History

The Official History of WFDU-FM, compiled by Judy DeAngelis with contributions from Vic Wheatman, Andrea Spinelli, Frank Murphy, Stu Cooper, Malcolm Stevenson, and Duff Sheffield, includes the following account from radio pioneer Stu Cooper:

"In the spring of 1962, we launched broadcasting under the call letters WFDU-AM—The Voice of Fairleigh Dickinson University. We initially broadcasted a few hours each day, reaching the Commons during the day and the dorms in the evening. Our programming featured music, local news readings, and occasional interviews with faculty, politicians, or students." At that time, there was hope that FDU could also establish an FM station to reach commuting students as well as those residing on all three New Jersey campuses.

In the spring of 1962, we launched broadcasting under the call letters WFDU-AM—The Voice of Fairleigh Dickinson University.

A few months later, it was reported that although no FM stations were available in the area, there was a frequency assigned to the UN that had remained unused for a decade.

In the 1963-64 period, the FCC decided to open the 89.1 MHz frequency, originally allocated to the United Nations, for use by educational institutions. According to the WFDU radio project newsletter, "Monitor," an earlier engineering report from FDU had determined that no educational FM channels in the area met FCC qualifications. The report mentioned the unused channel 206, or 89.1 on the FM dial, which was reserved for the U.N.

Following discussions with U.N. representatives, FDU submitted a preliminary application for the 89.1 MHz frequency. However, New York University was also seeking an agreement with the U.N. for the same channel. The FCC ruled that the U.N. could not relinquish its license without considering competitive applications.

In June 1966, FDU filed a formal application for channel 206, competing directly with NYU's application. FDU argued that its proposed operation, based in Teaneck, NJ, would offer "the only wide-coverage FM service exclusively for Bergen County and the surrounding areas." They emphasized their commitment to addressing the underserved needs of Northeastern New Jersey, rather than catering to listeners who already had access to numerous other local stations.

FDU encountered two major obstacles early on. First, their initial application was hastily prepared to meet the Commission's deadline and lacked a proper officer's signature, which raised legal concerns until the application was formally accepted in May 1967. Second, the engineering report, also done under pressure, overlooked an existing 10-watt station in western Bergen County, leading to a delay in studying local programming until the Commission's decision.

These issues forced FDU into a difficult position, requiring a lengthy petition for broader issues and increasing costs—estimates rose from $5,000 in May to $10,000 by October. Additionally, NYU received support from the FCC's Broadcast Bureau in opposing FDU's petition. A “comparative” hearing was scheduled before the Commission in May 1967 to ensure a fair distribution of radio services, as mandated by Section 307(b).

By mid-1967, exhibits had been exchanged, and a hearing was scheduled for October 17th. NYU's proposal emphasized its strong position, citing a long history of campus radio and communications programs, and readiness for FM operations. NYU planned to cross-examine all 26 of FDU’s witnesses, including 20 external experts and 3 legislators, at FDU’s expense during a December 1967 hearing.

FDU’s proposal noted that NYU and the Broadcast Bureau would challenge any FDU arguments about Section 307(b) advantages or Bergen County’s needs, deeming them inadmissible. It also suggested discussing share-channel operations, noting that the Broadcast Bureau had questioned why this hadn't been addressed and that the National Association of Educational Broadcasters (NAEB) preferred to avoid university conflicts. The proposed schedule was for each university to broadcast three days a week and alternate weekends.

NYU insisted on exclusive use of the channel based on its historical credentials. However, Vic Wheatman pointed out in a letter to FDU President Dr. Osborn Fuller that NYU had previously proposed share-time arrangements with WNYC. An article in the "Hudson Dispatch" likened the FDU-NYU competition to David and Goliath. On November 17, 1967, representatives from both universities met to explore sharing the channel, following discussions between FDU's President Fuller and NYU's President Hester. They agreed that the final decision would be made by the students. At the meeting, project manager Vic Wheatman and FDU alumnus Allen Rinde proposed a shared station with a common transmitter, two studios, and neutral call letters. NYU chose to await a legal decision.

