The Catskill Chronicle

David Dann, was one of the hosts for the on-air 20^th Anniversary broadcast. 

Story and photos by Ted Waddell 

JEFFERSONVILLE – It all started with a dream by a dam site. On February 12, 1990 Glenn Wooddell took a deep breath, switched on his mike, cranked up the sound board and announced to the listening world-at-large, “WJFF in Jeffersonville is now beginning its inaugural day of broadcasting.” 

Barbara Gref, former two-time president of the board, supplier of hydro-power to WJFF, and volunteer chats with Bette Popovich, former station manager.

Twenty years and a day later on February 13, 2010 Wooddell and a small cadre of long-time volunteer broadcasters were back on-air to celebrate WJFF Public Radio’s 20th Anniversary with a party that attracted more than 50 folks from both sides of the river to honor the station’s efforts to bring an electric mix of broadcasting to our area and beyond. 

Recalling what it was like to be the station’s first on-air voice, Wooddell said, “I’m surprised at how calm I sounded, I was probably too dumb to be nervous.” 

After a while David Dann, host of “Jazz Profiles,” who has been involved with the station since 1986 – a few years before it went up on the airwaves, explained, “It’s a focus for our culture, all kinds of people on Sullivan County and the surrounding counties,” he said, taking a break from cueing up some local blasts from the past. 

A few of memorable archival clips stored in the radio vaults and replayed on February 13, 2010: an interview by Walter Keller “The People Talk Back” in which Bill Klaber talked about the JFK Assassination; Composer Lee Hoiby performed his original “Schubert Variations” on “Performance Today” hosted by Martin Goldsmith; and singer/pianist Kazzrie Jaxon accompanied by percussionist Kurt Knuth performing a work dedicated to WJFF on it’s 15th anniversary. 

The short-list continued with a selection Ursula Good, host of “Café Ursula” from 1991 until her passing in 2004; writer Myra Winner, former producer of the WJFF Arts Calendar, reading her story “Ornery Ice”; 40-seconds of funky fundraising sound by jazz host Tony DeVito; NPR’s “E-Town” E-chievement award presented to WJFF co-founder Malcolm Brown; and the Phil Ochs Song Night, produced by Kevin Gref. 

WJFF founders Malcolm Brown and Anne Larsen talk about old times with Steve Richter, host of “The Richter Scale.”

Fast forwarding a couple of decades, the stations founders Brown and Anne Larsen, a husband and wife team of retired college professors showed up to celebrate the creation of “The Best Radio Station by a Dam Site” on the shores of Lake Jefferson. 

When it was built, WJFF had the distinction of being the only hydro-powered radio station in the United States, and now with the advent of the internet streaming is heard around the globe. 

In 1988, Sullivan County cut Brown a check for $15,000 to jump-start the idea of public radio, and 20-years later a mouse-eared copy of the check was all the buzz during the special three-hour birthday broadcast. 

According to Brown, NPR recognized the area as “underserved”, and “we wanted to make sure our sound was proactive locally…the station was built by a labor budget of zero.” 

“Praises be, it hasn’t lost its diversity,” he added. 

As WJFF first went on air with only 14 hours of broadcasting, it fell a bit short of the FCC regulations that required a NYS educational radio station be on on-air for at least 18 hours daily. 

“Washington put us on notice that we were ‘non-compliant, [and’ you don’t want to hear words like that,” recalled Brown. “So we started complying
in a hurry.” 

When Brown called up Mark Sachs, a heavy hitter at the time with the feds to plead his case for getting a couple of days to add the extra time, he was told “you have until the day.” 

Christine Ahern, former station manager and Malcolm Brown, co-founder of WJFF.

“We polled the troops, and Steve Richter answered the call,” he said. Richter joined WJFF on its second day of broadcasting and the host of “The Richter Scale” known for it’s weekly array of “music with something to say” never left. 

“I was always into radio,” said Richter. “WJFF is never boring, there’s always something happening, it’s open-minded, non-commercial, community oriented, and it has progressive ideas.” 

Cecily Fortescue turns 80 in October and she showed up for WJFF’s 20th Anniversary. The host of “Afternoon Classics” joined in 1995, and is known as ”The Queen of Dead Air”. 

“It’s gone through a number of managers, all with as distinct imprint on the station,” said the graduate of St. Paul’s Girl’s School of London. “It’s definitely expanded, and the fact that’s its now online has increased its scope around the world…people can now listen to us in Europe.” 

Before the birthday cake was cut and glasses of bubbly raised high, WJFF station manager Winston Clark toasted the occasion. 

Timothy Desmond, 4, ‘at the mike.’ His pilot father Dan has been an on-air volunteer for about three years.

“Here’s to Malcolm Brown and Anne Larsen, founders of the feast…here’s to Glenn Wooddell, our first and forever voice…and closest to our hearts, here’s to all of you who hear us through the ether and over the waves…” 

“May hydro-powered, community-supported, multi-voiced, listener-beloved radio continue to thrive and prosper long after we are but happy memories.” 

To view photos or to purchase prints from Local Public Radio Station Celebrates 20 Years On-Air visit the Chronicle on Zenfolio.