WWPF-AM 1260
Palatka
Original Call Letters:
WWPF
Originally Licensed:
1947
Original frequency: 800 kHz
Origin of Call Letters: Location:
Welcome to
Palatka
Florida
Original Power: 1,000
watts daytime / 500 nighttime
Original City of License: Palatka
Original Format: MOR
Network Affiliation(s): Jones/AP
News/ABC News
Owner(s): 1947-The
original frequency was 800 kHz
1997-Janice
J. Register
1997-Wayne
Bullock, Barbara Bullock, James Hester, Gail Hester
1998-Radio Palatka, Inc.
(Wayne and Barbara Bullock)
2007-Florida Radio,
LLC
2007-Flagler
County Broadcasting, LLC
History Of Call Letters and Formats: WWPF-1947-MOR
WWPF-1975-Top
40 “Music From The
Superstars”
WIYD-1979--Top
40
WIYD-1985-Adult
Contemporary and Country
WIYD-1986-Country
WWPF History
Thanks to Marc
Tyll for this history of WWPF.
Palatka’s first radio station – WWPF – began regular broadcast
service shortly after World War II on February 14, 1947 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 kc and
operated with 1,000 watts daytime only. In 1947, WWPF 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 move 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.
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
formatted WIYD-FM 99.9. In 1975
programming on WWPF shifted to Top 40 – known as “Music From The
Superstars” - with an emphasis placed on bringing hit music to the area while
crosstown WSUZ-AM 800 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 Tumlin 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-AM on July 1st (which stood for wide (WIYD) 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 Top 40 formatted WNFY
"Y 100". Mutual News was dropped, and
Douglas left to join the new "Y 100" as program director while
morning man George Gibb became WIYD's 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 WWPF History
Eva Hall-Owner
Gene
Deckerhoff-
Brian Douglas
(Goodrich)-1975-Music
Director
Donald
Wolfe-1975-Program Director/Sales
Ronald Tumlin-President/General
Manager
Suzanne Tumlin-Vice
President
Butch Prevat-Morning
news anchor/News Director
Mary Makie-General Sales Manager
George Gibb-Program Director
George
Terwillegar-Co-owner
Robert
L. Castellanos-Co-owner
Dan Henry-Program
Director
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