WMMB-AM 1240
Melbourne
Original Call Letters: WMMB
Originally Licensed: 1948
Original City of License: Melbourne
Original Frequency: 1050 kHz
Original Power: 250 watts
Original Format:
Owner(s): 1948-John
Turner
-Larry Bessler, Sr.
-Henry Dravneek
1974-Lee
Ruwich
1978-Miler Broadcasting
1986-City
Broadcasting Co. (Dave and
Dr. Frank Franco of Reading, PA) ($2.25
million with WMMB-AM
1240)
1997-Capstar Broadcasting
1997-Commodore Media
1998-
1999-
2004-Capstar
History Of Call Letters and Formats: WMMB-1948-
WMMB-1951-Moved
from 1050AM
WMMB-
-Beautiful Music
WMMB History
WMMB signed on the air on May 8, 1948. The original frequency was on 1050-AM. WMMB would be Brevard County's first radio station. The station signed on at sunrise and signed off at sunset. Then on June 21, 1951 the FCC authorized WMMB to move to 1240-AM and they began broadcasting 24 hours a day. The main studios moved from Front Street to the Florida Market Place in 1998.
In 1978, Miller Broadcasting purchased WMMB. Miller Broadcasting was owned by Chicago radio personality Howard Miller. Miller also owned WRRR-AM 1150, Rockford, IL, WFXW-AM 1480, Geneva, IL,
WYRL-FM
102, Melbourne and WGGG-AM 1230,Gainesville. 
Howard Miller would sell WMMB and WYRL in 1986 and retire.
WMMB Personalities
Ernie Legge
Mr. Legge died Thursday, Dec. 8,2005, at William Childs Hospice House, Palm Bay, Fla. He was born May 28, 1927, in Chicago and moved with his family to Melbourne, Fla., in 1936. He was a 1945 graduate of Melbourne High School. He served briefly with the Navy before attending the University of Florida from 1946-47. He was a graduate from broadcasting school in California before returning to Melbourne and working at WMMB. In the early 1950s, he was a radio and television broadcaster in Orlando, Fla., and the first newscaster for
WLOF-TV (now WFTV) in 1958. Following his return to Melbourne, Fla., he worked with WMEL as the space program reporter for many years, retiring in 1999 as the national regional sales manager.
Phyliss Hoskins-co hostess of
"Town Topics"
Barbara Bancroft-co hostess of
"Town Topics"
Hugh Tyler
click photo for full
view 
Ann Knoop
Don Gould-1973-1979 Biography
August Sindone
George Wenstrom
A.V. (Chick) Catteron
Norman Ledger
Mark Pence-10AM-3PM
Dave Wilson
Dale Bryan
Rob Nichols
Neal Stein
Alan Gast
Don Gould WMMB 1975 courtesy of Don Gould
Alison Whitney
Larry Brewer-6PM-9PM
weekdays/Program Director
Vanessa Allen
Norm Keller-began at WMMB in 1963 would become General Manager in 1965, until his death in February, 1974.
David Waterman-partnered with Larry Brewer for the morning show from 1989 until 1993
Ron Mahr-known as "Rockin' Ron Mahr", he was Melbourne's Wolfman Jack
In
Memory
Larry Bessler-In
Memory
From Lee
Garen; "...he (Larry) worked from his pre-teen years until after graduation from H.S. (at WMMB) It was owned, at one time, by his father who used the name Vern King on the air. I believe Sr. became ill and the station was sold (either just before or shortly) after Sr.'s death..."
Vern King
Lee Garen-Biography
George Tomlinson-newscaster
From Don Gould; "... George reportedly was an eyewitness to Jack Ruby shooting
(Lee Harvey) Oswald at the Dallas police station in 1963. Although he could sound a bit pompous on the air, I really loved that guy. He was Ted Baxter with a heart...".
