KWGS
Encyclopedia
KWGS 89.5 FM is a National Public Radio station in Tulsa, Oklahoma
. The station was Oklahoma
's first FM
radio station and is one of two stations operated by the University of Tulsa
. The station was established in 1947 through the initiative of TU speech professor Ben Graf Henneke
, later president of the university. The call letters are the initials of Tulsa oil man and philanthropist William G. Skelly, who provided the funding.
TU's other radio station is a classical music
station known as KWTU
.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
. The station was Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
's first FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
radio station and is one of two stations operated by the University of Tulsa
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
. The station was established in 1947 through the initiative of TU speech professor Ben Graf Henneke
Ben Graf Henneke
Ben Graf Henneke was the president of the University of Tulsa , in Tulsa, Oklahoma,United States, from 1958 to 1967. A professor of speech and theatre, he wrote an early textbook on radio announcing, and was instrumental in the creation of the university's radio station, KWGS...
, later president of the university. The call letters are the initials of Tulsa oil man and philanthropist William G. Skelly, who provided the funding.
TU's other radio station is a classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
station known as KWTU
KWTU
KWTU is a classical music radio station in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Most of the station's classical programming comes from American Public Media's Classical 24, a 24-hour national service.. KWTU is owned and operated by The University of Tulsa which also owns NPR station KWGS...
.
External links
- Voices of Oklahoma interview with Dr. Ben G. Henneke. First person interview conducted with Dr. Ben G. Henneke on September 10, 2009. Original audio and transcript archived with Voices of Oklahoma oral history project.