WBGO came from humble beginnings, first broadcasting out of a high school, only to become the radio beacon we know it as today. WBGO was originally a tool to teach students the basics of radiobroadcasting and only broadcasted during school days from a Central High School in Newark. Seeing WBGO's potential to be something greater, Bob Ottenhoff, the founder of WBGO, led the search for a better use of the station. After buying a humble abandoned building for the new WBGO headquarters, the radio station began gaining traction with the locals. The rise of WBGO from such an unassuming origin serves as inspiration for any creative undertaking. Despite Newark not having a local newspaper, radio station, or even public television for many people, WBGO's origin story is especially daring. Success was not guaranteed and even unlikely, yet the odds didn't shake them from establishing the first ever all jazz format in public broadcasting.

The obstacles the radio station faced while it was first being assembled were intimidating. In the control room, it got so cold, they could see their breath, and in summertime, there was extreme heat. The anatomy of the building allowed for unwanted noise to get on the air, and they would even face threats of the electricity going off. Regardless of the physical conditions of the studio, the station's determination to keep producing content is encouraging in itself. They aired as if they had world class resources in a perfect environment. Their resilience to these rough predicaments shows the heart the WBGO staff had in wanting to give the masses the best jazz experience they could. The inspiration doesn't stop at the origins of the station, but the timeliness of the station. Only a decade after the Newark riots, a radio station emerged from it. WBGO served as an indicator that things were being revitalized in this new chapter of Newark history. The small, yet diverse group that formed the WBGO staff worked earnestly to bring the city of Newark an enjoyable radio station established locally. However, the powerful impact of community is spotlighted in this film majorly. The success of WBGO was in the hands of the community around them, and through banding together, listeners helped build New Jersey's premier radio station. The tens of thousands of locals who pledged to help the station made a collective effort to see it prosper.

The WBGO Story masterfully emphasizes the beauty of a community wanting to see the art form of jazz being accessible 24/7 to everyone. Newark was the perfect city for a jazz radio station to thrive in as it was a jazz city. Jazz legends including Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Duke Ellington, Buddy Terry, and Duke Anderson among many others that were a part of Newark's jazz scene during their respective careers. The community also banded around jazz as it was played in bars, restaurants, and clubs alike. This cultural groundwork paved the way for Newark's very own jazz radio station to be born, but it was quite a climb to the top.