For 100 years, WWL Radio has broadcast news, entertainment, and information across the New Orleans-Gulf South region. On the 100th anniversary of WWL first going on the air, leaders in New Orleans and Jefferson and St. Tammany parishes all offered their kudos to a century of WWL.
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"It was March 31st, 1922, that some engineers at Loyola University were tinkering around with some equipment that they had from a merchant ship post World War I, trying to figure out a way to actually create wireless communication," Kevin Cassidy, Senior Vice President/Market Manager of Audacy New Orleans, WWL's ownership group, told the New Orleans City Council. "That was the beginning of it, and it all happened...at Loyola University."
"My former boss, President Tania Tetlow at Loyola, would always say that WWL stands for 'World Wide Loyola,'" said councilmember Leslie Harris. "I'm just so proud of you and thank you for all that you do."
Councilmember Joe Giarrusso III noted that before there was television, before there was internet, WWL was a vital information source for the community.
"What were we all told? Keep batteries in your radio, and listen to WWL," Giarrusso said. "I remember very clearly, the Sunday as Katrina was making landfall, we were in Baton Rouge, telling my wife, 'We're going to listen to WWL in the morning and we're going home.' And I turned on the radio in the morning and I knew I wasn't going home."
Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng offered her congratulations.
"You have been with us through our darkest hours of Katrina and more recently Hurricane Ida, enabling people to get very credible and timely information," said Sheng. "And you've been with us through our brightest moments, from when everybody was celebrating the Saints Super Bowl.
"On behalf of the citizens of Jefferson Parish, congratulations to you on your 100th anniversary, and thank you for keeping us entertained and informed."
St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper reminisced about his long-time listenership.
"I can recall listening to WWL Radio through Hurricane Camille, Katrina, and Ida last year," said Cooper. "WWL has been there with us through our happiest moments. I remember listening to 'Hap's Point After' following Saints games, and Jim Henderson's call of 'pigs have flown!' announcing that our Saints were going to the Super Bowl.
"WWL has been there for us, including serving as the official emergency management station of Louisiana. I hereby proclaim March 31st as WWL Radio Day in St. Tammany Parish," he concluded. "I wish you well in your next 100 years of service."
St. Bernard Parish President Guy McInnis visited the studio to personally deliver a Parish Proclamation acknowledging the achievements of WWL and declaring today WWL Day in the parish.
The proclamation said in part:
“In recognition of their century of service to generations of people in our parish, I, Guy McInnis President of St. Bernard Parish, hereby proclaim Thursday, March 31, 2022 ‘WWL 870 AM Day’ in St. Bernard Parish and congratulate the station for its 100 years of operations.”
You can watch video of the New Orleans City Council's presentation to WWL below: