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Although parents are always welcome at The Biff, the first real attempt to include them on the air and side-by-side with their children occurred this year. Since then, and to this day, an open invitiation is available for close family and elatives to witness and participate first-hand in what goes on behind the WBFH microphones.
The link below leads to one such visit, back to Parents Week 1996.
Since the very first day, back on October 1, 1976 when staffers produced their first live football game, WBFH has always included remotes in its community service program. It gives the staff an opportunity to interact with its listeners and provides the experience of scouting out interesting locations, requesting permission, setting up the remote equipment and then producing a compelling broadcast.
Most staffers find it quite a bit different than what they expected. That's a great learning experience.
Patrick Hynes, an Andover senior, just happened to work at the local Sanders confectionary shop in the Bloomfield Plaza on the southwest corner of the Telegraph and Maple Road intersection in Birmingham. So, he proposed a live remote. The entire staff jumped at the chance to participate. There were special guests! It was fun, eventful and gave the staff a chance to shine.
WBFH is named MAEB Station Of The Year.
Pete Bowers salutes the seniors of the 1989/1990 school year.
Bowers and staff receive notice of construction permit.
New antenna and transmitter are installed.
WBFH begins broadcasting with 360 watts. Bowers produces a major presentation and rededication ceremony to mark this historic leap forward for The Biff.
Digital Audio Tape (DAT) machines purchased. Associated Press machine connected to satellite dish.
Somewhere In Time an hour-long nostalgia program (Big Band, 1940s and 1950s music) hosted by former Bloomfield Hills Schools Board Member C. Thomas Wilson, debuts.
The daily show, whose title comes from the Christopher Reeve/Jane Seymour movie of the same name, will go on to be syndicated to 41 other radio stations across the United States.
The 1993 Spring Celebration is underway.
Through the years, WBFH was called upon to help out District staff and student organizations by providing audio equipment or disc jockey services. Sometimes, staffers would help out, but usually it was Pete Bowers who set up the equipment and entertained the crowd. A typical year would find WBFH participating at these events:
August 30
BHS Welcome Back Day (sound system)
October 1
Andover Fall Ball Dance
October 8
Lahser Homecoming Tailgate
October 9
Lahser Homecoming Dance
October 22
Andover Homecoming Tailgate
October 23
Bowers Farm Open Barn Remote
October 29-31; November5-7
Bloomfield Players (“Annie Get Your Gun”)
October 29
Andover/Lahser Pontiac Silverdome Tailgate
November 5
Teen Drop-In Remote (Farm Activity Building)
November 12
Burger King Remote (Telegraph & Square Lake)
November 18-21
Andover School Play (“Bye Bye Birdie”)
February 5
Andover Sweetheart Dance
February 11
Daddy-Daughter Dance (Bloomfield Hills Recreation Dept.)
February 25
Girl Scout Mardi Gras Dance
February 26
Interact Care and Share Lock-in Dance
March 4-6; 11-13
Bloomfield Players (“Guys and Dolls”)
March 9
Andover Daddy-Daughter/Mommy-Son Dance
March 29
Michigan Association of Educational Broadcasters (MAEB) Conference
April 20-23
Spring Celebration Music at Lunch/MORP Dance
April 28
Conant Elementary Dinner Theater
April 29
Battle of the Bands Remote (Bowers School Farm)
May 13
“Somewhere in Time” (Live from Albion, MI)
May 20
Burger King Remote (Telegraph & Square Lake)
May 21
Family Fun Day Remote (East Hills Middle School)
June 30
Jills/Chamber Singers Concert
Monthly:
Boy Scouts Pack 1019 (sound system)
Andover:
Mock Rock, Mr. Andover, Prom Preview, Pep Assemblies, Picnic, Sports Teams Warmup Tapes, Pom Pons and Cheerleaders Soundtracks, Mrs. Jahnke and Farewell Concert.
Eastover Elementary:
School Play, “Unlucky Cinderalla”
Colonial Hills Subdivision:
Halloween Party and Summer Block Party
WBFH management, always interested in cutting-edge technology, elects to install a computer-delivered music system. After months of research, a DigiLink II automated computer system is installed. No longer will the station have to depend upon records, compact discs and tape sources. From now on, all are integrated into a dependable, computer-controlled system. Music is recorded onto a hard drive and accessed immediately.
WBFH named Michigan Association of Educational Broadcasters "Station Of The Year" for the second time.
Biff's World, the station world wide web site, makes its debut.
New morning show airs, from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. WBFH now on the air 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. weekdays.
WBFH begins unattended operations, broadcasting with DigiLink computer system. WBFH, metro Detroit's most-powerful high school radio station, is the first high school station in Michigan to broadcast every day of the year, including 24 hours a day on weekends, school breaks and summer vacation.
TrakStar III digital audio editing workstation added to production room.
Second Associated Press machine hooked up in Studio A, giving air talent instant access to breaking news and sports stories.
WBFH's renovated world-wide-web page debuts, complete with an on-line graphical evolution of its bumper stickers, comprehensive midwest concert calendar and alumni link.
WBFH begins its first summer on the air. The station is live from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Mondays and 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. The station is automated the rest of the time; which means that the station is on 24 hours a day, seven days a week with a combination of live and automated programming.
Upgraded DigiLink III system installed, replacing prior computer automated system. Also, Gemini Command Center automated cart wall installed in Studio A, giving air personalities more freedom to personalize their shows via computer technology, and touch-screen monitor added to DigiLink operation.
WBFH marks 20 years of serving the Bloomfield Hills community.
The WBFH 20th Anniversary Reunion Celebration takes place in Farmington Hills. More than 70 alumni attend the festivities.
Charles Luftig creates the Technology Department, designed to coordinate student and staff use of the station's DigiLink, Trak-Star and Gemini 6 systems, as well as its new PowerMac and Pentium personal computers.
WBFH airs a three-hour DigiLink-automated edition of The Biff Rock Cafe, with pre-recorded talksets and sound effects. A new era of automated broadcasting begins!
Staff students continue to win awards from the Michigan Association of Educational Broadcasters.
A virtual tour of current studio setup is added to the station web page.
Air conditioning units are installed in the studios and office areas.
WBFH discontinues its use of the Associated Press news wire service, choosing instead to gather news and information from the internet.
Biff Jr. a portable broadcast unit for use at sports and special events, makes its debut for the Andover High School homecoming football contest against Ferndale.
Installation of Marantz compact disc burner, allowing WBFH to add to its music library with recordable CDs.
Ethernet installed in WBFH studios.
WBFH gets a new home address on the internet.
WBFH web page switches to frames format.
WBFH becomes the first high school radio station in Michigan to broadcast live audio over the internet.
