Among them are technicians, engineers, and entrepreneurs mostly associated with the U.S. Army's Redstone Arsenal installation, NASA's George C. Marshall Space Flight Center and contractors.

These were among the factors that led to Huntsville receiving Alabama's first public radio license, and broadcasts began on October 13, 1976 from the Times Building on Holmes Avenue.

The Alabama Educational Television Commission stepped in and acquired the station in December 1977 to prevent it from failing, and still owns it today.

In the early years, the station carried some unusual programs, most notably Radio Andernach, a weekly hour-long German-language news and features show for the benefit of several natives of that land who worked in Huntsville's aerospace and defense industry.

The WLRH PSA (public service announcement) Program provides representatives from local non-profit and community organizations the opportunity to record 30-second spots for their group or events for free.

George Dickerson, a former South Bend, Indiana television news anchor (but actually born in Huntsville), served as the only general manager in WLRH's entire history from its 1976 inception until his retirement in early 2007.