John Roberts, a professor emeritus in the school’s Broadcast, Telecommunications and Mass Media Department, believed that a radio station was necessary for students to be able to practice what they were learning in class.

Since its opening day in January 1948, the station has grown to become a force in jazz and classical programming, and has nurtured the careers of thousands of radio and television broadcasters, said Jerry Klein, the last student to serve as WRTI’s station manager.

“Since that time, WRTI has been a trainer of broadcasters nationwide, not just locally,” he said. “There have been many distinguished broadcasters that have walked through the halls of this radio station.”

For its accomplishments as a home for broadcasters wishing to learn the craft for the past 60 years, the Broadcast Pioneers honored WRTI at the group’s annual Sports Spectacular.

The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is an organization made up of people who have been involved in all phases of broadcasting from management to talent. In 2007, the organization donated three tape machines to Temple University’s Urban Archives.

WRTI has been a place where young broadcasters such as Merrill Reese, Norman Fell and Bill Cosby have gone on to become the voice of Philadelphia Eagles Football, a star on the television show “Three’s Company” and one of the world’s best known comedians, respectively, said Klein, now vice president of the Broadcast Pioneers.

During the ceremony, attendees watched tape of the dedication of WRTI’s studios by then Temple President Robert Johnson. Tape was also played of Reese’s broadcasts of Temple baseball games in the 1960s and a snippet of a Dave Brubeck concert from the early 1960s that was staged at Mitten Hall and broadcast over WRTI’s airwaves.

Tobias Poole, operating director for WRTI, accepted the honor on behalf of the station.