WIYD History
Thanks to Marc Tyll for this history of  WIYD.
Palatka’s first radio station-WIYD-began regular broadcast service shortly after World War II on February 14, 1947 as WWPF (Welcome to Palatka Florida) bringing local radio service to the area that prior to 1947 relied upon radio service from Jacksonville, Gainesville and Orlando.. The original frequency was on 800 kHz, (kilocycles back then), and operated with 1,000 watts daytime only. In 1947, WWPF-AM 1260 programmed a variety of music, news, information and live programming from sunrise to sunset seven days a week. This trend continued for ten years when it was determined night service could be added by changing the  frequency from 800kc to 1260kc. The frequency moved enabled WWPF to begin operating during the nighttime hours with a  full 500 watts in addition to its 1,000 watt daytime signal. On February 14, 1957, ironically the station’s ten year anniversary date, operations on the new 1260 kc frequency began and was also sold to Hall Broadcasting Company, owned and  operated by Eva Hall. That same year radio station WSUZ-AM 800 signed on the air using the former 800kc frequency, programming a C&W (Country Western) format to Palatka and the surrounding Putnum County area. WWPF’s operation schedule expanded to 10PM  beginning its broadcast day at 7AM. Soon, the station started signing on the air at 6AM and remaining on air till Midnight  seven nights per week, programming a variety of Middle of the Road music programming along with some local news and talk. The Mutual Broadcasting System (MBS) was soon added as a national news network. In 1973, Hall Broadcasting Company added an FM station, beautiful music WIYD-FM 99.9. In 1975 programming on WWPF shifted to Top 40 with an emphasis placed on bringing hit music to the area while cross-town WSUZ continued to play a variety of country classics and modern country hits. Donald Wolfe was the program director while Brian Douglas (Goodrich) was WWPF’s knowledgeable music director. Ronald 4 took over the day to day general management of the station from his mother (who owned WWPF and WIYD-FM), while Mary Makie served as the station’s General Sales Manager. Butch  Prevat was WWPF’s morning news anchor and news director covering news from in and around the Saint John’s area. Many changes came about in mid 1979 when WWPF changed its call letters to WIYD on July 1st (which stood for  Wide coverage). Wolfe left programming and began a sales career, working with Makie daily while Brian Douglas was promoted to Program Director. Top 40 remained a staple on the new WIYD while WIYD-FM switched to Country. Soon  after WIYD-FM was sold to Ronette Communications and became WNFY. Mutual News was dropped, and Douglas  left to join the new Y 100 (WNFY) while morning man George Gibb became the program director. By 1985, the music started shifting away from Top 40 and became a 50/50 music mix consisting of 50% adult contemporary and 50% country music. A year later programming became totally country as it remains today (2007).

Names In WIYD History

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