WROD-AM 1340  
Daytona Beach

Original Calls: WROD                                    
Originally Licensed: Nov 1947
Power: 1,000 watts
Original City of  License: Daytona Beach
Original Format: MOR

Network Affiliation(s): Mutual Broadcasting System
                                  RKO
                                  ABC/Information

Owner(s): 1947-Edgar J. Sperry
               1967-Daytona Beach Radio Ltd (Central Florida Broadcasting Co. Michael Buckley, vice president)
                1982-First Daytona Investment Corporation (Frank D. Ward and his wife Linda Jackson-Ward)
                1986-LaPaz broadcasting (Tony de Haro Welch) ($1.2 million)
                1999-Gore-Overgaard Broadcasting  (Central Florida Investments $1.1 million)
                2008-Volusia Broadcasting Company, LLC  (Joseph Hopkins, Daniel Cohen, Jeff Greenhawt) ($750,000)

History Of Call Letters and Formats: WROD-1947-MOR
                                                         WROD-1967-Top 40
                                                         WROD-1967-Beautiful Music
                                                         WROD-1986-Big Bands  "Music of Your Life"
                                                         WROD-2007-Adult Standards  (Westwood One Network)


History of WROD 
From Brian Douglas "...In my early youth it was an MOR (Middle of the Road) station... full service.  I remember billboards around 1962 with the slogan Hot Rod Radio... WROD 1340. I'm thinking WROD flipped to Top 40 in early 1963.  I remember "Denise" and "Rip Van Winkle" playing there.  Timing's everything and WROD went from a second-tier station to #1 after the British Invasion hit.  WMFJ was much slower to react to this music... they added it later and their chart was usually a month behind 'ROD's.  They focused on teens and 18-24 year olds. WROD was called "Rabbit Radio" at first.  Remember the jingles "the station with the happy difference"?  WROD's said "the station with the happy rabbits".  They used a sound effect that said "Sha-bop sha-bop" just the way WLOF used the tones for "WLOF Much More Music Time".  Of course, the inspiration for the sha-bops was the song, "I Only Have Eyes For You", from the Flamingos (which, as I understand, apparently did not say sha-bop, but instead said "so much in love" reaaalllll quickly"). 
My understanding is that the station was sold in 1967.  Although it was solidly #1, the lady who bought it wanted to flip it... and did.  It went to Beautiful Music in the summer of 67.  Later, in the early/mid 70's, the station reverted to a faux-Top 40 format... sort of Hot AC or "Chicken Rock".  It was much more adult.  I think Doug Montgomery was in charge.  It stayed with that format until the very successful late 70s flip to Big Band/Nostalgia (Music of Your Life)..."
Marc Tyll adds to the history of WROD.
Between 1982 and 1984, WROD was owned by First Daytona Investment Corporation (known as FDIC to parody the Federal Depositors Insurance Corporation). The principle owner was Frank D. Ward and his wife Linda Jackson-Ward. It was under Ward's direction that WROD changed format from Adult Contemporary to Al Ham's "The Music of Your Life". 
At that time MOYL programming was broadcast using reel-to-reel tapes from the WROD studio, later switching to satellite operations. Additionally WROD broadcast Paul Harvey News and Comments and the Rest of the Story along with the Wall Street Journal Report. WROD was also an RKO affiliate in addition to being an ABC/Information affiliate.
In 2001 and 2002, the station was selected as a finalist for the radio industry's prestigious Marconi Award for Adult Standards Station of the Year. In 2005 the station moved from the original studios to Sunshine Park, a mall in South Daytona. 

                                                     
                                                                      click photo for full sized view
               Thanks to Rich Campbell for this photo of the 1948 Crossley Station Wagon used as the WROD Mobile Unit

WROD Personalities
Ken Knight (Adrian Kenneth Knight)-1947-Ms. Marsha W. George tells about her uncle, Ken Knight. "...WROD was his first break into radio in 1947 and later after opening WERD in Atlanta in 1949, he came back to Florida and remained in Jacksonville where in 1962 they named a street Ken Knight Drive after him. He passed away in 1973. 

Ken Knight with Miss Sarah Vaughn

photo courtesy of Marsha George






                 








Mike Harvey-1964-air name Mike Addams Biography



Dan Hogan-1968-afternoons Biography



K.P. Manning-1975-1976  Biography 
Ron Kocher-Music Director



Diane Prior-1979


Lee Phillips
Dick Fellows-Program Director
Sid T. Surf
Bob Voss-"Happy Rabbits" era, also hosted dances at the "Ocean Pier Casino". Thanks to Don Williamson for this info.
Tracey Young
Bob Andrews  Biography



Bill Matthews-1989-2008-"Matthews in The Morning"-Weekdays- 6am till Noon/Program director



Rick Martorano-2006-"Art, Entertainment and Lifestyles"
Jim Vandergrifft-2007-New Smyrna Beach Mayor -Community Information
Ben Taylor
Ron Fraiser-Music Director
Cadillac Jack Stevens--2008-Mornings



Bill Wathen-Noon-6PM


Sophie Kay-"Cooking with Sophie Kay"-Mon-Fri-10:15AM

Other Names in WROD History


Tony Welch-1986-1989-Owner 1986-2007-General Manager                Bill Wathen, Bill Matthews & Tony Welch



George Winslow-2007-General Manager
Jerry Kiefer-Station Manager
Jim Mitchell-News Director
Joseph Weikel-2002-Marketing/Sales
George Winslow-2007-General manager
Doug Montgomery-Program Director
Joseph Hopkins-2008-Volusia Broadcasting Company, LLC
Daniel Cohen-2008-Volusia Broadcasting Company, LLC
Jeff Greenhawt-2008-Volusia Broadcasting Company, LLC


                                     
                                                       Thanks to Phil Beckman for these Survey photos

                                                          

                                                        
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