WHRB Plans Unusual Election Night Show

On past election nights, Harvard radio station WHRB has been able to do little more than relay poll results broadcast on television to their radio audience.

But when the station airs its election coverage tonight, listeners will be treated to an array of live reports from WHRB alumni and college radio stations across the country.

Sponsored by real estate broker Hunneman and Co./Coldwell Banker, a new alliance known as the College Radio Network will present coverage of national election news by college radio stations from the University of Virginia, University of Texas, Temple University and Florida State University.

During the program, which will begin at 9 p.m., WHRB alumni from Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York and Washington D.C. will also give commentary on their local elections. "We're all really excited," said Aaron W. Rowe, news director for WVFS, which bills itself as "The Voice of Florida State."

"This is definitely the most elaborate thing we've ever done," Rowe said.

Los Angeles resident Karen J. Hedlund '70 will provide background coverage of the California elections.

"We did things we thought were pretty creative," Hedlund said of her days as news director of WHRB. "But nothing near this."

Harvard radio will perform its share of coverage with reporters stationed at the headquarters of U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy '54-'56; his Republican challenger, W. Mitt Romney; Gov. William F. Weld '66; and his opponent Mark Roosevelt '78.

WHRB has also scheduled in-studio commentary from former Cambridge Mayor Alice K. Wolf and Kennedy School professor David C. King. Affiliates from the University of Virginia will provide a pre-taped interview with Senate hopeful Oliver L. North, while WHRB plans to conduct an interview of Boston Globe columnist Dave Nyhan at 9:30 p.m.