History

“Radio Lafayette” was established in 1946 on the third floor of Hogg Hall at Lafayette College. It was assigned the call letters WJRH in May of 1947; while W was the standard, JRH was in honor of James Renwick Hogg, the donor of Hogg Hall.

To the left, you see the original WJRH members, Raymond DePuy, Jerome B. Alenick, and George Menkart testing the station’s broadcasting capabilities, shortly after the radio was assigned call letters. The first official broadcast of WJRH took place five months later on October 1st, 1947. This broadcast was entitled “Songs at Seven” and aired various popular songs from 7 to 11 pm. Shortly thereafter, WJRH started broadcasting collegiate sports, with the first broadcast occurring on October 6th of that same year, eventually leading up to a regularly scheduled sports broadcast starting in Fall of 1948. In 1949, variety programming began, populating the schedule with quiz shows and talk radio.

From these humble beginnings, WJRH’s diversity in programming has expanded immensely. Over the years, WJRH has added a full recording studio, support for podcasting, and a community of people who love everything about sound. WJRH has hosted many artists, from As I Lay Dying and Ben Folds to more up-and-coming acts like Børns. In addition to artists, WJRH boasts a diverse and talented group of both student and community DJs who help to contribute to the Lafayette College soundtrack. We pride ourselves in serving both the student body of Lafayette and the City of Easton by championing free speech and providing a unique free-form listening experience. Since 2011, WJRH has been streaming online at WJRH.org; we at WJRH are honored and excited to continue WJRH’s proud past as a vital part of the Lafayette experience.