WIPC-AM 1280                                             "Voice of the Ridge"
Lake Wales

Original Call Letters: WIPC
Originally Licensed: 1951
Original City of  License: Lake Wales 
Origin Of Call Letters: Imperial Polk County
Power: 1,000 watts daytime 
Original Format: Block Programming
Original Location: 630 Mountain Lake Cut-Off Road, Lake Wales

Historical Note:  In 1914, the county issued a $1.5 million bond to pave a number of roads. That bond issue was considerable for those days, and allowed for 9-foot-wide roads to start from Bartow to Mulberry, Lake Wales, Fort Meade, Winter Haven, Lakeland and Auburndale. According to historical reports, then-county commission clerk W.S. Wev had the idea of erecting an arch over every paved road at its entrance to Polk County, proclaiming that the motorist was about to enter "Imperial Polk County." The name has since remained.

Owner(s): 1951-G. Max Kimbrel
                       -Kenneth H. Berkeley 
                1955-Imperial Broadcasting Corporation (Elizabeth & Chuck Bishop, Jim Sebesta, George Friend)
                1972-George Oliva 
                       -Salter Broadcasting
                1984-Seggi Broadcasting of Florida
                1996-Rama Communications, Inc.      
                2000-Siber Media Group, Inc
                2005-Super W Media Group

History Of  Call Letters and Formats: WIPC-1951-Block Programming
                                                          WKZJ-1989-
                                                          WIPC-1990-

Names In WIPC History
Vicki Kujawski
Tom Anthony Biography
Chuck Bishop-General Manager 
Jim Sebesta-1955-Part owner/General Manager/1962-1965-Sales Manager
Tom Thornburg-General Manager
Arch Abernethy-Ol’ Arch the Orange Picker-Mornings/News Director
Penny Pursel-Program Director
Lee Whidden
Lee Perry
Terry Walden
Red Cannon
Bob Wolfe
John Gilman-1959-1962-Sales Manager 
Bob Denham-Sales
Betty Banes-Sales 
Chuck Daily-Chief Engineer  
Frank Berry-Chief Engineer  
Walter Miska
Bob Helmick
Dan O’Day
Ronnie Richards
Phil Adams-Program Director
Wes Belisle-News
Barry Foster-News
Kim Cooper-Afternoons
Cynthia Crofoot Rignanese-"Lady Lawyer Live"
Dan Hogan-1980-1981-Weekends Biography
"The Country Boy" Larry Flegle-1967-Afternoons/sales

Other Programs In WIPC History
Harry Cup Biography
Tom Gresham's Gun Talk
Orlando Magic Basketball
Lou Dobbs Tonight

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