WFHB celebrates expanding coverage area with two new towers

A rain-drenched speaker blasted a faint, elderly voice through a crowd that had formed on Fourth Street. \n“This is a day for celebration – WFHB has made another giant step forward, serving the interesting goal of both entertaining and informing the community,” the voice on the speaker said. “Rejoice that Bloomington and the arts are thriving today.”\nThe voice was that of former IU President Herman B Wells speaking at the kickoff event for Bloomington’s local radio station WFHB. Fifteen years later, Wells’ words were heard once again as WFHB celebrated its expansion with an event held Friday night at the radio station’s home in an old West Fourth Street firehouse.\nWFHB recently added two antennas strategically placed on water towers, one in Brown County and one in Ellettsville, that will help WFHB expand its listening audience.\n“The goal of the event was to generate energy and excitement for the kickoff of our annual fund drive,” WFHB Chief Engineer Jeffrey Morris said. “But really it’s also about celebrating the fact that we met the (Federal Communications Commission) deadline of Sept. 1 in funding the new antennas. We’re expanding our coverage – the two new frequencies will help serve our loyal listeners in areas that can’t hear us.”\nRaising the funds to cover the antennas’ $40,000 price tag proved a difficult task for the station. While the City of Bloomington and the Brown County Community Foundation provided the biggest contributions to the project, grassroots efforts proved successful as well. A group nicknamed the “Brown County Barnraisers” helped fund the remaining amount through donation jars and a local concert.\nAll of the hard work and fundraising culminated Friday night with a celebration of musical events and big-name speakers. After Wells’ speech was played, Mayor Mark Kruzan spoke to the small crowd while sheets of rain poured down. \nTo continue with the symbolic “ringing in” of new listeners to the station, Kruzan then banged the same gong that was used at WFHB’s inaugural event in 1993 – an ornate, artistic gong on loan from the Wells estate, justifying the name of the event, “Bang A Gong!” The 20-some people present cheered with the strength of two or three times their number.\nThe evening concluded with musical acts Jason Wilber, Jason Fickel and the OffRamp Quartet.\n“This is a really big event for the station – a chance for it to grow and expand exponentially,” said IU senior Eleanor Lissitzyn, a summer intern and volunteer at WFHB. “I think it will provide a lot more opportunities for students to get more involved. Its a great resume booster, and anyone can apply.”\nThe University has offered other ways to become involved with the station. Through the IU School of Journalism, students were able to work at WFHB and put together four half-hour specials under the direction of Assistant Professor Mike Conway. Conway, a past member of WFHB’s board of directors, is currently on the News Public Affairs Committee.\n“The great thing about WFHB is that it is completely community-based with almost all volunteers,” Conway said. “It took almost 20 years to get the station going, (and it has been) one of the more ambitious projects for a town of this size.”\nAfter three failed attempts in the 1970s and 1980s to acquire a frequency that would not broadcast interference, WFHB finally landed on 98.1 FM in 1993. The new antennas in outlying areas only further the dedication of those involved in running the station.\nThe volunteers are what made the big difference for the new antennas.\n“It’s really just a community speaking to itself,” volunteer Pam Raider said, smiling and rain-soaked.