History of Central Florida Radio Stations. WPLA, WLAK, WONN.

Welcome to Radio Years!

Let Radio Years take you on a nostalgic look back at some of your favorite radio stations of the past across the central counties of the Sunshine State. Included are complete histories of all the stations in Polk County, plus select stations from Tampa Bay to the Space Coast. These were stations we all listened to before corporate conglomerates and automation became the norm. Most were locally owned and operated, and we got to know personally the people whose voices came into our lives via the airwaves because they were active in the community.

Take a moment to browse through Who’s Who, the Photo Albums and Memorabilia. Check out the bios and photos of local radio personalities from years gone by. If you ever had the opportunity to visit your favorite stations, we’ve got pictures of the way you remember them. Take a look at classic station music surveys that you used to pick up each week at the record store, bumper stickers, and other memorabilia. Click on Audio Clips for program intros, show themes, newscasts, commercials, airchecks, jingles, and more.

On the Radio Years homepage, Related Links will direct you to historical sites for other great radio stations like Nashville’s WLAC, “Tiger Radio” WQAM in Miami, and Chicago’s WGN. You’ll find the histories of the four major radio networks, ABC, CBS, Mutual, and NBC, including the story behind the latter network’s famous chimes and most ambitious program, “Monitor.” There’s information about other favorite old time radio shows, too, like “The Lone Ranger,” “Suspense,” Don McNeil’s “Breakfast Club,” “Amos ‘n’ Andy,” and “Dragnet,” plus links to sites that deal with restoring antique radios, and much more. And don’t forget to click on the Featured Audio Clips box to hear some vintage commercials from radio’s golden era.

It’s all here, and more, inside Radioyears.com – your source for the history of Polk County radio and other really great Tampa Bay and central Florida stations. So sit back, kick your shoes off, and reminisce through our pages about your favorite station or personality.

OUR STATIONS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM
Featured Stations:		WLAK, WONN, WPLA
Other Stations:		Hall Communications Big 4, WFSI, WGTO, WLKF, WLLD, WMBL, WPCV, WQPD, WSJT, WVFM/WEZY, WWRZ, WYSE/WWAB
	Polk County:	WBAR, WCIE, WFXI, WHAN, WHFL, WHNR, WINT AM/FM, WIPC, WKES, WLVF AM/FM, WPUL, WQXM, WSIR, WTHN, WTWB, WWBF, WXEZ, WXKL, WYFO, WYXY, WZNG
	Tampa Bay:	WAKS, WALT, WAMA, WAMR AM/FM, WAVE, WAVV, WAYP, WAZE, WBBY, WBDN AM/FM, WBOY, WBRD AM/FM, WBSB, WBTP, WBVM, WBZZ, WCBF, WCIE, WCKX, WCLE, WCOF, WCTQ, WCWR, WDAE AM/FM, WDCF, WDCL, WDDV, WDHL, WDUV, WEBK, WEND, WENG, WFHH, WFJO, WFLA AM/FM, WFLZ, WFNN, WFNS, WFSO, WFTI, WFUS, WGES, WGHB, WGNB AM/FM, WGNP, WGUL AM/FM, WHBO, WHBS, WHNZ, WHPT, WHVE, WIBC, WIBQ, WILV, WILZ, WINQ, WIOK, WIQI, WISP, WJIS, WJBB, WJQB, WJYW, WKES, WKGA, WKRL, WKTS, WKXY, WKZM, WLCC, WLCY AM/FM, WLFF, WLLD, WLSS, WLTQ, WLVU AM/FM, WMBR, WMGG, WMGG AM/FM, WMLO, WMNF, WMTX, WMTX, WNSI, WNZE, WOFN, WOKF, WPAS, WPDS, WPIN AM/FM, WPKM, WPLP, WPOI, WPSO AM/FM, WQBN, WQSA, WQSR, WQXM, WQYK AM/FM, WRAV, WRBB, WRBQ AM/FM, WRFA, WRMD, WRXB, WSAA, WSAF AM/FM, WSDV, WSEB, WSGX, WSJT, WSMR, WSOL, WSPB AM/FM, WSRQ, WSRZ, WSRZ AM/FM, WSSR, WSST, WSUN AM/FM, WTAN AM/FM, WTBT, WTCX, WTIS, WTKN, WTMP AM/FM, WTMY, WTRL, WTSP AM/FM, WTUN, WTYM, WTZB, WUSA, WUSF, WVTY AM/FM, WWBA AM/FM, WWJB, WWLF, WWMI, WWPR, WWQT, WWRM, WWTB, WWZZ, WXCR, WXGL, WXJB, WXTB, WXYB, WYAK, WYND, WYNF, WYNF, WYOU, WYTA, WYUU, WZHR, WZNE, WZRH, WZST, WZTM
	Central Florida:	WAPG, WAPR, WAUC, WAVP, WBIL, WDBO AM/FM, WFHT, WFLN, WHOO AM/FM, WITS, WJCM, WKGF AM/FM, WKHF, WLOF, WOKD AM/FM, WPRV, WSEB AM/FM, WSLC, WWKE, WWLL, WWOJ, WWTK, WYMR, WZSP, WZTK, WZZS

