Director's note:

In the spring 2020 term, the dedicated students of HIS 380/INF 350: Introduction to Public History worked together to build a three-room exhibit on campus radio at Murray State in celebration of the 50th anniversary of WKMS. It was truly a thing of beauty, but the covid-19 pandemic conspired against us along with pretty much every other facet of daily life in America. Our opening was scheduled the day before campus shut down, so we never got a proper opportunity to share our work with friends, family, professors, and the the broader community.

At this point in early 2021, converting the physical exhibit into a digital one is the best way to honor WKMS, a cherished campus institution, and to do right by the wonderful, hard-working students who assembled it last year.

Many thanks to our student creators:

  • Alyssa Basham

  • Emily Combs

  • Danya Cruse

  • Emma Dame

  • Annie Davis

  • Jessica Guldner

  • Lacy Risner

  • Olivia Shelton

We also received great support and guidance from our friends at WKMS, particularly Asia Burnett and Jenni Todd, as well as our multi-talented Library Specialist Sarah Hardaway. Please enjoy.

All the best,

Jeff McLaughlin

Nathan B. Stubblefield

All photos from Pogue Special Collections Library or WKMS unless otherwise specified.

Born in Calloway County in 1860, Stubblefield was one of several inventors who brought us into the age of wireless telephones and radio. Unlike many other inventors, Stubblefield’s energy source happened to be what Murray has so much of: tree roots and earth. When he demonstrated his device in 1892 on the future site of Murray State, he stuck some poles into the ground, attached them to a receiver and a microphone and said “Hello, Rainey!” The man who founded Murray State years later, Rainey T. Wells, was on the other end.

How Did Radio Evolve?

Beginning in 1890, people built their own receivers and transmitters to listen to and broadcast on the radio. Until 1930, when Frequency Modulation (FM) was developed, people exclusively listened to Amplitude Modulation (AM) radio, which was full of static and had an unreliable signal. Radio technology also became crucial in the World Wars with communication and radar. From the 1920s through the '50s, radio experienced its “Golden Years.” Radio programs provided an affordable escape through comedy, music, stories, and religious sermons, especially during the Great Depression as families were faced with great economic hardship. President Franklin Roosevelt’s famous Fireside Chats during these lean years reassured the American people that the government was doing everything it could to help stoke an economic recovery.

Why Was Radio Such a Big Deal?

Around 1920, radio broadcasting started to get popular. A group of women gathered around the radio at the time. Bain News Service, publisher - Library of Congress Catalog: https://lccn.loc.gov/2014717186 Image download: https://cdn.loc.gov/master/pnp/ggbain/37000/37038u.tif Original url: https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2014717186/

It was free and it was wireless. Music or voices coming out of a device that had no cables was like magic during the late 1800s. For some people who lived in remote areas, there was no long distance-instantaneous communication until radio came around. Part of the reason the 1920s were “roaring” was the introduction of commercial radio. It connected people through the same music, stories, news, and ads for consumer goods. Almost instantly a unifying culture of shared experiences emerged.

Commercial magazine advertisement - One of ten sample window display posters shown in an advertisement for the Clark and Tilson company of New York on page 84 of the October, 1922 issue of The Radio Dealer magazine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_in_the_United_States#/media/File:'Free_Concerts'_Radio_Dealer_poster_(1922).jpg

Hobrechts advertisement for radio station KVQ in Sacramento, California, March 6, 1922, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hobrechts_advertisement_for_radio_station_KVQ_(1922).gif

RCA instruction book and catalog, 1922, David Sarnoff Library, https://reach.ieee.org/primary-sources/radio-enters-home/

The Early Years of Campus Radio

Radio production at Murray State began as early as 1949, but came into full swing in 1958 as The Thoroughbred Hour. These 60-minute broadcasts aired five times a week, featuring music, news, and sports.

WKMS explored these early years in a feature on The Thoroughbred Hour for its 50 Stories for 50 Years series. The story includes an interview with Dr. Tom Morgan, who came to Murray State as an English professor in 1965, but got drawn into the university's fledgling radio and television programs. Morgan was one the original directors of WKMS, serving as Dr. Mofield's right hand man.

Dr. Tom Morgan and his wife, Karen, in 2019 front of the celebrity board he created 5 decades before. Photo credit Asia Burnett

May 1970 Debut

Dr. Ray Mofield (1921-1995) At a young age, I got it in my mind that I wanted to be a radio announcer when I got older.

The original WKMS crew (right), photo from The Shield, 1970, p. 177.

On May 11, 1970 at 3:28 pm Murray State University changed forever when the small studio in Wilson Hall broadcast its first 8 hour-long radio production, marking the beginning of WKMS.

Dr. Ray Mofield was the driving force behind this great achievement. It was under his guidance that WKMS moved from its cramped quarters in Wilson Hall to its current, more spacious home on the top floor of the Price Doyle Fine Arts Center.

The launch of WKMS was not without complications. The night before, a storm struck the Farmington tower from which the station was transmitting. The station also had conflicts with WPSD-TV in Paducah about the effects of its signal on TV reception. Their original broadcasting hours were from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sundays excluded.

President Harry M. Sparks and other Murray State officials were invited to be part of the inaugural broadcast, which had a broadcast radius of 75 miles.

