(Reprinted from the fall 1991/Winter 1992 “Biff Magazine”, the station newsletter)
Biff Backers Attend Rededication
and Open House
About 50 people turned out October 1 in the Andover Media Center to celebrate 15 years of educational broadcasting and community service by rededicating WBFH. (The station first went on the air October 1, 1976.)
Station Manager Pete Bowers and Assistant Manager Ron Wittebols produced the program celebrating the pwer increase to 360 watts and 15 years of service. It was a big day for The Biff.
Bowers began the program by flipping the broadcast On the Air light on and announcing that the entire ceremony was being broadcast live over The Biff. Wittebols gave a moving speech about the value of educational broadcast stations, the experiences radio students receive and the life skills that they learn at The Biff.
Bowers then introduced Dan Lippitt, the other staff paraprofessional and mentioned Chief Engineer John Grevers, who could not attend the event.
School Board President Suzanne von Ende was happy to mention that she can now receive the station at her house. School Board Trustee Tom Wilson reiterated the importance of educational radio and informed the audience that he is a first-hand product of a high school radio station in Highland Park. Other school board members attening included Debbie Macon and Sharon Tosch.
School Superintendent Dr. Robert Docking commented about his visit to the radio station just the day before and how fortunate the District was to be one of only 13 districts in the State of Michigan with a licensed broadcast station.
Ed Borus (Lahser ’83), a former WBFH staffer, spoke of his memories at The Biff and the current student operations manager, Randy Meisner (Andover senior), talked about other changes that the station is going through this fall and the excitement created by the power boost.
One of the humorous highlights of the ceremony was when Bowers needed to demonstrate the difference between 10 watts and 360 watts. He did this through the use of a nightlight and four 90-watt lightbulbs.
Bowers darkened the room and let everyone see the dim glow of a nightlight. Then, he invited June Hamilton, the Recreation and Community Services director — and his boss of 15 years — to flip a ceremonial electrical switch which illuminated the four 90-watt lightbulbs, thus simulating WBFH’s 360 watts of power. Both lights stood side by side. The difference in brightness was dramatic.
Bowers then read a list of names he wished to thank for making the last 15 years possible, and the people who helped get the new antenna purchased and installed this past summer. He dedicated the rededication ceremony to his late father, Dr. Charles L. Bowers, who was one of the founding fathers of the radio station when he was on the school board in the early 1970’s.
Bowers then showed the news report on WBFH which aired on WXYZ-TV/Channel 7 September 17, 1991. After that, the birthday cake was served, along with baked goods supplied by the radio students and their parents.
