August 20th is one of our favorite holidays here at WNZR – yes, it’s National Radio Day!
Firstly, we would like to thank you for your support of this radio station.
We wouldn’t be celebrating today without your financial support, your thoughts, and prayers. SO today we’re celebrating not only the history of radio, but also, of our station.

Here’s some history on the radio itself…
The radio’s inception required an international effort. The research of German Heinrich Hertz proved electrical could be transmitted wirelessly. The multiple patents of the prolific inventor Nikola Tesla provided the radio with the Tesla coil. Born in Croatia, Tesla also contributed many patents involving alternating current advancing the science and production of numerous inventions. When it comes to the first commercially available wireless, Guglielmo Marconi receives the honor.

Before wireless became a function of music and entertainment programs, the wireless radio served more of a military and a regular public service role.  Much like the dits and dots of a telegram, the wireless transmitted information. On board the Titanic at the time of its sinking, a Marconi wireless was in use. However, in 1906 The first radio broadcast of voice and music purely for entertainment purposes occurred. Reginald Fessenden transmitted the program from Brant Rock, Massachusetts for the general public to hear.

  • Radio ownership grew from two out of five homes in 1931 to four out of five homes in 1938.
  • According to FCC statistics, at the end of 2012, there were more than 15,000 licensed broadcast radio stations in the U.S.
  • On October 1, 1999, the first satellite radio broadcast occurred. Worldspace aired the broadcast in Africa.

How about our station?
Well, we are a couple of months away from entering our 32nd year of broadcasting!
For Mystery Monday, we asked you this question…
What year and what month did WNZR start broadcasting?

The answer? October of 1986!

Congratulations to Karolyn from Mt. Vernon for guessing correctly.

Our station serves so many purposes, and one of them is to share the message of the gospel with our community, but also to help students of MVNU get real life, hands on experience in the radio field.

WNZR is a group of people who love Jesus Christ, and want to know Him more. As a body of believers, we feel that WNZR is not just a radio station, it is a ministry. We take this calling seriously, and strive to live our lives as we feel Jesus would.

Our Theme Verse: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, he will make your paths straight.” — Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

This was also a verse we talked, at length, about at our WNZR Leadership Team retreat. We’re making it a goal to trust God in every aspect of our lives instead of leaning on our own understanding. That includes on the air, off the air, as individuals, as a WNZR family, as a student, as a person, and as a child of God. We’re trusting that God will work these situations for His glory and in His time.

Thanks for listening!
– Lilly and Todd