WKMS was born with a mandate “to inspire and empower a diverse audience by being a trusted and essential resource for information, culture, community, and regional growth as a critical part of the educational mission of Murray State University.” It declared that it would mostly broadcast music, but also provide coverage of university events and news. In addition to providing listeners with a unique broadcasting experience, WKMS’ purpose was to train students for jobs in the broadcasting industry.

One of the first news items broadcast by WKMS was the tragic shooting at Kent State University. Programs from the station’s first week on air included The Drum, a program about African American events around the nation and the BBC’s The GOON Show, which featured legendary British comedians, among others.

WKMS and Weather Events

Who do you turn to when you need information for weather emergencies? WKMS has been a source to keep you informed in times of great need in the past 50 years.

The Great Blizzard of 1978 brought on great winds, in turn dumping many feet of snow on the Ohio Valley region. Interstates were shut down and people were stuck inside, relying on WKMS to keep them informed.

The ice storm in 2009 was so powerful that transmission was temporarily lost at the WKMS regional tower, forcing the station to operate on a low-transmission signal reaching Calloway County and Paris, TN. From small storms to regional emergencies, WKMS has played an important part in getting information to people when they need it most.

Technological Advancements

On March 30, 1980 at 5 p.m., WKMS boosted its power to 100,000 watts, allowing the station to reach a wider audience with a clearer signal. This was a positive development, but there were two unfortunate occasions where lightning strikes knocked WKMS off air. In 1988, the WKMS transmitter was fried and as a result the station went quiet for roughly ten days. Janet Kenney, the station manager at the time, cleverly named this extended period of dead air, “Sounds of Silence.” In the fall 1988 programming guide, she addressed the situation to listeners and challenged them to recall how they were impacted by the lack of public radio during the silence, reminding them of the importance of their support for the station. In 1990, another lightning strike hit a transmitter in the Land Between the Lakes. It was later rebuilt with lightning protection. In the 1990s and 2000s, WKMS expanded into Paducah, Paris, TN, Fulton, and Madisonville with 24-hour a day, seven-day a week broadcasting.

Focusing On the News

Roughly 20 years ago, WKMS shifted its focus to more news and talk programs. Public radio has always played a crucial informational role in most listeners’ lives, but this was especially true in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. WKMS provided wall-to-wall coverage of the events and aired special programs in the following days. Listener Emily Wolfson expressed her gratitude for this coverage in a letter to station manager Kate Lochte written on September 24, 2001. The coverage of this tragedy and other national and worldwide events was a reminder of the value public radio and WKMS have for the community.

"The Bobs": Doc McGaughey and Bob Valentine

Doc McGaughey (1943-2019) was a fixture in the Murray State Journalism department and the radio/TV program for decades. He and his duo partner, Professor Bob Valentine, performed comedy routines around the region and on the radio for many years, with jokes that both highlighted WKMS programming and gave us all a reason to smile. Doc McGaughey passed away in 2019 and was honored as a Murray State Distinguished Alumni in 2020 for the many lives he touched with learning and laughter. As a final gift, Doc left roughly $100,000 from his estate to support the Journalism and Mass Communication department.

Kate Lochte: Station Manager from 1992-2015

Kate Lochte first came to Murray State in 1988 when she became a faculty member of the Journalism and Mass Communications department. The following year, she became a staff member at WKMS. She officially became station manager in 1992 and held the title until her retirement in 2015. Kate worked diligently to grow and expand the WKMS reach and the station's programming. As a participant in the 1995 Corporation for Public Broadcasting national leadership program “Next Generation,” she developed working relationships with grant, policy, and program makers that helped the station secure external funding for new translators, repeaters, and equipment.

Their support also helped expand the station’s online presence and service to rural audiences. She also participated in the development of the Kentucky Public Radio Network and dedicated her time to delivering a better quality and more reliable signal to WKMS listeners. Kate Lochte was a vital and valued member of the WKMS team who worked to create the station as we know it today. Her legacy is remembered through the Kate B. Lochte Transmission and Operations Center in the Price Doyle Fine Arts Center on Murray State’s campus and WKMS’ continued efforts to provide excellence to an ever-growing audience.

Debut of "Sounds Good" with Tracy Ross

On Tuesday, September 4, 2012, WKMS debuted Sounds Good with Tracy Ross, an eclectic contemporary music program featuring interviews with musicians, writers, news makers, and other community members with stories to tell. The show welcomed guests to speak on topics ranging from charitable events and regional activities to insights into cultural affairs. This launch came around the same time as a “rebranding” for WKMS that included an updated logo featuring the Murray State shield with headphones, and the tagline “Murray State’s NPR Station.”

How Public Radio Is Funded

Listener members are the most important source of WKMS funding, along with Murray State University. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting provides grants through federal funding to public radio stations across the nation, including WKMS. There is a direct correlation between the financial support WKMS gets from donors and the funding it inspires from the CPB each year. In 1976, WKMS began its first membership campaign by mailing out program guides with a donation slip on the back with giving levels of $3 for students, $5 for “friends,” $10 for “good friends,” and $50 for “best friends.” Now the station raises quite a bit more from its friends, with community support from listeners, businesses and MSU contributing over 85% of its budget for programs and operations. If you feel inspired to make a donation today search out a WKMS staff member or make your donation online at wkms.org, just click the Donate button.

WKMS In Pictures