A second Commission hearing was scheduled for December 12th but actually took place on December 18th. In a letter to President Fuller, Vic Wheatman summarized the proceedings. The hearing, lasting about an hour, saw NYU request a waiver for cross-examination and, while they also sought to waive rebuttal, FDU's counsel advised against it to prevent NYU from making statements without FDU's opportunity to respond. The Broadcast Bureau retained the right to cross-examine FDU witnesses, meaning they were not required to appear unless called by the Bureau.

Wheatman noted that an agreement with the Broadcast Bureau would allow for the exchange of testimony on January 19, 1968, with oral arguments on January 23rd. He expressed optimism about the ongoing efforts to develop a broadcast curriculum and hoped for positive outcomes from the various projects.

A legal document from FDU counsel Robert A. Woods, dated January 22, 1968, outlined FDU's position. On April 29, 1968, FDU President Dr. Osborn Fuller responded to NYU's Assistant Chancellor for Student Affairs, Dr. Harold Whiteman, expressing skepticism about finding a viable compromise. He suggested continuing with the contested application until the FCC made a decision, a stance President Fuller supported.

According to the July 1968 issue of "Monitor," the Oral Direct did not go smoothly. FDU counsel Robert Woods reported that Examiner Charles Frederick made several disparaging remarks about FDU’s exhibits, including questioning the reliability of witness D. Bennett Mazur. Frederick also inquired whether FDU had prematurely constructed an antenna and tower.

Wheatman noted that FDU was not overly concerned, anticipating a tough battle and suspecting that the Examiner was frustrated with the case, the first of its kind for the FCC. Indeed, in his Initial Decision, released on September 16, 1968, Examiner Frederick described NYU as “remarkable” but did not extend similar praise to FDU. Nevertheless, Frederick's ruling recommended that the two universities “share the frequency on an equal time basis,” leaving room for appeal by NYU, FDU, or the Commission.

FDU President Fuller, in a phone call with NYU's Dean Whiteman, suggested setting up a meeting with a committee of 3 to 5 people to discuss the shared-time arrangement, though students remained resistant. Dean Whiteman agreed it was time to end the legal disputes and opposed an appeal. On October 7, 1968, President Fuller wrote to the Board of Trustees, summarizing the proceedings and stating that a shared-time agreement with NYU needed to be finalized by October 15th, or the “operate every other day” plan would be implemented. Fuller acknowledged that some students and alumni were pushing for an appeal, but proposed that both universities send a joint letter to the Commission agreeing not to appeal and to work on a shared-time plan. NYU, however, found this unacceptable. Fuller suggested requesting an extension to January 30, 1969, to strengthen FDU’s position should NYU appeal, a suggestion he agreed with.

In the November 1968 "Monitor," Vic Wheatman reported that the first meeting on the shared-time arrangement occurred on October 25th. The universities discussed a Monday-Wednesday-Friday and Sunday-only schedule, alternating after a year. They planned to operate from a new transmitter and tower on NYU’s University Heights campus. Despite agreeing to this plan, FDU preferred this arrangement over using the Alpine Tower due to concerns about interference, signal strength variations, and availability issues. However, on November 7, 1968, the transmitter plan unraveled when NYU proposed building a $75,000 tower and charging FDU a $30,000 annual rental fee, which would allow NYU to recoup its investment in just over two years.

Another meeting was scheduled for Monday, November 18th. It was suggested that FDU reject NYU’s offer for the transmitter and instead explore alternatives such as the Alpine Tower or WJRZ’s antenna in Hackensack. However, declining the offer might lead NYU to appeal the share-time decision. On December 19th, FDU President Dr. Osborn Fuller received a letter from NYU’s Dean Whiteman confirming that NYU had formally decided to appeal the Hearing Examiner’s decision.

