In March 1981 the North American Philips Corporation announced that it would provide equipment to produce television shows about the 1982 World’s Fair and would place television monitors throughout the site to provide interviews and taped or live shows. North American Philips invited the UT College of Communications to “allocate faculty to head the project and students to serve as producers, directors, engineers, camera operators, reporters, and editors,” Dr. Don Hileman, dean of the college told the Daily Beacon in a July 7, 1981, article. Because the college could not take on the major responsibility and still meet the regular schedule of ongoing classes, it had to decline.
At the time the college declined the offer, Al Curtis, manager of WSJK-TV, indicated that WSJK would be interested in doing the work and was selected by North American Philips to perform it. A 22-foot custom-built mobile television production van, funded through a Tennessee Department of Education grant and North American Philips, arrived on campus in April 1982. The actual broadcasting center for the fair was in WSJK’s studio on the first floor of the Communications and University Extension Building. The mobile unit produced programs on two channels, A and B. Channel A monitors carried the schedule of fair activities; Channel B had some live broadcasting, with taped entertainment activities and other attractions. Manpower for the mobile unit was provided by regular WSJK staff and broadcasting students. The van and its equipment became the property of WSJK following the fair.