What was envisioned by a blind man almost seventy years ago is now recognized as one of the most dependable broadcast outlets in downstate Illinois. ... See more Yes, we’re talking about WLDS Radio. The idea of a radio station in Jacksonville originated in the mind of Hobart Stephenson, who was an instructor at the Illinois School for the Blind (now Illinois School for the Visually Impaired). Stephenson and two local businessmen Milton Edge and E.J. “Pete” Korsmeyer, became partners and formed the first ownership of WLDS. The first radio broadcast of WLDS 1180 occurred on December 9, 1941, just two days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The years of continuous service of WLDS rank it among the top five percent of all radio stations in the U.S., in terms of length of service.