As Wayne State University's WDET-FM (Detroit) celebrated the end of its 75th year last Thursday (2/20/25),  News Director Jerome Vaughn unveiled an audio history project that commemorates the station’s history and longstanding dedication to public news that serves Detroit.

“Having worked at WDET for more than half my life, I thought it was an amazing opportunity to dig into the history of the station and tell the rest of the world about how this amazing radio station got started,” said Vaughn, who narrates the audio history.

WDET was first created to share news and updates on the labor movement as one of several broadcasting stations managed by the United Auto Workers union. It aired its first broadcast on Feb. 13, 1949. The station strived to diversify its programming from the start, covering news relevant to working people, sharing music, and even broadcasting in other languages to better serve various populations in the area.

But running a nonprofit station demanded more resources than the UAW saw fit to spend. In 1952, the UAW transferred ownership of the station to Wayne State University, with the condition that the station would continue to use its broadcasting license to serve the public.

WDET-FM, which signed on February 13, 1949 was originally owned by the United Auto Workers Union. It mostly broadcast public service programs under station manager Ben Hoberman. The studios were on Capital Street near Rouge Park. The station was not financially viable and the UAW-CIO sought to sell it. Wayne University (it joined the state university system in 1956) bought the station for one dollar in 1952 and converted it to non-commercial status.

Watch the presentation below and take a journey through the first years of WDET’s existence, featuring historical photographs, logos, and newspaper clippings provided by Walter P. Reuther Library Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs: