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Ron Diaz

In 1987, stand-up comic Ron Bennington joined radio vet Ron Diaz to create the highly popular Ron & Ron Show on Tampa Bay's WYNF-FM (95YNF). The show had tremendous ratings and the two, known as "Radio's Bad Boys", then partnered with their agent Ross Reback to form The Ron & Ron Radio Network to own and syndicate the show. 

The Ron & Ron Show's final broadcast for WYNF was March 12, 1993. Reback became president and CEO of the newly formed network and quickly negotiated a deal to broadcast the show in Miami, FL, Orlando, FL, and Jacksonville, FL with another dozen markets soon following (including a new, more lucrative deal in Tampa).

On December 21, 1994 Diaz announced that his wife, Debbie, had been diagnosed with AIDS and began periodically missing shows to care for her. Debbie Diaz died November 13, 1995. In early 1997, he announced his departure on-air from The Ron & Ron Show and on the following September 29th, the show ended after a successful 11-year run.

Reback successfully negotiated a divestiture of The Ron & Ron Radio Network through a sale to Paxson Communications, who prepared to re-locate the show from the network’s St. Petersburg studios to another in Hollywood, FL. But without Diaz, the show floundered. The last few months featured several replacement hosts, all of whom took the name “Ron” in a failed attempted to replace him. 

Due to low ratings after Diaz's departure, The Ron & Ron Show was promptly canceled when Clear Channel purchased the radio division of rightsholder Paxson Communications and opted not to continue the show. However, a short time later, Diaz joined Clear Channel Radio's classic rock station Thunder 103.5 WTBT and launched the brand new Ron Diaz Show.

In 2003, Diaz was partnered with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers player Ian Beckles for 12 years as the hosts of The Ron & Ian Show on WDAE. Beckles' contract was not renewed by the station,and he departed the show in December 2015. In January 2016, JP Peterson, former sports director of WFLA-TV Newschannel 8, joined in for The Ron & JP Show on WDAE. The highly rated program ended in December 2020 when Diaz announced his retirement from radio. 

Station History