WFDD

'WFDD' (88.5 FM) is a public radio station located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and serves the Piedmont Triad region. It is the broadcast service of Wake Forest University and its coverage area 32 counties in North Carolina and Virginia

Contents

History

History

WFDD has its roots in a five watt broadcasting station operated illegally by Wake Forest students from a rooming house beginning in the fall of 1946. When students began asking for better broadcast range, Wake Forest president Dr. Thurman D. Kitchin took steps to help making the station official. With the help of student fundraising, the station (as WFDD) was fully licensed by 1948.
On May 3, 1971, WFDD became a charter member of National Public Radio, the first affiliate of the network in the state.
On May 5, 1989, WFDD lost its tower along Business 40 in Winston-Salem when severe storms struck the area. The station returned to the air with reduced power, but did not fully cover the market until a new tower was completed north of Lexington, which would be shared with WWGL.