undergraduate Programs Catalog, 1975-1977, p. 255.

2. Carl Stephens, Illini Years: A Picture History of the University of Illinois, (Urbana, 1950), p. 78.

3. Board of Trustees Transactions, 33rd Report, May 16, 1925, p. 226.

4. Ibid., 45th Report, September 29, 1949, p. 882.

5. Stephens, p. 78.

6. Board of Trustees Transactions, 40th Report, July 21, 1938, p. 37.

7. Ibid., July 14, 1937, p. 362.

8. Ibid., 41st Report, February 14, 1942, p. 774.

9. Stephens, p. 78.

10. Board of Trustees Transactions, 43rd Report, February 14, 1946, p. 1007.

11. Ibid., 44th Report, April 10, 1948, p. 1087.

12. Ibid., 46th Report, December 28, 1950, p. 493.

13. Ibid., 49th Report, November 23, 1955, p. 874.

14. Michael Soaper was in charge of the Center's closing and supplied this information.

Access Terms

This Collection is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.

Topical Term: Radio Broadcasting Radio Station -- WILL Television Station -- WILL
Title:

Staff Memoranda (Digital Surrogates)

Administrative Information Accruals:

9/1963; 4/23/98

Arrangement of Materials:

Chronological

Scope and Contents

Printed and duplicated memoranda to staff regarding regular and special programming including a Pronunciation Guide for Illinois Place Names for radio and television announcers (1957), and a personnel newsletter Broadcast News (1988-97).