University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. College of law

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

...