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WRWB-AM
1220
Kissimmee
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Original Call Letters: WRWB |
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Originally Licensed: 1954 |
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Original City of License: Kissimmee |
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Original Frequency: 1220 |
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Origin of Call Letters: |
Original Power: 250 watts daytime |
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Original Location: Arcade Theater Building |
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Original Format: MOR |
Network Affiliation(s): |
Keystone Broadcasting Service |
| United Press International |
Owner(s): |
1954-Mid Florida Broadcasting |
| 1956-Frank Taylor | |
| 1964-Beacom Broadcasting Enterprises | |
| 1964-B & M Broadcasting Corporation | |
| 1968-Opportunity Broadcasters ($72,000) | |
| 1976-Magic Box Media | |
| 1980-Central Florida Spanish Broadcasting ($335,000) | |
| 1986-Cawley Broadcasting Corporation | |
| 1991-Kissimmee Broadcasting Corporation, Inc ($500,000) | |
| 1994-Winfield Broadcasting | |
| 1999-J & V Communications ($450,000) |
History Of Call Letters and Formats: |
WRWB-1954-MOR |
| WKBX-1959-MOR | |
| WOSL-1964-MOR | |
| WOSL-1964-Silent | |
| WJPB-1966-MOR | |
| WACY-1968-MOR "1220 On Your Dial" | |
| WACY-1972-Contemporary | |
| WACY-1974-Progressive Rock | |
| WACY-1976-Silent | |
| WMJK-1976-Oldies | |
| WMJK-1978-Spanish | |
| WMJK-1986-Oldies/Variety | |
| WMJK-1988-Hits of the 50s and '60s "Your hometown radio station'' | |
| WMJK-1991-Adult Contemporary/Full Service "Magic 1220" | |
| WMJK-1992-Travelers Information | |
| WMJK-1994-Silent | |
| WOTS-1994-Travelers Information "The Vacation Station" | |
| WOTS-1996-Talk/Oldies | |
| WOTS-1999-Oldies | |
| WOTS-2001-Spanish "Magica" |
History of WRWB Jim La Follette adds some history of WRWB. "The first transmitter site was a trailer. The studio was downtown." "...A building was built which was modeled from a home design and was built on the site, I do not know when. This was the transmitter site and studio/office for WRWB, WKBX, WOSL and WJPB. The building sat on a raised patch of ground off Neptune Rd, with the tower next to the building and the ground radials in a pasture, that flooded a lot. WOSL used the Gates 250GY transmitter as a standby (old WRWB/WKBX main). The main WOSL/WJPB transmitter was a Gates BC1J, 1000 Watt. I think the building might still exist. The building sits on a kind of island jammed up against a subdivision of nice homes and surrounded on three sides by water. Looks out of place. |
Names In WRWB History |
| Emerson Browne-1954-President/General Manager/Chief Engineer/News Director-Mid Florida Broadcasting |
| Howard King-1954-Co-owner-Mid Florida Broadcasting |
| Rodney Walker-1954-Co-owner-Mid Florida Broadcasting |
| Frank Taylor-1954-Commercial Manager-Mid Florida Broadcasting/1956-Owner/General Manager/1960-Owner/Chief Engineer |
| Jerry Schweikart-1955-Program Director/Promotions Manager/Sports Director-Mid Florida Broadcasting |
| Buster Kenton-1956-Farm Director-Mid Florida Broadcasting |
| Sarah Browne-1956-Women's Director-Mid Florida Broadcasting |
| Armand Hilburger-1957-Program Director/Commercial Manager/Station Manager-Frank Taylor Ownership |
| Mattie Van Laughlin-1957-Women's Director-Frank Taylor Ownership |
| Hugh Carroll-1957-Chief Engineer-Frank Taylor Ownership |
Allen B.
Shaw-1959-Afternoons-Frank Taylor Ownership
 Allen's
first job in radio at the age of 15. "I did a one hour "Top Hits" show
every afternoon after school. This was a remote studio in Haines City for WRWB.
Kissimmee is about 20 miles northeast of Haines City. This studio
was the original WGTO studio before it moved to Cypress Gardens in Winter
Haven."click photos for full sized view photos courtesy of Allen Shaw |
 Photo from Haines City High School 1961 senior class yearbook. Terri Maxwell and I were voted "Most Likely To Succeed". We're in the WHAN on air studio where I did a Top 40 music show each day, after school. The board was a Gates "Yard". Commercials were played on 2 Magnacorders at the right of the board. The Gates 500 watt transmitter was on the left side of the board. |
| Lee Moss |
| Howard R. King-President/Co-owner/Chief Engineer-WOSL Osceola Broadcasting |
| Rodney B. Walker-Vice President/General Manager-WOSL Osceola Broadcasting |
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Ray Smith-Went
to WLOF/WFTV as a camera man/field reporter |
 The Arcade Theater in Kissimmee The original home of WRWB (photo taken in 1956) |
The Arcade Theater 1988 |
 Nancy
Turner was kind enough to send along info on her dad and mom.
"...My dad, Buddy Turner, had a gospel music band, The
Gospel Rangers, he played with many in Kissimmee including Curtis
Andrews at Ready Records in Kissimmee.
"...This is the old studios at WRWB on Lake Toho in Kissimmee. My dad "Buddy Turner" had a radio program on the station when it was there and also when the studios were downtown Kissimmee. It was either above Goolds Dept Store or above Tress Book Store." In this photo: l to R: Buddy Turner (deceased), Evangeline (?), Ruth Turner (deceased) and an unknown sailor. Photo courtesy of Nancy Turner |
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