As 1968 ended, a new conflict was emerging. On January 13, 1969, FDU’s legal counsel Robert Woods wrote to Dean Whiteman, expressing FDU's willingness to continue negotiations while also indicating their intent to file an appeal to assert their claim for exclusive use of the channel. Woods noted that the next step would be an oral argument before the Review Board, which would not occur for several months. He advised FDU to remain open to negotiations, as it might prompt NYU to respond positively, especially given the Bureau's preference for an informal resolution. Woods also recommended that FDU consider Mr. Sackerman’s proposal for leasing space on the Alpine Tower, while seeking further details on the extent of services.

On January 22, 1969, NYU filed a reply brief with the FCC, detailing its case for exclusive use of channel 206 and countering FDU’s previous arguments.

On January 24th, FDU requested oral arguments from the FCC, supporting the recommendation that both FDU and NYU share the frequency. The Review Board scheduled these arguments for May 8, 1969, at 10 a.m., with each party allotted 20 minutes. In the previous month, FDU’s legal counsel, Robert Woods, sought information from Robert Stotts, Director of Student Services, regarding potential negotiations, noting that a settlement might still be possible before the oral argument.

On January 24th, FDU requested oral arguments from the FCC, supporting the recommendation that both FDU and NYU share the frequency.

During the May 8th hearing, Woods reported that the Review Board showed considerable interest in the share-time proposal and questioned NYU’s counsel extensively, as NYU was the only party seeking exclusive use. The Board requested all parties to submit additional comments within two weeks on issues raised during the argument.

On August 29, 1969, the FCC’s Review Board upheld the Examiner’s decision, ordering FDU and NYU to share the channel. The Board found no grounds to favor one applicant over the other and rejected NYU’s request for exclusive use, marking this case as a precedent for future disputes involving competing noncommercial educational applicants. The Board instructed the parties to submit a written share-time agreement or face additional proceedings that could lead to a Board-imposed arrangement.

On May 25, 1970, FDU and NYU executed the Share-Time Agreement, which remains in effect today. FDU requested the call letters “WFDU” on October 13, 1970, and the FCC formally assigned them on November 25th. Equipment tests began on June 16, 1971, and FDU filed an application for a license to cover its constructed facility on July 30, 1971, including a request to conduct program tests. The FCC's Broadcast Bureau granted WFDU the necessary permit BPED-571 on August 5th, pending further action on the license application, which was formally approved on August 26th. FDU notified the FCC on August 24th that formal broadcasting would commence from noon to 3:45 p.m. on August 30th. NYU did not begin broadcasting on the same day.

FDU requested the call letters “WFDU” on October 13, 1970, and the FCC formally assigned them on November 25th.

Frank Murphy, an FDU student involved in WFDU-FM's creation, provided additional details about how WFDU-FM secured its broadcast hours. In an email to former General Manager Duff Sheffield, Murphy explained: “Vic Wheatman, David West, Bob Stotts (FDU’s Student Activities Director), and I worked to persuade the university of the FM license’s value. After the UN released the frequency, the FCC acknowledged both FDU’s and NYU’s applications as valid and decided to split the allocation to be fair. When student committees from both universities failed to agree on broadcast hours, the administration intervened.”

Murphy recalled that NYU was insistent on having weekday evening hours to reach the maximum number of NYU students and alumni. In contrast, FDU preferred daytime hours for academic programming and potential courses in communications. NYU’s willingness to forgo weekends allowed FDU to broadcast sports and sealed the deal for FDU to have weekday daytime and full weekend time slots.

Murphy also mentioned discussions about sharing a transmitter, including the option of placing an antenna on the west tower of the George Washington Bridge. However, engineering difficulties and a high rental fee from the Port Authority made this impractical. NYU eventually decided to place its transmitter at its University Heights campus in the Bronx.

FDU's antenna was installed on the Armstrong Tower in Alpine, New Jersey, where it remains today.

Ironically, the campus was later sold to Bronx Community College, yet the transmitter continued to operate from there. Meanwhile, FDU's antenna was installed on the Armstrong Tower in Alpine, New Jersey, where it remains today. This tower is historically significant as the site of the world’s first FM radio transmitter, built by “Major” Edwin Howard Armstrong, the pioneer of FM radio. Thus, Bergen County’s first full-power FM station began broadcasting from a site of historic importance.