WKAR’s Legacy of Innovation

Students in the Curatorial Practices in Museums and Cultural Organizations class at Michigan State University are curating and staging an exhibition honoring WKAR’s Century of Service.

WKAR officially went on the air on Aug. 18, 1922, as an AM radio station, broadcasting agricultural news and information. It has grown into a robust media organization that includes WKAR-TV, WKAR Radio, WKAR.org, Radio Reading Service, WKAR Digital Studios and WKAR Family. For 100 years, students have played a key part in WKAR’s programming and technological innovation, so it’s only natural that MSU students would take the lead in bringing this exhibition to life.

Among the Highlights of the Exhibition:

• A look at education programming throughout WKAR’s history.
• Key moments in early sports coverage by the emerging radio station.
• Objects from original programming including “QuizBusters” and “Curious Crew.”
• Examples of WKAR’s commitment to cultural programming including original set designs for classical music concerts and clips from “BackStage Pass.”
• A period living room including a vintage television set broadcasting clips from WKAR’s past.
• Photos and objects highlighting early programming designed for and by the Black and Latinx communities.
• Radio and TV broadcast equipment from decades past.

More photographs from the opening reception here.

WKAR's Legacy of Innovation is generously underwritten by MSU Federal Credit Union and Consumers Energy whose support made the research and creation of many of the anniversary resources possible.

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