WHOW THE BIG 1520 Radio in Clinton is celebrating its 70th anniversary on the air providing Central Illinois local radio service, with a special on-air Anniversary Show on 10am to 4pm on Saturday, August 5th.

WHOW president and general manager Randal J. Miller, along with station manager Jared White, and station engineer Wayne R. Miller—who began his career on WHOW in the 1970's—will host the on-air party, which will feature interviews with former staff members and community leaders. 

Some of the music featured during WHOW's first years on the air, will be played as well.

Station officials are asking the public for their help in locating former staff members, or memorabilia.  Please contact Randal J. Miller at 935-9590 or e-mail him at whow-at-randyradio-dot-com, if you know contact information of former staff members or if you have memorabilia you'd like to show off that day.

The station will also hold an open house at its studios inside the Big Red Barn at 2980 U-S Highway 51, 4 miles south of Clinton, during those same hours. 

Tours of the station will be given, station memorabilia will be on display, and refreshments will be served.  All those stopping by will be in a drawing for an AM/FM clock radio that will be given away at the end of the festivities, and you don't have to be present to win.

After receiving approval from the Federal Communications Commission, a group of local residents built and signed on WHOW THE BIG 1520 on August 2nd, 1947, with studios above the former Cannonballs Department Store on the south side of the Clinton Square.  WHOW's tower location today is the same place it was 70 years ago, 4 miles south of Clinton on U-S Highway 51.  What was to become known as the “Big Red Barn,” was built in 1972 when the station moved its studios from the Clinton Square, and is where they've been ever since.