University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dept. of Radio, Television & Motion Pictures.

Until 1993, the Department of Radio, Television, and Motion Pictures was the academic department that provided coursework in the broadcast media. It was established in 1947 as the Department of Radio. Its name changed in 1954. Throughout its early history, the department was closely allied with the Communication Center, created in 1945 to centralize the production of audio-visual media on the campus. The department and the center shared equipment and facilities; and the departmental chairman served as the director of the center. The Department of Radio, Television, and Motion Pictures was eliminated in 1993, and its curriculum was absorbed by the Department of Communication Studies and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

From the description of Records of the Dept. of Radio, Television, and Motion Pictures, 1928-1980 (bulk 1946-1980). WorldCat record id: 26683301

Until 1993, the Department of Radio, Television and Motion Pictures (RTVMP) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was the academic department that provided coursework in broadcast media. The closely allied Communication Center produced programs and audio-visual materials in all media for the university and the state of North Carolina.

RTVMP grew out of the university's early endeavors in radio, which included the broadcast of its first radio program by the Extension Division on 26 May 1940. The first academic course in radio was taught in the Department of Dramatic Art in 1942. In 1945, Earl Wynn, who had taught that course and who had also taught in the Speech Division of the Department of English, returned from World War II. In 1946, he became director of the university's newly established Communication Center, which was founded to bring together in a central location the equipment needed for radio, television, motion picture, photographic, and record production.

Earl Wynn was also interested in formulating an academic curriculum in radio at the university. Thus, the Department of Radio was established in 1947, with Wynn as chairman. In 1954, the department's name was changed to Department of Radio, Television, and Motion Pictures; and Wynn continued as both chairman of the department and director of the Communication Center. Faculty members in the Department were also production directors in the center. The facilities and equipment of the Communication Center also provided laboratories for the instruction of students at both the B.A. and M.A. levels.

The university's first FM radio station, WUNC-FM, began operating on 3 November 1952, but suspended operation from 1974 until 1979.

In 1953, the Federal Communications Commission granted the Consolidated University of North Carolina a license for educational television broadcasting, and Robert Schenkkan became director of the new venture. He reported directly to the Consolidated Office and worked with the officers of the Consolidated University in developing an educational television system for the state. The Chapel Hill studios for the statewide system were eventually located in the Communication Center, although administrative responsibility remained in the Consolidated Office. WUNC-TV, the television channel that operated from the Communication Center, began telecasting on 8 January 1955 and has been in continuous operation ever since.

In 1993, the Department of Radio, Television, and Motion Pictures was abolished and its curriculum split between the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and a new Department of Communication Studies, created by a merger of part of RTVMP with the former Department of Speech Communication.

Chairmen of the department and directors of the Communication Center are listed below.

• 1945 - 1962 : Earl Wynn
• 1963: Wesley H. Wallace, Acting
• 1964 - 1974 : Wesley H. Wallace
• 1975 - 1976 : William H. Melson
• 1977: Wesley H. Wallace, Acting
• 1978 - 1982 : Albert Richard Elam
• 1982 - 1987 : John R. Bittner
• 1987 - 1992 : Gorham A. Kindem

From the guide to the Department of Radio, Television, and Motion Pictures of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Records, 1928-1980, (bulk 1946-1980), (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. University Archives.)