| 1917 PBS |
First public radio station broadcasts from University of Wisconsin. |
| 1938 PBS |
FCC establishes new type of high-frequency broadcast station for noncommercial radio. |
| 1945 PBS |
FCC reserves 20 channels (88-92MHz) exclusively for noncommercial FM radio broadcasting. |
| 1949 PBS |
Pacifica Foundation started KPFFA, Berkeley, CA, first nonprofit, community-run station. |
| 1952 PBS |
FCC reserves educational channels throughout nation in first allocation of television channels. |
| 1953 PBS |
KUHT-TV activates in Houston, TX, first noncommercial television station. 1962 PBS Federal government funds public broadcasting through Education Television Facilities Act. |
| 1967 PBS |
Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 becomes law. |
| 1967 WXEL |
Hagen Ranch Elementary School requests FM radio license for innovative approach to educate migrant families. |
| 1967 WXEL |
Corporation for Public Broadcasting(CPB) is formed; Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood debuts. |
| 1969 PBS |
Regular national TV program distribution begins, five nights a week; Sesame Street goes on the air; CPB forms PBS. |
| 1969 WXEL |
WHRS (later to become WXEL), the nation’s first radio station designed to bridge the gap between migrant workers and middle class, goes on the air. |
| 1970 PBS |
CPB forms National Public Radio(NPR). |
| 1971 PBS |
NPR’s All Things Considered premiers. |
| 1972 WXEL |
WHRRS becomes NPR affiliate. Receives national recognition from NASA for nation’s first Spanish-language space launch broadcast of Apollo 16. |
| 1974 WXEL |
Station emphasis changes to classical music, fine art, with Spanish language and bilingual programs in early morning hours. |
| 1975 PBS |
The Robert MacNeil Report (forerunner of MacNeil/Lehrer Newshour) debuts. |
| 1975 WXEL |
Friends of Public Broadcasting group is formed to help support work of WHRS. They call for the creation of a local public television station. |
| 1977 WXEL |
WHRS boosts power to 35,500 kilowatts and moves to 90.7 frequency. 1979 PBS NPR’s Morning Edition premiers. |
| 1980 WXEL |
Construction of television antenna begins.
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| 1981 WXEL |
WHRS FM license moves from Palm Beach County School Board to private South Florida Public Telecommunications, Inc. (SFPT), which also is the licensee for WWPF/Ch.42. |
| 1982 WXEL |
WHRS TV (originally called WWPF) signs on the air with broadcast of Sesame Street. Shortly after, Jim Barry hosts Financial Freedom, WHRS’ first local television production. |
| 1985 WXEL |
WHRS officially changes call letters to WXEL.
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| 1994 WXEL |
SFPT develops organization’s first mission and vision statements, setting future direction based on educational broadcast and non-broadcast communication services. WXEL and Palm Beach Community College provide distance learning with the area’s first college-credit telecourse broadcast. |
| 1995 WXEL |
WXEL & WLRN - Miami create the Southeastern Regional Ready to Learn Service—the nation’s largest community-based program geared towards getting children ready for education. |
| 1997 WXEL |
WXEL merges with Barry University. Jerry Carr becomes President and CEO. |
| 2000 WXEL |
WXEL-Sun-Sentinel News premieres in May on 90.7FM. |
| 2002 WXEL |
WXEL TV42 celebrates its 20th Anniversary. |
| 2003 WXEL |
WXEL 90.7FM has raises its antenna height by 314% and increases its power by 152% to better serve South Florida and The Treasure Coast. |
| 2004 WXEL |
WXEL begins digital transmission on July 4, 2004 on channel 27. |
| 2009 WXEL |
WXEL turns off its analog signal and goes all digital on April 16, 2009. |
