The University of Northern Iowa first started broadcasting (as the Iowa State Teachers College, ISTC) in July 1942 when it aired its programming over Station KXEL. Broadcasting Services was initially part of the campus' Extension Service and was overseen by Herbert V. Hake. Former ISTC student Joe DuMond first suggested ISTC appear on public radio to ISTC president Malcolm Price, who appointed a committee to consider DuMond's ultimately accepted proposal. ISTC adopted three primary goals in using radio broadcasting: "to serve the schools of Iowa with supplementary instruction presented by College faculty members; to furnish adult edcuation at times when parents could listen; and to promote a better public understanding of the College."

In the school's early broadcast history, programming was drawn from different campus departments, including English and Music, which were frequent contributors. ISTC broadcasts initially aired Monday through Saturday and by September 1943, was broadcasting two times a day. ISTC continued its partnership with KXEL until 1948, when it split from the station over a programming disagreement. Following the separation, ISTC broadcast its programming on KWWL and KAYX. It then leased telephone lines in the "Tallcorn" network, which served the Iowa listener community more broadly. The partnership was deemed unsuitable for ISTC's needs and the school contracted with the University of Iowa (WSUI) and Iowa State College (WOI) to broadcast select programs.

UNI began operating its own station, KCTF, in 1960. In 1973, the university moved foward with plans to operate two radio stations, KHKE and UNI, across eastern Iowa. KHKE programming would include classical and National Public Radio programs while KUNI programming would consist of music offerings such as jazz, folk, blues, and more.

The Iowa Board of Regents established Iowa Public Radio in 2004 to oversee, manage, and consolidate UNI's, Iowa State's, and the University of Iowa's separate radio stations. KHKE and KUNI stations have been under this umbrella since then.

In addition to radio broadcasting, early television broadcast efforts for instruction and information were undertaken by Herbert V. Hake and Bert Woodcock, Director of Safety Education.