A Delaware County high school radio station has the distinction of being the longest-running public high-school radio station in the country.
Haverford High’s WHHS went live Dec. 6, 1949.and this year its celebrating its 75th anniversary, writes Pete Bannon for the Daily Times.
WHHS is run by a revolving group of 70 student DJs who host one-hour time slots, running shows in the morning, afternoon and evening. Music is programmed by the students.
They broadcast within a 1-mile radius of the school on Mill Road.
“It’s very impressive we are the first (school) radio station in the country and how far we’ve come. We continue to grow,” said DJ Tessa Logue.
The station’s first broadcast, described as an “all-school project,” used a 10-watt transmitter. It took place in a high school auditorium studio. $1 tickets were sold for the broadcast.
Parents, teachers associations and supporters supplied the $3,500 it cost to get the station on the air.
WHHS, broadcasting at 99.9 FM, was temporarily kicked off the air in 2002 when a national company commandeered their frequency but they successfully fought to get it back.
Find out about the student DJs, what they’re programming, and what they like about Haverford High’s WHHS in the Daily Times.
From spinning classic rock after the final bell to navigating FCC inspections, WHHS is more than a school radio station, it’s a piece of American broadcasting history. Founded in 1949 and signed into existence by FM radio inventor Edwin Armstrong, WHHS is the oldest continuously operating high-school FM station in the country. Still student-run, still community-focused, and still training the next generation of voices, engineers, and storytellers, all at 99.9 on the dial.
Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on DELCO Today in November 2024.
