Jim Grubbs, Assistant Professor of Communication at UIS, was a radio broadcaster for the Far East Network (FEN), stationed in Tokyo, Japan during the 1960s. Later Grubbs was an announcer for WSMI in Litchfield, Illinois. In 1976, Grubbs and several other SSU employees and community members were granted a license for a station (98.7-WNNS) in Springfield. He was recognized by Billboard Magazine as one of the outstanding small-market DJs in the United States in 1971.

The collection includes audio CDs of broadcasts from the Far East and Armed Forces Networks as well as broadcasts from small market radio stations. The CDs from FEN and AFN document the types of radio entertainment military personnel and their dependents listened to during their time in Japan and Alaska. These broadcasts, dating from 1959 to 1971, include comedy, interviews, literature, a children's program, and music ranging from "Big Band" and Country to Top 20. Also included is an oral history of Private Shelby Newhouse, one of the first FEN announcers. Notable broadcasts include a 1972 interview with boxer Muhammed Ali, a 1960 broadcast featuring recordings by Elvis Presley, and a 1981 program detailing the history of WSMI in Litchfield, Illinois.

The CDs from the Illinois small market radio collections feature jingles, news, market reports, and music. Also included is the "1971 Billboard Entry" that Grubbs submitted to Billboard Magazine.