The station's programming philosophy was outlined in a "Statement of Policy" written by GM Clark Smidt and Robert Skinner in early 1968:
"Too many times a college radio station is identified with either "diddy-bob" rock or such conservative programming as to be ineffective as a cultural entity.
W W U H was born in a time of social unrest, and considers itself bound to do more than entertain or promote dry academicia. We feel a strong responsibility to the community that we serve, hoping to ease the growth of its tolerance and increase its capacity for understanding, so that the day never comes when the baby is consistently thrown out with the bathwater.
It is not our intention to inflame, but rather serve as a torch bearer for the long, hard conferences which will define and establish human rights. It is hoped that the mainstays of our programming diet will attract listeners to the less bland potions of our programming, where they may partake of well prepared items designed to tempt them away from a fattening, non-descript listening.
Having faced power struggle before, and now being a meeting ground for student, professor, chancellor and community. W W U H expresses its confidence in man's ability to listen to reason, if sufficiently attracted to the packaging. Our domain is the package."
Robert Skinner recalled in 2005: "
While Clark has generously given me credit for being the first station engineer, I think of myself as the general contractor, working with Clark, the Board of Regents, and many people with engineering skills that far exceeded mine to pull together the physical embodiment of WWUH.
Randy Mayer's genius and adventurous nature were prominent in bridging the many gaps between donated (and sometimes superannuated) pieces of equipment and specifying a structure for a foundation that supported the many future extensions and improvements. We also owe honor and gratitude to Peter Chamalian (a ham operator), Robert Haight (Ward School of Engineering), and the late Ken Kalish, who also contributed the ideas, time, constructive criticism, and prodigious effort that made the team so productive.
Bill Crepeau served as first business manager, getting us off on a sound basis that helped us quickly attract the first $50,000 public contribution after the Board of Regents' initial $23,000 seed that got us on the air."
From "Radio Station Progress Report, January, 1968"
The station has successfully passed through the first three stages of its growth, and has embarked on the forth.
The concept of a radio station on campus has always existedin form, but in 1963 the fever overcame the resistance of the student body, and accumulatedenough support over the years followingso that a proposal made before the Board of Regents was passed in April 1967.
The word was out, and the students of the Engineering School set to work preparing the applicationfor the FCC, a task involving hundreds of hours of research. The administration work, preparation of exhibits, research, and scores of letters to all concerned were and still are being handled by Mr. Smith, emissary from the Chancellor's office. The application was submitted in July of 1967, and approved in early October.
With the go-ahead in hand, the core personnel recruited assistance from all branches of the university, and Ward School responded wonderfully, supplying intelligent and well-trained technicians, wile other college and schools have contributed to the production staff. There are now about 50 announcers and control men in training awaiting completion of the station by the technical staff of 16 men.
The detail planning phase of the station growth drew to a close on January 8, with all designs final.
The construction time has begun with the sending our of purchase orders for the equipment needed, some of which is now in hand. The status of each of the systems of which the station is formed is as follows:
AC Power: The source and routing of the main power for the station have been completed by station technicians and approved by Dubin Associated, builders of the campus Center. The BX cable is at the station already for installation, and a work order has been submitted to Buildings and Grounds for its installation.
Heat and Air
Conditioning
: The existing ductwork plus extensions will handle the heat output of personnal and equipment. Extension ductwork will be installed after the walls are erected.
Radio Frequency: The transmitter is in Room 330, and the sub-carrier generator has been chacked out. As soon as the crystal arrives from RCA, we will park up the exciter. The mounting for the antenna tower will be finished as soon as weather permits. We have the filter and plumbing on order. Monitors are being haggled for.
Audio Frequency: The console has been designed and some parts are already on order, with the others being dickered for. Four turntables are in our possession, and we arein the process of buying tape decks and microphones.
Plant: The City of Hartford
As the engineering department continued with studio construction and transmitter installation through the first half of 1968, other members of the management team were busy recruiting announcers. WWUH alumnus
Charles Horwitz-'70.recalled:
"I clearly remember sweating the audition to be on the air (little did I know that the station was so desperate for bodies that absolutely everyone passed the audition except for the most grammatically challenged). The day I opened the mail and saw my FCC License was the start of a big change in my life.
Because of my enthusiasm (and lack of any social life), I was assigned the Friday and Saturday late nighttime slots. These rock shows followed Mel Peppers (who used the name Maceo Woods on the air) and his Soul Experience. As soon as Midnight arrived and I started playing the loud stuff, the phones died and I could feel hundreds of radios being turned off simultaneously. I quickly learned to ease into the hard stuff by starting with a mix of blues, jazz and oldies.
As Program Director you are occasionally forced into service when someone fails to show up for a show and one early evening classic slot stands out in my mind. I was trying to be the epitome of culture and taste among the rubble of the studios as they went renovation. My two best buddies, Stu Kaufman and John Labella conspired to disrupt the solemn tone of my show by inserting a duck call into the hole where the studio doorknob used to be. But when Stu let out a long blast that sounded more like a fart than a duck, I did the best I could to stifle my laughing, put on my best professional voice and said "excuse me" as my mother has taught me to do and continued on as if nothing had happened. After getting a record on the air I chased both of them down the hall and down the steps to the first floor."
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.