Andrea Shea King-6PM-7PM
Scott Duncan-2006-2007-Mornings
Bill Mick-2004-2006, 2007-
Matt
Carter
Steve Luba-News
The 1996 Marconi Award
Bob
Justice
for Best Nostalgia Station
Gene
Bueckman-Mornings for 15 years
Dave
Kershaw
Chuck Deel-Afternoons
Larry T. Brewer-6AM-10AM
Jim
Morgan-3PM-5PM
Jim
Morgan and Cutter-5PM-7PM
Steve
Padgett Biography
Randy
England-overnights-Currently with the Southern Baptist Mission Board
in Richmond, VA
Jon Roberts-Program
Director
Other Names in WMMB History
John
Turner-1948-Owner
Chick Catterton-Station
Manager
Janice
Amoroso-Sales
Bill Gray-1948-first
Engineer
Mikiel Brower-1948- first Program Director
Vicki Sherlock-Office
Manager
Greg
Phillips-Promotions
Linda
Taylor-Sales
Jay
Waggoner-1987-mid 1990's-Engineer
Tom Haymond-General Manager-1997-2000
Rosalind Postell-News Director 1993-1999
Hugh Tyler-Chief Engineer
Joy Jorgenson-traffic manager
Donna Kimball-bookkeeper
Beverly Flemming-commercial manager
Victoria Martin-advertising director
Vicki Martin-Program Manager
Fay Stevenson-1979-1980-and-1983 to 1986-General
Manager
Dave Franco-1987-1997-Owner & General Manager
Samantha
Whaley-Promotions Manager
Doug
Remington-Chief Engineer
Jim
Faires-Director of Sales
Joan
Palmer-Business Manager
Kay
Little-Sales
Station Manager Chick Catterton welcomes new owner Henry Dravneek. Chick eventually left WMMB, helped begin
WMEG-AM 920 and the Melbourne Municipal Band. Chick was also Melbourne's Mayor at the age of 41.
Howard Miller
Known as "Uncle Moo Moo" in Chicago radio, he was the #1 Morning Personality from 1947-1968 in Chicago, on WIND. In the 1950's, Howard was also on the CBS following
Arthur Godfrey's program. Howard was sponsored by
Wrigley's Gum and he would interview the "stars" of the day. When he left WIND, over an on-air controversy, he was pulling in 58% of the morning audience. Howard was a conservative (Republican) talk show host, the controversy involved Howard's defense of the Chicago Police Department during the politically charged summer of 1968. Howard died on Election Day, 1994.
Saturday
5:00 - 6:00 AM Week In Review (Westwood One)
6:00 - 9:00
Mike Mitchell
9:00 -10:30
"The Trading Post"
10:30-11:00 "American
Dream Real Estate Show" with Betty McClusky
11:00- 1:00
Dale McClary
1:00 - 4:00
"Seems Like Old Times" with Ed Pell
4:00 - 7:00
"Swingthing" with Fred Hall
7:00 - 9:00
"Big Band Jump" with Don Kennedy
9:00 - 1:00 AM "Big Band Swing" - Coast to
Coast Live with John Sutton
Sunday
1:00 - 3:00 AM Sounds of
Sinatra Preview
3:00 - 4:00
Weekend with Perry Preview
4:00 - 5:00
Big Band Classic Preview
5:00 - 5:30
Weekend Headliner
5:30 - 8:00
Dale McClary
8:00 - 9:00
Week in Review (ABC News)
9:00 -10:00
Brevard Broadcast News Magazine
10:00-11:30
"Harmony" with Al, Stella, Chris & Jeffrey Alberts
11:30- 1:00
Weekend with Perry
1:00 - 6:00
Bill Miller
6:00 - 9:00
Don Kennedy Show
9:00 -11:00
Sounds of Sinatra with Syd Mark
11:00-Midnight
"Big Band Classics" with Warren Durham
Midnight - 3:00 AM "Seems Like Old Times" repeat
3:00 - 5:00
"Big Band Jump" repeat
What's
New Biographies
In Memory Sounds
Misc. Links
Chronology What's News?