What's New

January 2012

New Stations Added

WWTB-AM 1300 Tampa
WOFN-AM 1490 Bradenton
WSEB-FM 91.3 Englewood

* * *

Who's Who - New Bios

Luis Briceno, Marc Chase,
Jim Johnson, Jeff Moshier,
and Gerald W. McGougan

* * *

Featured Audio Clip

"The Charlie McCarthy Show"
(NBC/CBS 1937-1956)

Tampa Bay Audio Clips

WFLZ - Mark Larsen teases about format flip (1989); WLCY - Jingle Comp 3 (Mike Lusk); WMNF - Steve 'The Hitman" Williams (1986-Earl Polk); WRBQ - "Guess Who's In It and Win It" (1985); WRBQ - JoJo Walker (1984-Jon 'Rock N Roll' Anthony); WSSR - Dave Cash (1998-Dave Cash)

* * *

Tampa Bay Photo Album

- People -

Tampa Bay Radio Reunion (2011-Jon 'Rock N Roll' Anthony); WFLA - Jim Gollogly and Francisco Marcos (1977); WFLA - Johnny McSafety and Uncle Ray (1948-James Lewis); WFLZ - Jennifer Jordan (1997); WILZ - Engineering staff (1957-
Earl Polk); WIOK - Barbara Ware -2- (1955-Earl Polk); WKXY - Steve Newman (1969-Steve Newman); WLCC - Unidentified staffer in
on-air studio (2010); WQSR - Fulltime jocks (1976-Neal Mirsky); WQYK - Michael Serio in
production room (2000-Michael Serio); WRBQ - Roger P. Schulman; WYNF - Charlie Logan (1980s)

- Studios -

WBRD - Former studio building (early-mid 2000s); WFLA - Floor plan of Jackson Street radio-TV studios (1955-Tedd Webb); WFLA - Studios in the Tribune Building (1950); WQSA - Original studio building (2-photos 2011)

- Mobile Units -

WFLA - Van and pickup truck; WTMP - Station SUV at remote (2011); WXTB - "98 Rock"
big rig truck (2008)

* * *

Tampa Bay Memorabilia

- Newspaper Ads/Articles -

WALT - New salesmen named (1968); WDAE - Priscilla Parker gets a Peale (1950s); WDAE - "Froggy 1250" (1994); WFLA -
Pat Chamburs' "What Is An Announcer?" (1951); WFLA - "The Rowdies Hour" (1977); WILZ - Hear Your Own Voice (1973); WYNF - Russ Albums' morning show (1987-LynneMarie Boltze)

- Station Related -

WALT - QSL card signed by Walt Tison (1946); WDAE - Bucs' "Baaaaaad" T-shirt (1979);
WDAE - Custom wine label (2001); WFLA - Rays Radio seat cushion; WKXY - "Have A Happy Day" sticker (circa 1970); WLCY - Star Spectacular poster (1961);
WQSR - Ticket stub from YES concert (1976-Earl Polk); WWBA - VIP Club card (Kevin Coldiron)

* * *

Other Stations

WSJT - Photo Album

- People -

Kathy Curtis (2007); Unidentified staffer mans booth (2009)

- Mobile Units -

Remote van at night

* * *

WSJT - Memorabilia

- Station Related-

Cover art for CD Sampler -
volumes 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10;
Limited edition T-shirt with
station logo (Kevin Coldiron);
T-shirt with station logo (2006)

* * *

Other Central Florida Stations