Winston-Salem, NC—88.5 WFDD, the Piedmont Triad’s NPR ® affiliate, which is licensed to Wake Forest University, announced that its Production Studio 2 has been named in honor of Dr. Julian Burroughs, professor emeritus of Speech Communication at Wake Forest University. Dr. Burroughs, his family, members of WFDD staff, and members of Wake Forest University’s Communication department celebrated Dr. Burroughs’s 80 th birthday at his home on Wednesday, March 19, 2008, when he was also presented with a plaque honoring his dedication over the years to WFDD.  

Dr. Burroughs is a 1951 Wake Forest College graduate and earned his masters and doctorate degrees at the University of Michigan. He worked as WFDD’s student station manager from 1950-1951. From 1958 to 1994, he was a professor of Speech Communication at Wake Forest University, and served as WFDD’s first non-student station manager from 1958 to 1981. During his tenure, WFDD became a non-commercial educational station in 1961; became the first FM stereo station in Winston-Salem, with the addition of a new 36,000-watt antenna purchased with the help of local listeners (1967); and became the first National Public Radio ® affiliate station in the state of North Carolina (1971).

Denise Franklin, general manager of WFDD, said, “Dr. Burroughs’s former students comment frequently about his influence on their careers. His visionary contributions are legendary among listeners and alumni alike. We are grateful for his foresight and to his family, and are pleased to be able to name this studio in his honor.”

Dr. Julian Burroughs and Denise Franklin

Dr. Burroughs’s leadership at 88.5 WFDD and his time as professor of Speech Communication enabled hundreds of students to learn the elements of broadcasting. Students who worked under Dr. Burroughs at WFDD often produced daily broadcasts, including an early morning show, Renaissance, which complemented NPR ®’s afternoon broadcast of All Things Considered. Many of these students continued on to careers in broadcasting and journalism, or in the field communication or media studies education.

88.5 WFDD, the NPR ® News and Triad Arts Station broadcasting from Wake Forest University, is the only public radio station of its kind located in the Piedmont Triad. It broadcasts news, information, and public affairs programming covering the arts, people, and institutions in the area from both its Winston-Salem and Greensboro studios. The state’s charter NPR ® member, 88.5 WFDD is the longest continuously broadcasting public radio station in North Carolina. It is a member of the North Carolina Public Radio Association.