The History of WILL
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Some highlights:
- Our AM station signed on only two years after the first commercial station in the country hit the
air
- Our FM station was only the second FM station on the air in Illinois; its license was the first issued to a university
station
- In 2006, our TV station celebrated its 50th anniversary of
broadcasting
- The University of Illinois played a pivotal role in the development of public broadcasting in the United
States
Visit WILL-TV's 50th
anniversary Website for stories and photos from our
history!
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The timeline below will take you to some interesting stories about WILL.
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1920
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First U.S. radio license issued
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1922
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WILL-AM, then known as WRM, signs on, broadcasting from the U of I Electrical Engineering Laboratory.
The call letters stand for "We Reach Millions"
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1926
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WRM moves to new building
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1928
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WRM changes call letters to WILL
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1929
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WILL hires its first full-time employee, Frank Schooley
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1935
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WILL-AM begins operating on current frequency of 580
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1938
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WILL-AM assumes regular night-time broadcasting
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1939
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First U.S. FM station begins broadcasting
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1941
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WILL-FM (then known as WIUC) signs on with first FM license issued to a university
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1942
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Both WILL radio stations move to "temporary" quarters in Gregory Hall (where they remained until 1998.)
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1946
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WILL begins broadcasting university athletic events
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1948
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With an increased emphasis on news and public affairs, WILL starts 24-hour use of the Associated Press wire service
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1949
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Educational broadcasters from around the country meet at the
U of I's Allerton House. Their discussions form the philosophical cornerstone of public broadcasting
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1950
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A new transmitter building for WILL is built in Robert Allerton
Park
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1951
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A small group of educator-broadcasters begins delivering radio programs to noncommercial stations around the country, laying the groundwork for NPR and PBS
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1953
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First U.S. noncommercial TV station begins broadcasting
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1954
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WIUC changes call letters to WILL-FM and moves to present frequency, 90.9
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1955
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WILL-TV begins broadcasting from studios under Memorial Stadium's west stands. It's on the air Monday through Friday from 6:30-8:30 p.m
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1956
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The U of I dedicates WILL-TV
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1958
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WILL-TV begins broadcasting during daylight hours, with telecourses offered by the speech and French departments
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1960
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WILL-TV acquires its first videotape recorder, allowing recording and editing of productions
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1961
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The National Association of Educational Broadcasters moves its headquarters from the Urbana campus to Washington,
DC
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1962
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WILL-TV goes on the air from Main and Goodwin streets in Urbana
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1966
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WILL-TV doubles its viewing range to 70 miles with completion of a 1,047-foot tower near Monticello
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1968
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WILL-TV builds a new studio for color broadcasting (Color broadcasts didn't start for several more years while the station worked on obtaining color equipment)
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1969
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Sesame Street premieres on WILL-TV
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1970
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WILL-FM begins broadcasting in stereo
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1973
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Don Mullally takes over for Frank Schooley as director of the Division of Broadcasting
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1974
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WILL-TV begins Saturday broadcasts and fundraising. WILL-FM begins 18-hour a day schedule more focused on music and the arts
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1978
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WILL-TV begins receiving programs via satellite
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1981
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The National Association of Educational Broadcasters ceases operations after many of its duties are absorbed by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
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1987
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WILL-FM begins 24-hour schedule and WILL-AM introduces an all-information format
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1993
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Robert C. and Alice Campbell donate $5 million to build new broadcast center to house
WILL AM, FM, and TV
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1994
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WILL-AM begins 24-hour schedule, airing the BBC World Service overnight
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1995
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WILL-FM installs a translator in Danville, providing a stronger signal at 106.5
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1998
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WILL-FM installs a translator to provide a stronger signal in Champaign-Urbana at 101.1
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WILL radio and television begin broadcasting from Campbell Hall for Public Telecommunication
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1999
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WILL-TV begins broadcasting 24 hours a day
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The U of I dedicates Campbell Hall, Richmond Studio and Swanson Center on September
24
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WILL dedicates the Friends of WILL Plaza on October 17
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2000
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In July, WILL-AM begins 24-hour live audio streaming on the Web of all local and national programs. For the first time, a global audience can hear WILL anytime, anywhere
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2002
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WILL celebrates its 80th anniversary by creating The WILL Awards: Signaling Excellence in the Community. The first recipients are Carol Reitan of Normal, Citizenship; Ted Peck of Champaign, Education; and John Knoepfle of Auburn, The Arts
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2005 |
WILL-TV begins transmitting a digital signal
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2006
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Mark Leonard named General Manager at WILL AM-FM-TV-Online
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back to About WILL
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