Although radio transmission at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication goes back to 1925, there were no official courses in radio broadcasting until 1938. However, as early as 1931, journalism students enrolled in Dean Eric Allen's editing class, along with Emerald staff members, aired a 15-minute broadcast five times a week over KORE, Eugene's earliest radio station. The subject matter ranged from campus news to topics of national and international importance. Two days a week, students from the Drama Department would put on a play; and on Fridays, the School of Music provided entertainment. Radio slowly but surely became a part of the School's curriculum.

The first full-fledged course was called Radio Program Production and was conducted by the Speech Department in cooperation with the Schools of Music, Business Administration, and Journalism.

The journalism portion of the endeavor consisted primarily of advertising. The Speech Department continued to increase its offerings in radio with courses in Fundamentals of Broadcasting and Radio Workshop. And, in 1946, a course in News Editing for Radio was offered for the first time by the journalism school, followed in 1948 by courses in Radio News Writing, Radio News Program Building, and Radio Advertising were added. Radio hit hits high-water mark in 1949-50 when students in radio courses assisted regularly in the preparation of programs for Eugene radio stations and for state-owned television station KOAC.

In the following years, courses in television news were added as well as facilities for both radio and television production. During those early years of broadcasting at Oregon, students gained practical experience in station operation and programming through work on the campus radio station, KWAX, which had started broadcasting in 1951. The programs were put on by broadcasting students from the speech department and journalism school.

In 1950, the FCC authorized a campus radio station, KDUK (later changed to KWAX), at which students worked for credit and experience. In 1952, the Oregon Association of Broadcasters entered into a joint arrangement with the School of Journalism to operate out of the School. The OAB was based in the journalism school until the late 1970s.